Page 35 of Naughty & Nice

A flush creeps up my neck, and I quickly look at the paper sitting on my table that reads, ‘7:00 pm Richard Head.’ Biting the inside of my cheek to control my giggle, I turn back to him. Placing my hand in his to return his greeting, he covers it with his left and strokes it lovingly before giving it a gentle squeeze.

Gulping down my emotions, I try to get back on track. “So, can I call you Richard?” It’s becoming nearly impossible not to laugh now.

“Nah. You can call me Dick.”

Well, at least he’s acknowledging it.There’s no way to hide my smile now. “What are you doing, Trevor?”

“I’m here for the job.”

“What job? You have gainful employment.As a firefighter.” I enunciate each word carefully, leaning in to acknowledge his crazy antics.

“I’m applying for two, actually. I thought you’d advertised you were looking for a management team to help run your business. I’ve just recently acquired my Masters in Information Technology and think I could be an asset.”

I look at him skeptically, wondering what on earth he’s talking about, just as he reaches over to take my hand. “Addison, Alden told me about your dyslexia.”

Instinctively, I snatch my hand away. How could Alden have broken my confidence?

“Baby, please don’t be like that. He only wanted me to understand how amazing you are. As if I don’t already know. He’s incredibly proud of how hard you fight to achieve your dreams. So am I. Why didn’t you tell me? And about the modeling?”

“I wasn’t trying to deceive you. My family’s made it a real stigma for me. Both the dyslexia and the fact I chose to model. I’ve learned to keep those parts to myself, to avoid judgment.” Pulling my hands into my lap, I wring them nervously, knowing all of my cards are on the table.

But he’s still here.

Trevor places his resume on the table in front of me. Looking back at him, I just raise my brow. Boy, he’s taking this charade seriously.

“What? Isn’t it customary to turn those in?”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Trev.”

“Addy, I’m serious about this. My schedule at the firehouse limits me a bit, but I have a lot of downtime working in Sycamore Mountain. Plus, I can work on whatever you need from the station between the two calls a day we usually get.” He snorts.

“I don’t understand. Why are you doing this?”

“Well, that leads me to the other job I’m applying for.” He sits up a little taller and appears to take a deep breath. “Please take me back, cupcake. I need you. You’re all I think about.”

Suddenly, I feel overwhelmed. Taking him back is risky enough after the way he ran. But working with him might not be a great idea.

“Just think about it. If you only have one job listing available, I prefer the second one. I won’t let you down again. And if you give me a chance, I don’t think you’re going to need as much help running your business as you think. Because I’ll do it for free if you won’t hire me.”

I want desperately to jump in his lap and kiss those full lips. But I’ve already been too hasty with him. “Can I think about it, Dick?”

“Yes, of course.” He winks and stands from his seat, walking over to where I’m sitting. He takes my hand in his and lays a gentle kiss on the inside of my wrist. My arm sizzles from the contact, and I have to fight swooning over him. Thank you for the opportunity, Ms. Briggs.” And with that, the rugged, handsome man turns and strolls out the door.

CHAPTER28

Addy

“So,I think I’m going to give Trevor another chance,” I say as I remove the batch of cupcakes from the chiller next in line to decorate.

“Don’t rush into anything, doll. You’ve got a lot on your plate with the grand opening of your shop coming soon.”

“Well, he’s been really helpful with that. And other than some innocent flirting and innuendo, he’s been very respectful to keep things professional. Between him and James, I think I’m in good shape. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that we managed to get the vacant space next door.

“Yeah, I heard the boys from station twelve took out the owner and convinced him over a few highballs that your offer was the only one worth considering.” Alden chuckles. “First order of business is to put a door between the two shops to let people come and go.”

“By people, do you mean potential customers or you and me?” I giggle.

“Both. Addy, are you sure you’re ready to take on a relationship on top of everything else?”

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