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Chapter one

Noelle

Everything here is as I dreamed it would be…except for him. Ugh. -Noelle

The sign for the reappearance of the annual pumpkin spiced cupcakes at the local bakery makes me give an internal whoop of joy. Yay! Fall is arriving. Finally, the hot, humid days of summer will give way to cool breezes and changing leaves.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved fall. Autumn, to me, is more than a season. It’s a celebration of change on nature’s terms. And most importantly, this fall is a season of change for me. My dreams will finally be coming true in just one month.

I do a little happy dance on the sidewalk. A few people give me strange looks. One or two smile. I pay them no mind. In the end it doesn’t matter what they think. I’m opening Noelle’s Cup of Tea in thirty-one days in the picturesque town of Maple Lane Falls, Illinois. All these people will grow to love me, I’m sure.

Workers put up the tasteful, decorative sign for Noelle’s Cup of Tea yesterday. I plant my hands on my hips and squint at it. Does it look sophisticated enough? Will people notice it? I wanted it to be tasteful, yet recognizable, but now it just looks too small. Panic begins to hit. What if people don’t notice it? What if I get absolutely no business? What if I’ve done all this dreaming to come up empty?

“You should have made it bigger.” The deep voice interrupts my blind panic and causes another emotion to stir in my chest. Instant anger.

I turn to face my nemesis. The man who has made my blood boil for the last two months. The man who tortures my days with his barbs and my nights with naughty dreams of him.

“Well, we can’t all be like you and have neon signs with crude sayings invitin’ people into our place of business.” I cross my arms. “Noelle’s Cup of Tea is meant to be a relaxing, inviting place to taste teas and meet up with friends. Not a…a…” I stamp my foot as I struggle to think of an insult that would be proper for this man and his annoying store.

Luca Hollander merely raises one cocky eyebrow. “Not a place you have fun, you mean? Because that sign makes it look like a secret club, not a place that wants to attract business.”

A storm brews within me. How dare he? How dare this hot, gorgeous, completely irritating man talk about my place like he’s somehow better than me…

Luca Hollander is the one drawback to opening my dream shop here. I knew when I met him that he would be trouble. Not only is he cocky as hell, but he’s also good-looking. His curly, black hair always stands a little on end, making me want to run my fingers through it just to enjoy the silky feel. There’s just a little silver at the temples, enough to make him look suave. Those blue eyes of his crinkle in the corners when he’s laughing at me…which is often. For everyone else, he’s deadly stares and under his breath muttering. But for some reason, he finds me amusing, like an amusing exhibit at the fair. He laughed at me the very first day when we met. That deep, roguish laugh that made heat spiral to my core. Then he reached out to touch my cheek and said, “Lass, you’re a sight for sore eyes even if you are a mess. Where did you come from?” The hint of an Irish accent made me want to jump him even more. All the desire welling up within me was completely unwelcome.

Apparently, I was a bit rumpled with flour on my cheek and tea spilled all over my T-shirt that first day. That one laugh and his sexy words were all it took for me to have a sudden dislike for him. Then, I learned that not only would we be neighbors in business, but he also rented a cabin right next to mine. I couldn’t escape the man no matter how hard I tried.

I quickly found out by asking around town that apart from me, people seem to genuinely like the older grump. He’s a bit of a loner and tends to emit a disgruntled grunt as most of his answers to questions. Except with me. With me, he loves getting under my skin. He’s almost fifteen years older than me and makes me feel young and naïve. I don’t like it. I’m twenty-five, live on my own, and I’m ready to accomplish my dreams.

“Still trying to think of something to come back with? Come on Noelle, this is more fun when you’re quick on your feet. Didn’t ya have your coffee this morning?” Luca sends me a sardonic smile, “Or excuse me your tea? Maybe that’s it. Tea isn’t enough to get your engines revved in the morning. You know, I could help you…”

I can’t take it anymore. I march up to the man who gets under my skin so easily and jab my finger in his chest. “You… you are a cocky, annoying, frustrating, bully! And your store is ridiculous! What kind of person names their place of business Blow Me? I mean, I’m surprised the city council didn’t put a stop to it. It’s not decent. It’s not right…it’s well, it’s…just wrong to have that as a shop name!” I know my argument is a bit weak. Later I’m going to think of a million things I should have said. I always do this. At night, staring at the ceiling, my quips are stinging. Here, looking up at the big, muscled ex-hockey player, my brain gets muddled.

He throws his head back and laughs. “Ah, the city council loves me. Peggy is particularly fond of my brand of blarney. And they thought Blow Me was a perfectly fine name for a glass-blowing shop. Only you seem to be stuck on the sexual meaning behind it.” Luca bends to get closer to me and I can feel his body heat. He raises an eyebrow. In a mischievous tone, he asks, “Is that because you associate me with sex, lass? I can certainly understand that.” His blue eyes darken. “Because I certainly think you’re pretty damn sexy.” His voice is deep and gruff.

I try not to inhale his scent, but I can’t help it. How is it such a rude man can smell so damn delicious? Why the hell does this unruly man bother me so much? Why the hell am I so attracted to him? I unconsciously sway towards him. I lick my lips and his blue eyes follow the movement.

“Um…I…I really…” What would it be like to kiss this man? How would he taste? Shit… what the hell were we talking about again?

“Ms. Noelle, your new tables are here! I told you I would get them to you by this week!” Frank, the owner of a local furniture store, finally breaks the spell I’m under by yelling from his truck as he pulls up in front of the store.

I blink hard and force myself to step back from Luca. I can feel my face flush beet red.

“Have a good day, Mr. Hollander,” I mumble.

“I will, lass. Indeed, I will. Especially replaying that moment when you almost kissed me.” With a jaunty salute, the most annoying man in Maple Lane Falls is gone.

Fuck, when will I get the better of Luca Hollander?

Chapter two

Luca

I find I like making her angry. She’s sexier than ever when she’s yelling at me. -Luca

My cock is aching by the time I make it to the bathroom of my shop. I shut the door and tear at the button and zipper on my jeans. Closing my eyes, I take out my length and start stroking with every thought being Noelle. All my thoughts are of her. Her flashing brown eyes as she tries to come up with insults. Her flushed cheeks as her anger takes over and that polite veneer of hers vanishes. Fuck, I love it.

As I stroke my cock, my imagination goes deeper. I can picture backing her up against the wall of my shop, stripping those prim and proper outfits she always wears off her, and taking her. I imagine turning her around, taking that lush ass in my hands, and driving into her from behind.