Page 13 of Tanner
Today was the day.
When Tanner pushed open the door, the little bell chimed above his head. The moment he stepped inside, his eyes found her. Junie stood behind the counter, wiping down the display glass, her cute as fuck uniform hugging her curves, and a light dusting of flour decorating one cheek.
His cock tightened in an instant, a warm, possessive pullspreading low in his gut at the sight of her. God, she was beautiful. Soft and sweet, and so damn hot it made his hands itch to touch her.
When she looked up and saw him standing there, her whole face lit up with that bright, genuine smile that always hit him like sunlight breaking through clouds. His heart gave a hard, heavy thud, and for a second, he couldn’t breathe right.
Yeah… he was done holding back. This woman was going to be his in every way that mattered.
Tanner leaned against the counter, locking his gaze on Junie when she picked up a heavy tray of fresh chokecherry cinnamon rolls. Balancing it with one hand while carefully sliding the display case’s door open, the little furrow between her brows appeared again. The one she always got when she was trying hard not to look flustered.
He wanted to vault right over the damn counter, haul her against him, and kiss that sweet pout off her lips until those pretty ice-blue eyes went soft and glassy, until the only thing she could think about was him.
His control hung by a thread.
The first time he’d run into her once he’d made it back home, he’d damn near swallowed his tongue. His little Junebug had grown up in all the right places.
Those curves, that peachy-blonde hair he wanted to wrap around his fist, the way she moved her hips when she walked. Juniper Kate Morgan was all woman now. And every inch of her called to the Daddy in him.
She walked past again, another tray loaded down so heavy it had to be killing her arms. He almost offered to help, but he knew how that conversation would go. She’d get that stubborn glint in her eye and tell him she could do it herself. His cupcake girl—capable as hell and twice as determined to prove it.
She was cute when she pretended not to notice him. Pretended she wasn’t just as aware of him as he was of her. That honey badgerstuffie he’d given her all those years ago had been more fitting than he ever could’ve guessed.
Junebug didn’t fit anymore. Cupcake seemed right, considering she was covered in flour half the time. He was tempted to call her a little badger. She had definitely grown claws. And damn if he didn’t want to feel every single one of them. But overall, he liked her being his little cupcake more.
One thing was certain. He was tired of waiting for her. She was usually the first to fire in their daily battle of wits, but today, he guessed he’d have to get things started.
“Well, look at you,” he drawled, letting his voice drop into that lazy, teasing tone he knew crawled right under her skin. “Up before the sun again, Cupcake? You’re gonna work yourself into an early grave if you’re not careful.”
Junie set the tray down harder than necessary. That glare she shot him was about as scary as an angry kitten, and it only made him want to grin wider.
“Some of us have actual responsibilities, Tanner Daniels,” she fired back. “Not all of us get to ride around on horses looking smug all day.”
He reached over and snatched a still-warm cinnamon roll right off the cake plate display before she could cover it with its glass dome. The first bite exploded with sugar and spice across his tongue. He kept his eyes locked on hers the whole time.
“Smug looks good on me,” he said around the mouthful. “You should try it sometime. Might help get that frown off your face. You know, a guy could get a complex being frowned at all the time.”
“I don’t always frown when you’re around,” she lied, her cheeks blooming that pretty shade of pink he was quickly becoming addicted to.
Tanner chuckled low and leaned further across the counter until he could smell vanilla, sugar, and warm woman on her skin. His cock gave a slow, interested throb.
“Whatever you say, Cupcake,” he murmured. “You keep tellingyourself that. One of these days you’re gonna admit you’re crazy about me.”
Her eyes flashed. “You just want my cupcakes cause they won’t hurt your dentures. Do you dream about my nice, soft, big cupcakes, old man?”
There she is.
That fire. That sharp, sexy little tongue. It made him want to drag her over the counter and kiss her until she forgot how to sass him.
“Ouch. Claws are out this morning,” he teased, voice dropping even lower, purposefully ignoring her cupcake comment. “Makes me wonder if we need to add hot buns to your menu today. Kenzie’s becoming a bad influence on you.”
For just a second, her tough little mask slipped. He caught the flash of a smile and something softer in her eyes. Something vulnerable and hungry that tightened his chest with raw want.
Easy, Daniels.
“You’re right about that, Tanner. She’s a really bad influence on me. But you didn’t answer my question. Do bakery goods fill your dreams?”
He straightened slowly, giving her that cocky grin he knew made most girls’ thighs press together. “My dreams are a lot more interesting than that, Cupcake,” he said, voice low and rough. “But I have to admit, your baked goods have appeared in them. Speaking of which, you know I’m only going to let you pretend a little longer.”
