Tell Me You Need Me (Search and Seduce #1)(6)

Chloe’s mission was to turn Honey’s around and bring back the staple foods her mother had been famous for. She wasn’t going anywhere, and she also wasn’t signing up for three weeks of blurred lines with Gage. She wouldn’t run the risk of developing expectations when attraction was more than enough with him.

Natalie put a flour-caked hand on Chloe’s shoulder. “I feel for you. And I understand. Doesn’t mean I agree with your decision to stay away from the hottie. Did you see his butt?”

Chloe laughed. Yeah, she’d seen it. Gage McGraw was as fine and strong as they came.

“There’s too much going on to even think about more than sex.”

Natalie raised an eyebrow. “Too much going on?”

Chloe nodded. “The twentieth anniversary for the restaurant is in a couple of weeks, and I’m still adjusting to running this place.”

Even though her mother had passed two years ago, Chloe still struggled to take over everything left to her. Her life was full and busy—and she was failing. She’d never be Mary “Honey” Franklin. Her mother had been strong, kind and good at everything she tried. So sweet that everyone called her “Honey.” Which was how the restaurant got its name.

Natalie leaned in. “If you know what you want, and you’re set, then stick with it. Sometimes you have to cheat at his rules or play by your own.”

That got Chloe’s attention real quick. It made sense. She wanted Gage; Gage wanted her. Should be simple. But he was throwing this “get to know you” bit into the mix. If she wanted him, she’d have to play dirty and be prepared to run after him before he caught her and tied her to a table for dinner talk.

“I don’t want to stay away from him, I just don’t want to hang out with him,” Chloe said.

“Well don’t hold back, sweetheart,” a gruff voice said behind her. Chloe turned and found Gage standing at the end of the bar. His dark eyes stared holes right through her, and she fought the urge to blush.

He was the only man who ever made her come close to feeling giddy. He had a pull on her emotions, and she needed to get them under control real quick. Because she did want him—as long as it was on her terms. Question was: how would she get it?

Normally she might have grabbed him and shown him how she really felt, but Easton Ambrose, the resident search and rescue EMT, had come with him. East was built like Gage, tall, strong, and good-looking. But East was the local town charmer with a playboy reputation.

Chloe knew a wingman when she saw one. Gage had come here to seduce her into romance. Well, fair was fair. If he wanted to play, she’d beat him at his own game.

“You should know by now I’m not shy about much.” Chloe handed menus to both men. “Hungry?”

“Yes,” Gage replied quickly. There was so much emotion in his voice. His words felt like his tongue against her skin. “I’m starving.”

“Uh…me too…but I’m going to go with a burger.” East leaned back in his seat like he was waiting to see the show. “And I’ll also take a cupcake,” he said to Natalie. When he reached for it, Natalie slapped his hand.

“Back off, Easton, this is a work of art. Not to be pawed on.”

He rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Nat?”

She looked over her cupcake, smiling and turning it to admire its perfection. “Yep.”

It was no secret Natalie and Easton kind of irritated each other. Had since they were all young.

East groaned. “Why the hell do you frost them out here then if they’re not for eating?”

“To drive you nuts.” She smiled.

“Tempting a man with something he wants but can’t have isn’t very nice, you know?”

Though East might be talking about a cupcake, Chloe knew the feeling. She glanced at Gage in all his super hotness and wanted to strangle him for sitting in front of her. With all this talk about cupcakes, she wanted to steal Natalie’s frosting bag and decorate her favorite dessert. Then she’d lick it off and—

She huffed out a breath and glared at the opposite wall. No point in fantasizing about what she couldn’t have.

“Well, I’m off to get this in the case with the rest of them,” Natalie said. “You want a cupcake, Easton? You’ll have to come to my shop and buy one like everyone else.” Then she pranced off with her miniature edible artwork.

“That woman needs to lighten up,” East grumbled.

Now it was Chloe’s turn to roll her eyes. Even though they went way back, there was no way her sweet but strictly organized rule-following BFF would lighten up anytime soon.

“Well, if you’re done whining…” Chloe glanced at Gage. “You going to order something?”

“I’d like to order you to go to dinner with me,” Gage said.

She straightened her shoulders and placed her hands on her hips. Former sergeant Gage McGraw issuing an order kicked her pulse up a notch. His dominance made her want to salute and say, “Yes sir.”

No! She needed to stay strong until she got what she wanted—Gage without the commitment.

“No dinner. But how about a nightcap?” she countered.

“I’m going to go put different music on the jukebox,” East said. “Purely to get away from this conversation.” He got up and walked across the bar to the machine.