Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
So fucking hot. I wanted to run my fingers over that exposed bit of skin. The same way I’d been able to touch him last night—in any way I wanted. And the way his ass looked in his pants…
“I had to convince them to even let me do cinnamon rolls, and now they’re a customer favorite,” Thomas said, turning slightly and noticing me. “Oh! Hey, Finn.”
Ori’s eyes widened when he saw me.
Fuck, I wanted to pounce on him. If it were socially acceptable, I’d have jumped over the counter right now and pinned him up against it.
When Ori made eye contact with me, I felt even more like we were sharing a secret. The memory of his low, possessive voice last night flashed through my mind.
Mine.
I still was his.
“Welcome in,” he said simply, as if everything was normal.
Thomas’ eyes lingered on my hickeys for a second, but unlike Mason, he didn’t mention them.
Not too long ago, I wouldn’t have admitted it, but having Thomas’ eyes on my hickeys made me want to show them off even more. I wished Thomas knew exactly how I’d gotten them.
“About those cinnamon rolls,” I said, eyeing a fresh batch behind the counter.
“Got your name written all over one,” Thomas told me, cutting me a piece.
“And on the subject of Ori’s parents, I think if anyone will be able to convince them, it’ll be you, Thomas,” I said as he slid the cinnamon roll over. “They’ve known me and Ori for too long.”
“He was telling me that you stayed with them for a while, Finn,” Thomas said, curiosity in his eyes. “I didn’t know you two lived together for a while.”
“We’ve always been close,” I said, even though I wanted to say so much more, laying claim on Ori. I finished my first bite of the cinnamon roll and I had to fight not to wolf down the whole thing in one bite. “I don’t know what you put in these things, and I don’t want to know, because they’re so damn good.”
“Damn,” Thomas said, smiling. “Ori was telling me they’re the best thing he’s ever eaten, too. I’m being spoiled with compliments today.”
The possessive lion inside me reared its head in an instant, ready to strike.
Down, boy.
Ori was allowed to like other guys’ food. For fuck’s sake, we were supposed to be friends with benefits, anyway. I didn’t actually have a claim on him, even if he was the most important person in the world to me.
“I did live with Ori’s family for a few months,” I said, bringing the subject back around. I grabbed a sugar packet and started thwacking it between two of my fingertips.
“And I made his life a living hell,” Ori chimed in as he poured me a short cup of coffee.
I heard the faint sound of the back door opening from behind the kitchen and in a moment, Danielle came through the kitchen door.
“Do you guys want the good news or the bad news first?” Dani asked. “Hey, Finn.”
Ori grimaced. “Bad news first. Don’t tell me Olivia didn’t sleep again last night?”
“Shockingly she was the sleepiest baby in Bestens last night,” Dani said. “The bad news is that I just saw you-know-who in the parking lot.”
“Oh, shit,” Ori groaned. “Thomas, it’s time for you to meet Mary Ellen and her crew.”
I chuckled, taking a sip of coffee. “Good luck.”
“Should I be scared?” Thomas asked.
“Mary Ellen is infamous around Bestens,” Danielle explained. “She’s sweet, don’t get me wrong. But she is absolutely goddamn impossible.”
Thomas leaned on the counter, looking at Ori.
“Tell me everything,” Thomas said to him.
“Mary Ellen travels with a gang,” Ori explained to Thomas. “You never see her in the wild without four or six or ten other old ladies with her. Sometimes they’re local, sometimes they’re visiting from out of town.”
“It’s like a reverse-Goldilocks from hell,” Dani said, tying her apron behind her. “The air is too cold inside, then too warm. Music is too peppy or not loud enough. Don’t even get me started on the booths Mom and Dad haven’t replaced yet.”
“Mary Ellen would probably keel over if we ever sat her at one of those,” Ori said. “In fact, go ahead and call the paramedics now ahead of time.”
Thomas laughed warmly, reaching over to place a hand on Ori’s shoulder. “You are so funny. I’ll get started on my last batch of syrups.”
My eyes landed on that gesture like I was hunting prey.
If Thomas put his hands on Ori again I was going to lean over the counter and make out with Ori right here, right now—I didn’t give a fuck what it might mean.
“You said you had good news, too,” Ori asked Dani.
“The good news is good for Mary Ellen, too,” Dani said. “Mom and Dad got in contact with a contractor today to see about fixing and replacing some of the booths.”