His Contract - Kelli Callahan Page 0,2

one, but it’s not ready for you to taste. It’s still too close to tasting like perfume.” She grimaces. “Anyway, do you like it? I’ve been experimenting with incorporating flowers into some desserts and I want to also adorn some cupcakes with edible flowers. I want to release them for the first day of spring in a few months.”

I nod. “It’s very good. I could eat a whole bowl of that, and you know I don’t have a huge sweet tooth.” She offers another bite to me, and I take it.

A laugh leaves her. She puts the spoon down to lift her hand, the pad of her thumb makes contact with my lower lip and she smears it across, then pulls back to suck the bit of cream off her thumb. My cock twitches more at the sight. Everything in me says to grab her and kiss her until all of it is off her tongue, but I can’t.

Thinking about a variety of things that aren’t as sexy as the woman in front of me, I take a step back from her and run my hand through my hair again. Lord, let this erection die before it makes itself known. “Thanks for the test sample.” I pretend to check my watch. “I have to go now, or I’ll be late for the meeting.”

Her smile falls a bit. “Oh, alright. I don’t want you to be late for your important meeting.”

It pains me to see her sad, but there’s nothing I can do about it. The meeting isn’t a lie, I do have one, with her father, but she’ll never know that. She doesn’t know that her father and I have dealings and she never will. “Have a beautiful day, Josie. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

She nods and the smile comes back. “I’ll keep your table for you. You have a good day as well.”

I hold the bag up. “Put these on my tab, will you? Stop giving me things for free.” I turn on my heel.

Her joyful laugh meets my ears. “Never. Love you, be safe.”

I swallow hard at her words. I know she means it in a platonic way, she’s said it to me since we were younger. I used to say it back until I started to catch feelings for her, and then it became too much to bear. “I always am, you stay safe as well.”

As I get to the front of the bakery Shannon hands me my chai as I pass her. I smile at her. “Thanks, Shannon.” While leaving through the gate I not so subtly make sure the swinging door hits Sacha in the leg, hard. “Oops. Pardon me, Sacha. I don’t seem to know my own strength.”

He grunts at me and glares. What I wouldn’t give to be able to punch that look right off his bulldog-like face. I would love nothing more than to be in his place, watching over her all day. Even if we can’t be together, I would gladly do it, just to make sure she’s happy and safe. Sadly, however, I’m overqualified and her father would never dream of letting me take on that kind of role.

Exiting the bakery, I sigh. Speaking of her father, I have to go see the man now. The man hardly ever calls meetings with me, but when he does I know it’s because someone is on his hit list and he wants them to be taken care of the right way.

I get to my office with half an hour to spare. I wasn’t running late at all, but with Michail Kotov you never keep him waiting. I can’t help but wonder who he wants me to take-out for him. There’s a lot of people who hate him, but I can’t think of any at the moment he would want dead. Most of them are too high profile to make disappear easily. Even with the family discount I give him, he likes to hold onto as much of his wealth as possible.

A light knock comes from my office door as I’m pouring a twenty-year-old scotch into two tumblers. He’ll appreciate the gesture, and I want to remain in his good graces. “Enter,” I call over my shoulder.

“Mr. Kotov is here to see you, sir.” The voice of Cheryl, my assistant fills the room.

The door closes with a click and I turn around to meet the cold blue eyes of Michail Kotov. He and his daughter look similar. There’s no question he’s her father.