Chapter 9 Eight

His touch was feathery soft, a sharp contrast to his hard features. Beneath that exterior was a tender, almost vulnerable part of him she'd never seen before.

He looked bad, well as bad as someone like him could possibly look. With his roughly tousled hair and stubby chin, he still looked better than any man she'd seen.

"What do you mean?" She asked, frowning a little. This man had insulted her, she reminded herself.

He stared at her for a long moment, without saying anything. He looked down to where both their hands were still entangled together, neither making any moves to remove it.

"I'll get the menu." She said and left as fast as she could.

She sifted through a few of the piles of books she'd already been packing, in search of the menu when she felt a presence.

"I just wanna talk." He said, his voice deeper than usual, making her stomach turn.

"About?" She answered as casually as she could. She was a bundle of nerves inside and she'd be damned if he even got as much as a whiff of how she was feeling.

He sighed, moving closer.

"Come out with me. We could sit. I just need to talk to you."

She swallowed, but took his outstretched hand and followed him out to the dining area.

He was in a suit, in full CEO gear, which looked perfect on him. Every piece of him was distracting, but she had to be strong. He was nothing but bad luck to her and he'd made it clear she had no present or future with him.

"My dad..." he began, before a movement outside the bakery caught his eye. Two vans were packed outside with a few people on either sides of them and more coming out.

"Fuck" he muttered, standing and tousling his hair even further. "Where is the closest exit from here?"

From the way he was acting, she knew she had to think fast. She didn't really understand what was happening, but she knew vans in movies sometimes meant 'kidnap'. But who in their right mind would want to kidnap a full grown man in broad daylight?

It was when she saw a flash from one of the men with a standing camera that she understood who they were; goddamn reporters. She hated them. Those people who had no problem ruining other people's lives just for a few clicks and referrals.

"Follow me." She went into full active mode, holding Asher by the hand and taking him to the storeroom which even she never used. She dialed Jake's number and hoped desperately he was already around somewhere with his truck to help her pack a few things as she'd told him that morning.

He was.

"Jake, my employee will be here in twenty minutes. Just hang tight. I won't let them get to you." She said, peeping out through the keyhole to see how close the voices she could hear actually were.

"Wow." He said, with a small smile on his face.

"What?" She asked, turning to him. "Can you see anyone?"

"No." He said. "I didn't know you work well under pressure."

She snorted. "I wouldn't really call shoving you into a storeroom 'working well under pressure".

"It is. I wouldn't have thought of it."

For a long moment they didn't hear any voices and Anne finally relaxed. She flopped down on a bag of flour right beside Asher.

"This is very cozy." Asher stated, taking off his suit jacket and lying down on the big bag he was on. She did the same.

"Well, it's not everyday I have people who the entire media is interested in here in my bakery." She said, turning to him.

He smirked. "I wish it wasn't the entire media. I wish it was someone else."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"May I ask who?"

He looked up like he was imagining something or someone.

"She's beautiful, with brown hair that flows down her breasts. She runs a business that she won't admit is not as good as it used to be. She won't spend an extra moment with me than required. Sometimes I feel like she can't stand me... "

Anne looked at the side of his face while he spoke. She knew he was talking about her. Did he really want her to be interested in him, or was it just a ruse to finish what they'd started. But he'd come back here, even at the risk of being seen by everyone. That had to be something, right?

"The second time I came over to your place and you let me sleep over, those reporters called me your escort." She said without thinking.

"I'm so sorry." He said, meaning it. "Now you know why I'm never at a particular place all the time."

She nodded and placed her head on his shoulder. The stress of the day had gotten to her. She felt his hand on her brown hair, touching, then massaging. She relaxed further, it felt so good.

"I'm sorry for everything I've caused you. Denying you all those years. That wasn't me." He said almost inaudibly.

She shut her eyes, not wanting to remember that awful day that had turned sour. Or the days, months after when she realized she was pregnant.

"It's all in the past now." She said, turning to him. She imagined what he'd do if he discovered she had carried his babies to term. The ones he never even knew about.

They locked eyes and she found herself reciting every feature of his face she'd memorized. She felt the same feelings she'd felt that day. The feeling of being seen, by him.

His hand went round her waist and pulled her closer, so close they inhaled each other's breath. She touched his full beard, wondering why he never let it grow. They were staring into each other's eyes, the heat undeniably between them.

His eyes left hers and fell on her lips. His thumb smoothed it, feeling how soft it was. As he dipped his head into hers, someone began to viciously pound the door.

They froze. The reporters had finally found them.

"Are you in there? Anne?"

"Jake!" She screamed, getting up and staring into the peephole. Is there anyone with you?"

"If you mean the reporters I had to outsmart to get here, then no. I told them you both escaped to the museum and I guess they fell for it. You can come out now."

Anne gasped happily and unlocked the door. She enveloped Jake in a bear hug.

"You're the best. I knew I could count on you."

Neither of them saw the frown on Asher's face on being interrupted.

"Hi Asher." He said.

"You really saved my ass out there, Jake. Thanks."

Anne looked between them in surprise.

"You both know each other?"

"Jake here, is my best friend's younger brother. The one you saw the last time you came over."

"And you never told me. You dick." She pushed a finger into Jake's chest.

"Ow." He gasped. "In my defence, it never came up."

***

After reading a bedtime story to her kids who were already asleep, Anne yawned and went to bed.

Immediately her head hit the pillow, all traces of sleep left her eyes. She shut her eyes regardless, but couldn't keep from smiling when she remembered her day.

Her phone began to ring, startling her.

"Hello..."

"What the fuck, Anne ? When were you gonna tell us?" Lola said on the other end of the line.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're always the last to know everything. Even things that happen to you. I just sent you the article. Read it and tell me why you lied." She said and ended the call.

Anne was more confused than ever. She opened her text and clicked the link, wondering what those horrible reporters had cooked up this time.

"Bakery owner and alleged escort could be the next Mrs Ingram."

Below the article was a picture of Asher and her in the storeroom, their faces pressed together.