Page 10 of Landry

He held up both hands. “I’m not a big fan of sweets.”

“Oh, honey.” She stopped in front of him, her brow rising. “That’s because you haven’t had mine.”

When he opened his mouth to protest, she popped the piece of bark between his teeth, her fingers brushing against his lips.

A zing of electricity shot through her fingers and up her arm. Heat rose in her cheeks. She blinked and stepped back, her gaze connecting with his.

She’d never felt anything like it. The sheer magnitude of the jolt left her speechless.

The man’s jaw flexed as he chewed the morsel, his gaze holding her in place.

Movement at her knees made Camille tear her glance away from his.

Ava stood between her and the man, holding her bear close to her chest. She reached up and took the man’s hand in her little one. “Hey, mister, did you feel the magic?”

For a moment, he stared down at Camille’s daughter. Then his eyes narrowed, and he tilted his head slightly as if considering the girl’s words. “You know, I think I did.” He squatted down to get on eye level with Ava. “Do all your mother’s candies have magic?”

Ava nodded solemnly. “Yes, sir.”

“Then they must be very special,” he said.

Ava nodded.

“And who is this?” the man asked, pointing to the well-loved bear.

“Fuzzy Bear,” Ava said, her brow twisting. “Only he’s not very fuzzy anymore.”

“He’s a handsome bear,” the man said. “Does he like your mother’s candy?”

Ava nodded.

Camille smiled down at her child, happy to see her talking to an adult male when she usually ran and hid when grown men came into the shop. Then her daughter did something totally unexpected.

Ava threw her arms around the man’s neck and hugged him tightly. “Mmm. You smell like peppermint,” she whispered. As quickly as she’d flung herself at the man, she let go and ran.

The man rose to his feet, his gaze following Ava until she disappeared into the storeroom. He turned his gaze to Camille. “Is she yours?”

Camille nodded and then shook her head. “She’s never done that before.”

“Done what?”

“Hugged a man.” Camille stared up into his eyes. “I know I’ve seen you around town, but I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Camille Catoire.”

“Landry Laurent.” He took her hand in his, the warmth and strength of his fingers curling around hers, sending shockwaves and heat throughout her body, before pooling disturbingly low in her belly.

She wasn’t sure how long he held her hand. When the bell over the entrance rang again, she shook herself out of the trance and pulled her hand free.

With six hulking men in the shop at once, filling the small space, Camille found it difficult to see who had walked through the door.

“Don’t you men have real jobs?” Deputy Shelby Taylor, Remy’s wife and the mother of his child, edged her way through the men and held out her arms.

Jean-Luc launched himself toward his mother.

Shelby caught him and relieved Remy of his burden. “That box had better be for me,” she said and then kissed her son’s cheek and blew a raspberry into his pudgy belly.

Camille grinned at the rude sound followed by the baby’s giggles. “Hey, Shelby. How’s motherhood treating you?”

“Other than stretch marks, fifteen pounds that won’t go away and my little guy confused about days and nights, it’s great.” She gave Camille a wan smile. “Add to that my duties as a sheriff’s deputy, and it doesn’t get better than this.”

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