later, will you make me something special?”
The woman had no shame. “Stop by anytime. We always have specials.” He turned to recheck Rayne and the redhead didn’t stop talking. And flirting. He didn’t know if he was more embarrassed for himself or her. She finally got the hint and left after he let out a few grunts and one-word responses.
“Sorry about that,” he mumbled while pulling on Rayne’s rope.
“I didn’t realize bakers were famous. Is there something I don’t know about you? Are you a rock star on the side? Retired child actor?”
Trent laughed. “No, nothing that exciting. Sweet Spot made it into a few magazines and news spots. It sort of put us on the map. I mean, we were doing well before all this hoopla, but I can’t complain about the business the media has raked in for me.”
And the possible job of a lifetime. Felicia Cortez called him last night and emailed him his itinerary. By the end of July, he’d be flying into LAX and touring the Cooking Network’s studio in Burbank. If things went well, he’d be the new host of So You Think You Can Bake, a spin-off of Cupcake Wars . If he got the job, Trent would travel across the country sampling and judging different bakers’ concoctions and might even get an opportunity to film a few episodes of his own. Trent hadn’t told his sister or Brian about the offer yet; he’d wait until he had the contract in hand.
“Very cool. That’s every business owner’s dream, yet you don’t seem too thrilled about it.”
“It’s good. Most of it. That part,” he shrugged toward the redhead, “is the annoying bit.”
***
Rayne
Handsome and modest. Yeah. Rayne was totally over-the-top, head-over-heels crushing over Trent Kipson. It wasn’t love. It could be, if only…She watched his strong, yet somehow delicate hands make fast work of the contraption around his waist. It looked like a glorified diaper and she felt ridiculous in it, but it did amazing things for her new crush.
The harness cupped his butt and enhanced his front side, revealing a very nice package. One she’d never get to open, but a girl could dream. In elementary school, she dreamt about Harry Potter turning her into a princess. Then it was Channing Tatum doing a magical dance just for her. Her most recent infatuation—as Sage called them—was Chris Pratt. He and Trent shared the same boyish smile.
Oh yeah, she was totally doomed. And smitten. And he was totally off limits. Which was probably a good thing.
“You all right?” The movie star lookalike asked, slowly standing from his crouch. If Trent wasn’t…Trent, and they weren’t in a public place, the seductive stance and alluring eyes would have her stripping off her shirt and jumping into his arms.
She had to remind herself that he liked men—who could blame him—and they were in a very public place. Damn. He caught her staring and that was mortifying.
“No, I’m good. I’m getting my game face on before I take a nose-dive off this cliff.”
Trent chuckled. “No nose-diving on my watch. And it’s just a wall. No cliffs in sight.”
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, maybe to you, but you probably do 100 pull-ups a day.”
Without confirming or denying his workout ritual, which sadly no longer involved Zumba, he smirked and put his strong hands on her shoulders. “I got your back sweetheart. Nothing to fear.”
Sighing, she reached out for her safety rope and walked toward the looming wall. Without turning around she called, “Just so you know, payback’s a bitch.”
The deep laugh from below made her heart quiver and nearly made her hands shake. No, he expected her to climb the wall, and if she had any hopes of converting him, she had to stay strong.
***
Trent
“Mmm, I haven’t had a lobster roll in months. This is the best surprise lunch ever.” Rayne closed her eyes and groaned, making an entirely too erotic scene at their picnic table by the ocean. The