Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery, #1)(66)

Waiting and stuck weren't the same thing. Stuck implied no choice. No action. No forethought or planning.

But waiting, that fit better in my head. I'd been waiting for Joss as sure as the Earth spun around the sun. And waiting was just fine when you held firm to the belief that it was the right course of action.

She was right for me. I was right for her.

And I think she felt it too, when I caught her sending a small smile my way.

During our first time, I told her I loved her because I did. And I wanted her to know it when we shared something so big and precious together. She hadn't said it back, but strangely, I was okay with that. Joss loved me, of that I had no doubt. She'd loved me for years.

But to make the switch to in love, I'd give her time because time was what I had in my years of waiting.

My mom stood from the table, patting Nero's head when he popped up from his spot next to Joss' chair on the deck. "You little beggar." Grabbing a half-finished roll from her plate, she slipped it to him. "Y'all done with your plates?"

"Let me help," Joss said, taking her empty plate and setting it in her lap. I handed her mine, and she stacked it on top of hers, then grabbed my mom and dad's.

"Thanks, sweetie. I'll get the glasses." My mom eyed me. "And then my youngest son and the light of my life will grab the rest."

I saluted. "Come on, old man, you going to be the only one not helping?"

"Oh, I best stay out here and make sure Nero doesn't feel lonely."

My mom rolled her eyes, Joss laughed, and I shook my head while I gathered the silverware and balled-up napkins.

The dog to which he referred trotted into the house behind Joss' chair. I gave Dad a look, but he'd already leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His hands rested over his stomach as he sighed contentedly.

Once the kitchen was cleaned up, my mom went back out onto the deck to wake my snoring dad.

Bracing my hands on the back of Joss' chair, I tipped her backward so I could smack a kiss on her lips. "You coming to my place for a while?"

"He says as if it's not forty feet from here," she teased.

I tugged one of her curls, and she yelped. "Yes, but that forty feet is very important for noise purposes. Plus, it has a lock."

Her eyes, dusk on a summer night blue, sparkled up at me. "That it does."

"Is that a yes?"

She pushed her hands on the wheels, so I had no choice to let her up, and she spun to face me. "I can't. I've got an early shift at the bakery."

"How early?" I murmured, leaning down to taste her lips slowly. My hands cupped her neck when she tilted her chin up to deepen the kiss.

"Very early. I told Jennifer I'd do breads, so they need to be fresh and ready to go when we open. My alarm is set for four."

"That's horrifying."

She laughed. "I'm preemptively tired, trust me."

"So," I said slowly, "no …" I waggled my eyebrows.

"S-E-X?" she spelled. "That's correct. Plus, if you can't say it, you shouldn't be doing it, Buchanan."

"I'll remember that the next time you tell me to shut up and take off my pants."

Joss sighed. "Well, it's not my fault, really. You were sitting there, looking all handsome and giving me sex eyes."

I chuckled and followed her out to the garage. After I put her chair into the back of her car, I leaned into the open driver’s door, and we spent a few minutes kissing, her hands digging into my hair the way she loved to. I brushed a thumb over her breast, felt the skin tighten to a point under her thin tank top.

Joss growled, pulling back with a warning look. "You're terrible. I'm going to be cursing your name when my alarm goes off if you keep this up."

"And wouldn't it be worth every second?"

"Probably," she answered glumly.

I was still grinning when she pulled back and started her car.

"See you tomorrow?" I asked after I closed her door. She lifted her chin for one more kiss through the open window, which I happily gave her.

"I'll call you when I'm done," she promised.

Watching her drive away, I felt that same slow roll of contentment. My waiting for her was over, and nights like this could easily be my future, even if living in the converted garage apartment in my parents' driveway now had a shorter shelf life. Saving up my money was smart, and I felt no shame about where I laid my head. But our future would need more than this. Jobs and homes and things like that.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, I felt the vibration from my cell phone tucked into my front pocket.

I pulled it out, mouth falling open when I recognized a Seattle area code. It was just after five there.

"This is Levi," I answered, staring hard at Joss' car as it turned out of view.

"Hey, it's Brian Castello with the Washington Wolves."

I almost laughed. As if I'd forget where he worked. "Hey, Brian, good to hear from you."

"Did I catch you at a good time?"

I'd begun pacing the driveway the second he said his name.

"Ah, yeah. All the time in the world."

"Great. I won't beat around the bush." I held my breath as he paused. "I'm calling because I'd like to offer you the assistant trainer position if you're still interested."