Chapter Seventeen

“I like this one,” Cynthia said as she walked around the small shop. It had a lot of windows, even if they were grimy, and she loved that there was enough space for a display case.

“You like all of them,” Evan said with a chuckle.

She glanced over at the man she now considered a friend and smiled. Evan had nothing to do with her shop, other than he was going to do any renovations she needed.

“Wrong. I did not like that one in Chinatown.”

“Well, the rat scurrying across the floor probably sealed the deal on that one.”

She laughed. This was the third shop she had looked at today, but thankfully it was without a real estate agent. The last agent had been a little pushy. Worse, he kept talking to Evan as if it were his decision. Evan had enjoyed asking all kinds of questions that made the man sound like even more of an ass.

She’d picked up the keys from Drew on their way over to the shop. It was much less stressful walking through the space with Evan. Chris had tried to join them, but one of his sous chefs got in a car accident, and Chris was covering for him until another one could show up. It was a Thursday. One of the Hawaiian foodies from TikTok had featured Dupree’s, and the lunch rush had been insane.

“Yeah, but I like this one. It has good foot traffic,” she said waving to the massive windows that looked out onto Alakea Street. It was smack dab in the middle of the Arts District, with lots of businesses and skyscrapers around. That meant people to buy her goodies for the office. There were a lot of federal buildings in the area too. “This corner location gives me more space, too.”

“That’s true, but the rent is a little high.”

She glanced over at him. “I can afford it. And they’re going to let me do whatever I want with this shop.”

Evan walked around the area where she thought a nice display case would be. She could already see it in her head. She wanted a mixture of Georgia and Hawaii, and yes, that was weird. But it was how she saw herself now. A woman who took the good things out of Georgia with her as she found her new happy place.

“You’re right. There’s a lot of space here for you.”

She nodded and headed back to the kitchen. It wasn’t massive, but it had a long table in the center. She could see herself making croissants there, or letting pies sit to cool down. It definitely needed a few upgrades and probably a new floor.

“I can see there will be no talking you out of this.”

She smiled at Evan. “No, but I agree, they are trying to get too much money for this, especially since they don’t use a manager. They keep all of the rent. I’ll have to spend some good money on the renovations, so I expect some kind of compensation for it.”

Evan grinned. “I didn’t know you before, but, damn , you know your worth, woman.”

“Thanks for telling me that. I would have never figured it out on my own.”

The bark of laughter pulled a chuckle from her. Their friendship had grown since the night of her submission. Cynthia had thought that they would be awkward with each other, but it hadn’t been at all. Even when she went to Rough ‘n Ready and met Micah, the co-owner of the club. It had been normal. Of course, Micah had left her tongue-tied, but then how could she not be? Calling the man gorgeous didn’t live up to the beauty of him. Well over six feet tall, the Native American, with inky black hair. He exuded control and power and most of the women in the place sighed as he walked the floor.

The bell above the door jingled letting her know that someone had come in.

“Cynthia?” Drew called out.

She stepped out into the shop area and smiled at the younger man. Of Hawaiian, Asian, and Scottish descent, he was tall, and what you would call a geek. His ink black hair was a tad shaggy. He was wearing a shirt that read ‘I wear this shirt periodically’ with the periodical table above the words.

“Cynthia. Oh, hey, Evan, I didn’t think you would be here.”

He sounded a little disappointed about that fact, but Cynthia ignored it. She didn’t even want to figure out the mind of a twenty-something year old man.

“Hey, Franklin. How’s the family?” Evan asked. She had learned that in business on the island, most people knew each other. There might be over three quarters of a million people on Oahu, but they all seemed to have a connection.

Drew smiled and his eyes danced with humor. “Fantastic as always. My Auntie Sheree still talks about you.” He looked at Cynthia. “Evan redid her kitchen and she fell in lurv with him.”

“Your Auntie Sheree is in her seventies.” The irritation in Evan’s voice pulled a snort from Cynthia.

“What did you think of the space?” Drew asked.

She sighed. “I like it, but we will have to do a big overhaul. The kitchen needs a few fixtures fixed and needs a new fridge. I might have to redo the floor too. Then out here, it will be a total revamp.”

They all glanced around the room. It was an airy space, but the dark yellow walls and dark wood furnishings made it feel smaller.

“Tutu Aileen said that you could do what you wanted as long as you got approval for any major changes with us.”

She nodded. “Yes, but that means I must pay for the entire thing. That’s dipping into my savings. Other places I’ve looked at are cheaper and just need a coat of paint.”

“Tell me what I can do for you. I’ll be honest with you. This shop has done well in the past, but we had a lot of problems with the last tenant. With Chris giving you a referral, the family would be more than happy to have you here.”

“Let’s go get a drink at Dupree’s and talk figures.”

Chris kept an eye on Cynthia and Drew in the back corner as they talked over the lease agreement. They’d arrived just after three in the afternoon. The lunch rush had been insane, but it was finally slowing down. Usually, he would catch up on everything he had to let go during the insanity that went on earlier, but he didn’t like the smiles Drew was giving Cynthia.

“Don’t worry.”

He glanced over at Evan. “What?”

“You’re worried that she can’t handle herself.”

“No.” Which was a lie. Chris knew she had a great business mind. She had helped him with some marketing ideas for Dupree’s . Her intelligence was never in question. She had a tender heart.

Her laughter pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced over and growled. He had never been possessive when it came to women. He didn’t believe in being in relationships with women if he couldn’t trust them. Still, there was something about this moment that was getting to him.

“Then what?” Evan asked. Chris looked at his friend and realized that he was being serious.

He opened his mouth twice before he finally answered his friend. “I don’t like Drew.”

Oh, Jesus, he sounded like a five-year-old. If he wasn’t careful, he would end up stomping his foot.

“Franklin?” Evan shook his head. “He’s harmless.”

Chris twitched when Cynthia laughed again.

“She’s just trying to get a good deal with him, and I have a feeling it won’t be a problem.”

“Why do you say that?”

Evan shook his head. “She drives a hard bargain, and Drew…he’s smitten. She will use it to her advantage. At least within reason.”

“Within reason?”

“Yeah. She can be a ball buster, but she has a soft heart. Better take care of it.” Again, Evan was being damned serious. It wasn’t like him to speak so plainly about emotions.

“I will.”

Evan glanced around the restaurant. He was so damned obvious when he was looking for Maylea.

“She’s not here.”

“What?” Evan’s voice had turned absentminded.

“Maylea. She’s not here.”

Evan turned back around and zeroed in on Chris. “On a Thursday?”

Yeah, they weren’t his busiest nights, but Thursdays could get hairy, especially with that feature on social media today. May had requested an early night, and she never did that.

“She had a date.”

Evan stilled. “A date?”

“Yes. She’s a grown woman who dates.”

Disbelief sat on Evan’s face. Chris inwardly shook his head. Evan wanted May. Chris knew it without a doubt, but there were things that kept Evan from taking the next step. There were many dark things in his past, and while Evan had made a life for himself, he still hadn’t accepted that what happened when he was a kid wasn’t his fault. Chris had a feeling that his friend didn’t think he was good enough for a woman like May.

“Who is she dating?”

Chris shrugged. “One of the weather guys or something. Not sure which one. Her father set them up a few weeks ago and, apparently, they hit it off.”

Evan muttered something under his breath. Before Chris could ask him just what he said, Cynthia stepped up behind the bar and slipped her arm around his waist.

“What are you two talking about?”

“Just stuff.” He realized Drew wasn’t around. “What happened to Franklin?”

“Oh, he’s Franklin now?” He heard the amusement in her voice.

“Yeah, he was over here tossing you and the boy dirty looks,” Evan said.

“Shut it, Chambers. Or maybe I can talk about Maylea’s date again.”

All the amusement dissolved, and his friend frowned at him. “Fuck off.”

With that comment, he left Cynthia and Chris without another word. She was frowning when she looked up at him.

“What the hell was that about?”

“Evan didn’t like the fact that May had a date.”

She smiled as she shook her head. God, he loved her. That smile was what had gotten him hooked. They came so often now that he had forgotten when she hadn’t smiled that much.

“Then he should stop being a scared little boy.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, well, he has to pull his head out of his ass, or one of these days, she’ll find someone to build a life with.”

“True. Now, do you want to tell me what Evan was talking about with dirty looks?”

Chris felt his face heat. “No.”

She studied him for a long moment, her cornflower blue eyes studying him. “You know, there is no one but you in my life. Always.”

His heart warmed at the word always . “Yeah. Still, don’t like boys coveting what’s mine.”

She blinked, then shivered. “Oh, wow, that’s kind of hot.”

“You think me acting like a Neanderthal is hot?”

“Yeah. I don’t think anyone has ever gotten jealous over me. And I know you. You’ll never be an ass about it. Still hot to be wanted by a hot, sexy man.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “Tell you what. I’ll go home and wait for you. It’s your night tonight.”

His body was already warming, cock twitching.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Oh, but I think you need it. So, I’ll be waiting for you…and I’ll be ready for anything.”

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her.

“I love you, Cynthia.”

“I love you too. Do you need any help tonight?”

He shook his head.

“Then I’ll see you when you get home.”

She gave him another quick kiss and then she was on her way out the door. Satisfaction filtered through him. He had a busy night ahead and the woman he loved waiting for him. A man couldn’t ask for more.

Sweat dripped down Chris’ temple as he released a groan. A moment later, he exploded, his body pulled into another orgasm when Cynthia came, her muscles biting down on his cock. Chris pulled the bindings he’d bought earlier that week as a surprise off her wrists and collapsed on the mattress beside her.

“One of these days, you’re going to be the death of me, chéri .”

She chuckled. “Are you complaining?”

“No. No complaints.”

He leaned back against the pillows, his muscles relaxed, his body replete. She snuggled closer to him. He kissed the top of her head. Drawing in a deep breath, he let her magnolia scented shampoo calm him.

This…this was all he needed. Since the night Cynthia had submitted to him, they’d been practically living together. Her little house on the North Shore was fantastic, but he knew that it would work better if she were living with him.

He blinked, most of his sleepiness now gone.

“What’s wrong?” Cynthia asked, her voice sleepy.

“Nothing.”

She chuckled as she raised her head.

“Christopher Demetri Dupree, don’t even try to lie to me. I know that something set you off.”

He hesitated before saying, “Living on the North Shore is going to make it hard getting to your bakery.”

“Not really. I mean, how many people are on the road at three in the morning?”

“Still, that’s a long drive.”

She shrugged. “Not when there’s hardly anyone on the road. Remember, I might have been from Lake City, but we lived out in the middle of nowhere. It took me at least thirty minutes to get to civilization. Won’t be a problem.”

He gritted his teeth and stared up at the ceiling, as he tried to come up with another excuse. He wanted her beside him every night. He loved that little cottage, but it was far away from both their restaurants, and he didn’t like the idea of having that commute for either of them. And then there was the thing about her independence. He knew that it was important that she have her own space. It was something she’d wanted for years. Now that she finally had it, Chris hated the idea of crowding her.

“Why don’t you tell me what this is about?”

He brought his attention back to her face. “I have something to ask you, but I don’t want you to take it the wrong way.”

“Chris? You’re scaring me.”

“Oh, chéri , no.” He pulled her into her arms. “I just thought it might be better if you lived in Honolulu.”

“Yeah, but my house is over on the North Shore. I’d buy a house over here, and while I can afford it, I think that’s wasteful. I mean, I love that cottage.”

She wasn’t making this easy.

“What I thought was that you could move in here with me.”

There was a long enough of a pause to worry him. “Is that a question?”

Her voice was soft and unsure. It had been so long since he had heard her speak like that.

“Yeah. It’s a question. Will you move in here with me? I completely understand if you don’t want to.”

She rose up again, then reached over to turn on the bedside light. He blinked against the harsh glare. Worry darkened her eyes, but it didn’t take away from her beauty. She sat there, completely nude, her hair a tousle of curls, her skin still flushed from exertion.

“Why wouldn’t I want to live with you?”

“I just thought you might still want some independence. Moving in with me might crowd you.”

Her shoulders relaxed and the apprehension seemed to dissolve. “Oh, Chris, living apart isn’t what makes me independent.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “You help me be independent by treating me as an equal. Every man before you treated me like someone who needed to be cared for not because they wanted to do it, but because they thought I couldn’t. Decisions were taken away from me because they didn’t trust me. That’s never been our relationship. You’ve always allowed me space to grow, and you respect my opinion.”

Irritation with all the men in her life whipped through him, but he hoped he hid it from her. He knew he didn’t when she laughed and leaned forward to cup his face. “Don’t be mad at them, especially Max. I would hate if I came between the two of you. Just be thankful.”

“Thankful?”

“Yeah. If they hadn’t been so ignorant, I would have stayed in that world. Instead, I grew a set—Anna’s words—and got a life. A life that includes doing something I love and spending my days and nights with a man I love. That…well, that’s everything.”

Fuck. A lump rose in his throat. “Well.”

She shook her head. “You’re at a loss of words.”

“How can I not be? You just said the most beautiful thing, and my brain went blank.”

She leaned closer and brushed her mouth against his. “I love you, Chris. And yes, I will happily move in with you.”

He studied her for a long moment. Happiness shone from her eyes, her dimples winking at him.

“I’m a lucky man.”

“You are.” She reached over and turned off the light again. “I’m going to hop in the shower.”

After another quick kiss, she slipped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. He lay there, happiness filling him. The woman he loved was moving in with him. They both had jobs they enjoyed, and some day, he would talk her into marrying him and having his babies.

The water started running and he heard the shower door open and close.

“You know, I’ll need an explanation about these stupid hickeys.”

“No one can see them. They’re on the back of your neck.”

“And just why did you do something so juvenile?” Her teasing tone made him chuckle. It was, but there was something primal about it too. He’d wanted to possess her tonight, in every way.

Instead of answering her, he slipped out of bed. Padding across the floor, he made his way to the bathroom. It wasn’t large, but it was decadent, with a waterfall showerhead Cynthia had proclaimed to be one of her favorite things in the world.

He opened the door to the shower. She turned to look at him and he groaned. Water dripped down her body, off her nipples, and bubbles gathered at the apex of her thighs. He smiled at her.

“You start something now, it’ll be dawn before we get to sleep.”

It was true, but that was one of the benefits of owning a restaurant that didn’t handle breakfast. Ignoring her, he stepped in behind her, slid one hand to cover her breast, another down to her sex. Her body was warm and slick…and his .

He bent his head and kissed the back of her neck. She shuddered in reaction and pushed her ass against his growing erection.

“I don’t want to hear any complaints from you tomorrow about how tired you are.”

He chuckled, turning her to face him, then went down onto his knees. “Believe me, there’s no way I would complain about this.”

Then he set about proving his point.