Page 83 of The Moment He Saw Her

“Don’t do that again, Libby,” Ryder said. “Ever.”

“You don’t get to tell me what I can do.”

“It’s in my genes,” he said, feeling the rage inside him finally ease knowing she was here and unhurt. He wanted to track down those Bandits and deal with all of them. “You came to town all pathetic and vulnerable, and now suddenly you’re acting like this Amazonian warrior?”

She smiled then, and it amped up her beauty. “I was an Amazonian warrior, and it felt amazing.”

“I bet, but maybe next time think it through before rushing in.”

“I’ll try.”

“Nice hat and scarf, by the way.”

“Lea made them for me. I’m worried for them, Ryder.”

“I know, and we’re working on it. Now, we’re busy today, so let’s get at it.”

“Right. Ally’s birthday party. Klaus is coming in to make coffees when it’s on.”

“Right.” Ryder followed her to the back, refusing to drop his eyes to her ass, even though he wanted to. The woman got to him. No getting around that.

“What have you been making?” she asked when they stepped into the kitchen.

“Chocolates, while prepping other stuff, which I probably shouldn’t be, as it needs all my focus.” He watched her move to inspect what he’d been doing with the molds.

“I—ah, I know a little bit about chocolate. Do you have a recipe?”

He waved his hand at the book he’d laid out before him on the counter. It had taken years to compile. He’d put ideas for flavors he’d researched in there, but it was only recently Ryder had decided it was time to put some of them into practice.

“Make something if you want,” he said, going on the hunch she knew more than a little bit about chocolate. “I’m just checking the party supplies that arrived last night.”

Ryder went back into the cafe to the storeroom at the rear and went through what he needed for Ally’s birthday.

Wandering back in when he was done, he stood behind Libby and watched as she decorated molds with a piping bag, forming perfect lines across each of white and red. She then proceeded to fill with chocolate, scrape, and then fill again with the caramel mix he’d made. By the time she’d finished, he could see she knew exactly what she was doing.

Totally engrossed, she didn't notice him watching.

“I’ll put them in the fridge,” she blurted when she turned to find him behind her.

“Where did you learn to do that?”

“I—ah, online,” she said, and he knew it for a lie. Could read it in her eyes.

“Why did you decide you wanted to learn to make chocolates, Libby?”

“My family likes chocolate.”

“So do mine, but they usually buy it.” Before he could stop her, she’d moved around him and opened the chiller. Libby then slid the trays inside.

“I’ll start setting up for the party,” she added, heading to the door without looking at him.

“What the fuck is it about that woman?” Ryder muttered, going to the chiller. Opening it, he studied the chocolates. Neat, and the designs he’d seen her put in the molds were amazing. The woman clearly knew what she was doing, and he didn’t think she’d picked that up in night school or online, but he’d been wrong before.

Every time he thought he was getting a handle on her, she did something else that raised even more questions. A chocolate-making ballerina-accountant who ran out on her wedding and could take down a man if she needed to.

Shaking his head, he listened as she ran upstairs to set up Ally’s party. Ryder had drawn the table setting and how he wanted the party to look, which was easy for her to follow, seeing as she was way smarter than him.

When he’d prepped a few more things, he headed upstairs to find her. She was in the small office getting something down from the shelves.

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