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“Guilty,” they sing out unanimously except for Dean, who calls out, “Guilty as all hell.”
“Now, what are you going to do about it?”
My brain cells click. “So I fucked up. Acknowledged, but who pulled this together and whose pink paper is that?”
“Isla did. That’s a page from her diary, but she wasn’t sure about you. Hard to believe she’s willing to give you a chance, but that’s women for you. Open to overlooking rampant stupidity and romance violations for the right guy.” Damien making sarcastic air quotes is painful to watch. “She’s spending the night at the travel lodge by the highway…” I don’t wait to hear more.I drop the beer on the table and head out the door. I’ve got groveling to do and I’m going to need every last second to do it right.
Isla
It’s late. It’s already 10:15 and nobody has knocked. Did everyone forget? Or figure out they had something better to do after all? I’m just about to shut off the lights and cry myself to sleep despite my promises to myself that there would be no tears whatsoever when there’s a firm knock on the door. It doesn’t sound like Lance’s knock.
Swallowing hard, I reach for the deadbolt and open the door with trepidation. Both Heath and Lance are standing there. Lance looks panicked while Heath just seems annoyed. “What? Both of you? I’m confused.”
Heath rolls his eyes. “Lover boy here ran out before he got your room number and the desk clerk wasn’t inclined to give it to a crazy, shouting man. Imagine that?” His arm is preventing Lance from entering, and Lance’s face is starting to look pale. “You sure you want to see him now, Isla?”
I scan Lance’s face. He looks panicked and worried and a wee bit angry as he tries to dislodge Ainsley’s arm from the doorframe. I don’t think it’s occurred to him that he could just duck under. “You can let him in, Heath. He’s clearly not thinking straight, but I’ll be fine.”
“If you say so,” Heath says with a sigh. He smirks slightly as he lifts his arm allowing Lance to rush into the room. The next thing I know, I’m being kissed like I’ve never been kissed before.
I have to push on his shoulders firmly when I find I can’t breathe. Lance’s reluctance to release my lips has me quivering as I glance over to confirm that we don’t still have an audience.But it seems Heath left and shut the door behind him. Although there’s always a chance he’s listening at the door, but that would be weird if anyone else came up the interior hallway. I move over to the door and open it to check, anyway. The hallway is empty. I sigh with relief and turn back to Lance, who has returned to looking agitated.
“Isla, I… come back here. Please?”
It’s the please that gets me, of course. I gravitate closer and he pulls me tight against him. This time, his kisses are aimed at my neck and chin. When he finally pauses, Lance asks, “How big an idiot have I been?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?” I ask dryly.
His smile is wry in response. “Only in the sense of what damage do I need to repair and how much time do I have to do it in?”
I shrug. “I’m still moving to Sala Bay in the morning. It’s only a few hours’ drive.”
He nods, looking grim. “Okay, that’s test number one. What else?”
I side eye him. I hadn’t meant it as a test, just that it’s time to move on with my life. And I’m not about to reverse a commitment on a maybe relationship that so far has had a few too many muffins in it.
“Are you going to explain how you thought asking me to bake was supposed to imply your interest in dating me? Because I don’t get it.”
He sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets, and paces the narrow space in front of the bed. “I knew you’d read the book. My book. But honestly, I thought I said more than that. And I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable if you weren’t interested. So yeah, I probably stretched the analogy a little too far. I am sorry for what it’s worth, but I still don’t know how to tell myassistant I think she’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen and the smartest woman I know.”
“Like that wouldn’t have worked,” I point out, tugging on his t-shirt to drop a swift kiss on his chin. “But I have to say, I wouldn’t have guessed because every time I turned around you were making eyes at some petite college intern.”
Lance looks shocked. “I haven’t looked at anyone else. All I’m guilty of is not looking at you because that would have given it all away. I’m guessing you think I was staring at whoever was in the opposite direction of where you were. I haven’t been with anyone since well before I even met you, Isla. Not even a kiss.”
Hmph. But I like hearing it all the same. “And you aren’t ever going to ask me to bake for you again?”
“Not if you’re dead set against it,” he says softly. “Did you have a baking trauma in your youth? Anything I should know about it?”
“I’m crap at it. No trauma involved, but it’s not my idea of romantic for some guy to think he’s going to judge me on my muffins or lack thereof.”
“I promise never to touch another muffin again.”
I grin. “Don’t go overboard or make unnecessary promises that you’re likely to break.”
Lance looks irritated at that until I point out, “You might have a son someday that wants to learn to bake. You planning to refuse his efforts because you made a promise before he was born?” I ask archly.
“Nooo, is this mythical son one that you and I are having together?” He sits down on the edge of the bed and idly rubs Toby’s tummy. My silly dog just rolls over in his sleep to provide better access.
6
