Page 36 of One-of-a-Kind Bride

Coop took one look at the coffee and muffins and smiled. “Thanks, don’t mind if I do.” He grabbed a muffin, bit into it and groaned. “Oh, man. These are good. Did you make them?”

“I did.”

“Was it a coincidence, or did you remember that carrot raisin is my favorite?”

“I, uh,” she began, deciding on telling the truth. “Julie reminded me. I may have asked her.”

He took a seat at the table and arched a brow. “May have?”

“Okay, I asked her.”

His charming grin disabled her and she sat down beside him. She placed a coffee cup in front of him and took one for herself. “Well, then, I have confession to make too,” he said. “I saw Julie leave just a minute ago. I came in here…to see you.”

She didn’t know how she felt about that, but her heart began to pound. And not just a little bit. “Well, that’s honest.”

“I always try to be.”

“And why all this honesty?”

“Maybe because I smelled the muffins baking and it sort of lured me in.”

“Good try. But I baked these yesterday. Last I checked, you can’t smell day-old muffins.”

He gave her an innocent look. “No?”

She shook her head and smiled.

“So, maybe I came in here to check on you.” He leaned in real close, until she could see the ocean-blue rim around his eyes. He braced his elbow on the table and with two fingers, brushed several strands of hair away from her face. He did this ever so gently, his touch careful and precise.

As he took in her bruise, his eyes narrowed to fine slits as if he were in pain. “Nasty.”

“It looks awful, but it’s healing.”

“Does it still hurt?”

“No. Not really.”

He released a breath. “That’s good.”

He gazed into her eyes and lingered there. He held her mesmerized, so much emotion passing between them, so much desire. It was raw and scary and unexpected. And when he leaned in closer, his fingers in her hair, and glanced at her mouth, she couldn’t move away, couldn’t stop what was happening. He held her face carefully, his thumb circling her cheek. And then, his lips were on hers, softly, gently, the scent of sugar and coffee mingling between them.

It was a kiss from the past, a kiss with no future, but yet she didn’t have the willpower to stop it, to put a halt to this craziness.

But Coop did. He ended the kiss and backed away, holding her gaze. “I…I shouldn’t have done that.”

His remorse put an ache in her heart. Was he remembering his dead wife? Was it guilt that pulled him away? And if she was so against letting him in again, why was she disappointed? “And yet you did.”

He shrugged. “I was worried about you.”

“Is that all it was?”

“Isn’t that enough, Taylor?” His voice elevated.

“What do you mean?”

He scratched his head, his face twisting. “Oh wait, I almost forgot, this place was never enough for you.Iwas never enough for you, was I? Never mind. Don’t answer that, I already know.”

His chair scraped back, the noise echoing against the kitchen walls, and then he was up, grabbing the tray for his crew. “Don’t get up; I’ll take this to the guys.”

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