Claimed by My One Time Crush

Chapter Seven

Mackenzie’s POV

‘Thank you for your custom, hope to see you again soon’ I call out to the last customer as she leaves my shop, a carefully wrapped box of cookies balanced in her hands.

As soon as the door swings closed behind her, I turn around on the spot, letting out a squeal of delight before shimmying my hips. I sold out of half dunked chocolate chip, I only have a dozen cupcakes left and I had an order for a birthday cake. People love my little bakery and I’m actually starting to think I might have to look at hiring someone part time to help me in the back.

I’m so engrossed in my celebration dance that I barely acknowledge the tinkling of the bell above the shop door announcing that someone has walked in.

‘Nice moves’ a very familiar voice murmurs appreciatively as I freeze, my stomach fluttering even though I tell it silently to shut the hell up.

Turning back, I try not to think about just how good Callan Hownell looks in his low slung jeans and tight black t-shirt that stretches over his muscular frame. Damn, he always did look good in jeans, girls would literally drool as he walked past them, including me.

Reminding myself firmly that beauty is only skin deep, I school my expression, ‘I was just about to close’ I tell him pointedly.

Callan’s smile widens, ‘about to, but not yet’ he replies, glancing at his wrist that holds a watch that probably cost more than my first car, tapping it. ‘You don’t shut until five according to the sign in the window so according to me . . ‘ his gaze lifts to mine, pinning me in place, ‘I still have seven minutes and I really need something sweet.’

I swallow thickly, hyper aware of how his gaze roams down my body as he murmurs the word sweet, his stare like a caress that I can feel through my clothes.

‘Fine’ I growl, grabbing a box and opening it with a little more force than necessary, but I can’t help it, this guy affects me in ways I don’t want him to, ‘what do you want?’

Callan purses those kissable lips, moving closer to the counter, leaning over it to look through the top as I fight the urge to lean forward too, and breathe in his scent.

‘The cupcakes look good’ he muses, ‘but so do the cake pops, I particularly like the ones that are little animals’ he adds, peeking up at me with those deep grey eyes that I know have put more than a few women’s underwear on his floor.

‘What I have here is all that is left’ I grumble, desperate to try and break through the tension that is building between us. I need to get this man out of my shop, right now!

The sexy man tilts his head slightly, studying me again, ‘are you sure?’ he asks smoothly, ‘you don’t have any of those brownies left in the back, I’ve heard a lot of people raving about them . . . never seem to be any left when I come in though.’

I suck in a breath, torn between pride that my baked goods are being talked about and the desperate desire to keep this man at arms length which I can only do if I don’t interact with him.

‘Well the fact they always sell out would tell you that it’s highly unlikely that I have none left’ I point out.

Callan’s smile widens, ‘highly unlikely doesn’t mean no’ he responds, resting his arms on the top of the glass and holding my gaze. ‘So Mackenzie . . do you have any of those decadent chocolate squares that I can melt in my mouth?’

I fidget under his intense gaze, wanting to say no but it’s not true, I have one slice left, the slice that I set aside for myself because I rarely get to eat any of the treats that I make. When you are on the curvy side, you can’t just eat all the cakes you want, something that my mother drilled into me when I moved to another state to be with her.

Sighing deeply, I turn around and head through the back door to the kitchen, making my way over to one of the huge refrigerators and tugging open the door. I pick up the small bag that I placed lovingly inside hours ago and carry it back through to the shop.

Callan is still leaning against my counter, totally at ease in my space which annoys me even more. How can he be so damn calm when I feel like I’m in a tailspin? Why does he effect me so much, he’s an asshole!

‘Here’ I spit, dropping it onto the glass next to his arm, ‘one chocolate brownie, twenty dollars.’

I smirk as Callan’s jaw drops slightly, ‘twenty bucks? For a brownie?’ he repeats.

I nod, crossing my arms over my chest, ‘it’s my last slice’ I inform him, ‘it was in fact for me and not for sale so yes, twenty dollars, take it or leave it.’

I expect the man to back up, refuse to pay, maybe even call me a gold digging b.itch, all of which I would welcome. Instead, he shrugs, pulling out his wallet and extracting two tens which he holds out to me.

‘You're buying it?’ I blurt before I can stop myself.

Callan winks, ‘your own personal slice of chocolate brownie?’ he replies, ‘you bet your ass I’m buying it.’ When I don’t take the money, he lays it on the glass and picks up the bag gingerly, peeking inside before looking back at me. ‘Just know that when I eat this, I’ll be thinking of you’ he tells me wickedly, ‘I’m going to enjoy every second of this sinfully sweet treat on my tongue.’

My legs wobble slightly as I reach behind me, grabbing onto the work counter to keep me steady whilst Callan sticks two fingers into the bag. Breaking off a small piece, he lifts it to his mouth, his eyes fixated on me as he slides the morsel between his lips, his tongue flicking out to swipe the chocolate topping from his fingertips.

‘Mmmm’ he moans softly, ‘delicious.’

I stare at him, unmoving, my own tongue darting out to lick my suddenly dry lips, Callan’s gaze following the pink tip, as his eyes darken.

‘Mama!’ the sound of Maxton’s voice snaps me out of my trance and I turn around reaching down to grab the toddler as he barrels out of the kitchen door.

‘Hey cutie’ I croon, lifting him up to my hip and burying my nose into his black curls, ‘what are you doing down here, I’m sure it’s bath time.’

‘Maxton!’ the exasperated voice of Violet floats through the door before she appears, giving me an apologetic look. ‘I’m so sorry Miss Harper’ she sighs, ‘he was right next to me in the bathroom while I was running the bath, I just turned around to get the bubble bath and when I looked back he was gone.’

I shake my head, smiling, ‘it’s OK Vi’ I tell the teenager, ‘I was just about to come up anyway, why don’t you head home.’

The young girl nods gratefully, ‘are you sure?’ she asks, glancing at the boy in my arms again, ‘you pay me till five thirty.’

I nod, ‘go’ I tell her, ‘I’m sure you have exams to study for, I’m sure Maxton and I can handle bath time tonight.’

Smiling, Violet ruffles Maxton’s hair affectionately before hurrying back through the door and reappearing seconds later with her bag. Heading out the shop door, she waves back at us as she disappears from view.

A throat clearing makes me jump, and I turn slightly to find Callan still standing across from me, his eyes pinned to Maxton.

‘You . . have a kid’ he states unnecessarily.

‘Yes I do’ I reply, ‘his name is Maxton.’

Callan nods, swallowing as he takes a step back, the flirtatious look on his face now gone, replaced by one of what I can only describe as mild panic.

His gaze flickers from me to the little boy in my arms and then back, ‘he takes after his father?’ he asks in a strangled voice.

A smile tilts up my lips as I glance down at the two year old with love. ‘He does’ I agree, ‘you are the spitting image of your daddy aren’t you Maxie’ I add, ‘you are going to grow up big and strong just like him.’

Maxton ignores me, more intent on trying to lean over my arm toward the display case, his fingers grabbing at the air between himself and the few cakes I have left.

‘Uhh . . I have to go’ Callan blurts out hurriedly, ‘thanks for the cake . . I’ll . . see you around.’

The door slams shut behind him with a finality that should fill me with relief, but instead leaves me a little empty. I go what I wanted, it seems that Callan Hownell’s kryptonite is children . . . so why don’t I feel happy that the man of my nightmares just ran away?