Sinful Read online

“If I could have backed out of picking up Mr. Ungrateful, I would have done it but no one else wants to deal with him,” Casper said, smiling at Maymi. “I need to thank you for the treats. I ate a piece of the pie and it was delicious. I’m going to need to run an extra mile in the morning to work it off.”

  “As long as you don’t collide with any more innocent bakery owners, I think you should be fine,” she teased back.

  Jealousy ate at Jensen while he watched the scene play out in front of him. Both Maymi and his brother teased around each other like he wasn’t even in the room. How did they become so friendly with each other after only one meeting?

  Well, Casper could flirt with Maymi on his own time and that wasn’t tonight! He called him here to pick him up and not to find a way to get Maymi out on a date. His body was craving a hot shower, and a stiff drink before he went to bed and neither one would happen if he stayed here staring at this nonsense.

  “Casper, are you ready to go?” he demanded roughly. “I need to get home.”

  Pivoting, Maymi stared at him with confusion on her face while his brother shot him a disbelieving look above her head. Shit! He hadn’t meant to sound so rude, but his body was killing him.

  No...it’s your surprise jealousy that has you acting like a bear with a thorn in his paw.

  “Casper, your brother is right. You should get him home. As fast as possible, I mean if he spends another moment in my bakery he might break out in hives and we couldn’t have that, could we?” she said, looking in his direction not his brother’s.

  “Fine, we can go. Grab your stuff, Maymi, and you can walk out with us. I’m not going to leave you here alone.”

  Dragging her eyes way from him, she glanced at Casper. “Thank you. All I need to do is grab my purse and I’m ready to go.” Maymi walked back across the room and picked it up off the table where he was still standing beside the chair.

  “Well, come on Mr. Lowe. I don’t want to keep you from getting your beauty sleep. I can only imagine how someone like you loves getting his full eight hours of sleep.”

  He took a step into her personal space. Jensen watched how Maymi’s big brown bedroom eyes widened in surprise. He lowered his voice, so only she could hear him.

  “You like pushing me, Ms. Monroe. Keep it up and see what happens when I decide to give it back to you. I’m not my brother. I don’t find a way to turn everything into a joke.”

  “Oh, I know you aren’t Casper. He’s the nice one and you’re not,” Maymi tossed back before spinning away and going over to his brother.

  Jensen had seen Casper with a lot of women but for some reason he didn’t like how fast he found a way to make Maymi like him. He wasn’t fond of it at all. Jensen continued watching the two of them as he walked behind them as his brother opened the door for Maymi then went out behind her.

  Impatiently, he stood outside next to Casper’s sports car waiting while his brother told her goodbye at her car and then actually waited until she drove off before jogging back over to him.

  Where in the hell had that chivalrous quality come from with him?

  He wasn’t used to seeing his baby brother caring about anyone but himself. For some reason, seeing him be concerned enough to do something like that for Maymi angered him.

  “You need to stay away from her,” Jensen warned Casper right before he got into the car.

  “Are you jealous she likes me better than you?” he asked, getting inside the car and closing the door.

  “Of course not,” he answered just a little too quickly hating how Casper smirked at him.

  “So why are you acting like you are?” Casper questioned before tearing away from the curb in his Mustang.

  I’m not jealous. I could care less about the two of them doing anything together. Keep lying to yourself, his mind taunted.

  His baby brother was a ladies’ man and maybe Maymi was just too naïve or dumb to see it, but she better smarten up or she would end up in the graveyard of failed relationships that seemed to follow Casper everywhere he went.

  Chapter Twelve

  Standing in front of his bedroom window, Jensen took a sip of his beer as he looked out over his property. Casper had left him about an hour ago to do God knows what for the rest of the night to only show up late for work tomorrow morning.

  At first, he only had to worry about Casper flirting with the females at Fitness 24; however, now his brother had a pretty distraction not a hundred feet away from their job. Maymi would keep him so unfocused if he allowed it to happen, but he wouldn’t do it.

  Yet tonight she really surprised him by stepping up to help him against the two men attacking him. She didn’t back down or show an ounce of fear. She showed him a different side of her tonight and he was impressed by it.

  A tinge of guilt suddenly hit him. He shouldn’t have left the bakery without telling Maymi thanks again for helping him out, but he was beyond ready to leave when Casper showed up with his practiced smile and smooth words. Besides, he wouldn’t want Maymi to think they were becoming friends or anything.

  She had helped him out of a difficult situation but neither one of them have forgotten why they would always be at odds. She had something he wanted...and Maymi wasn’t about to give it up.

  Walking away from the window, Jensen went back over to his bed and got in, resting his back against two pillows hoping to ease some of the ache in his side. His ribs still hurt, but not as badly as earlier. Wrapping them up helped out a lot. He took another swig of his beer, trying to figure out what kind of game Maymi was playing with Casper.

  Was she actually interested in his brother?

  There was no way in hell that his pesky neighbor could want his brother Casper. He could tell from the way she was looking at him tonight at Sinful. So she must be trying to get to him through Casper and his brother was too arrogant to figure it out on his own.

  Maymi was up to something and he would figure out what it was and put a stop to it before it went any further. He wasn’t about to give either one of them any power to ruin his future. He wouldn’t let her pretty eyes, sweet smile and delicious scent get under his skin any more than her curvy body had already done tonight.

  Earlier tonight, he had been seconds away from kissing when she had been cleaning up his face. The touch of her soft hands against his skin was near intoxicating. A couple of times he almost had to tell her to stop because she was turning him on.

  The light scent of vanilla that touched her skin filled his nose, making his cock take notice but he quickly shoved down his urges. Maymi wouldn’t turn into Chloe for him...an unwanted distraction that would cloud his better judgment with her seductive young body and arresting looks.

  Jensen remembered the days before he became a serious business owner. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he let his passions and desires take over for the years he worked as a male stripper. He was always safe and used a condom, but he loved the company of a beautiful woman when the desire had struck him.

  Yet now, he wasn’t a twenty-something year old boy anymore. He was no longer trying to get with all of the women he could because they were there for the taking. He had gotten a lot smarter and decided he needed to make a change in his life.

  Back in the day, Jensen would have taken care of his Maymi problem in so many more pleasurable ways for the both of them. Since he was older and wiser, he learned to only take a woman to bed he cared about.

  Only seeking a moment of hot, steamy, screaming orgasms was on the back burner. It took a lot of inner strength on his part, but he taught himself to resolve his temper and recklessness in other ways which had been a big help for him throughout the years.

  Placing the empty beer bottle on the nightstand next to him, Jensen lay down on his bed and looked up through his skylight in his ceiling. He had always been fascinated by the stars even as a little boy when his father would show him the Big Dipper from their backyard.

  Nothing relaxed him more than looking up and removing everything else from hi
s thoughts especially after the day he had gone through. Dealing with Maymi’s personality along with the two attackers would take down any other man even one as strong as him. Everybody had their breaking point.

  Thank God he was off from work tomorrow and he could spend the day taking care of some personal matters. He hated the thought of leaving Casper in charge of his business, but he had to get some time off for himself before he worked himself into exhaustion and he had to be on his toes.

  He wasn’t sure what Maymi’s next move might be but he would be ready for it, Jensen thought as he closed his eyes and tried relaxing to relieve some of the stiffness from his battered body

  Chapter Thirteen

  Four days later...

  Walking down the health store food aisle, Maymi searched for the ingredients for her gluten free muffin and cupcakes. Sinful had been opened almost seven months tomorrow and she was getting requests now for these kinds of muffins which were understandable.

  Researching how to correctly make them had taken her some time on the internet before she was able to find some basic recipes, then she added the Nana Monroe ‘special touch’ to come up with two fantastic recipes. She had already been to three different stores until one of the cashiers told her about this place.

  It was an hour drive from her house, but she was willing to make it for the benefit of her business. Luckily, if she could make these specialty treats as well as her non-gluten ones, more customers would come through the door.

  Maymi pushed her cart further down the baking goods aisle and stopped in front of the gluten free items. She almost gasped out loud at some of the prices staring back at her in big black numbers.

  Were these people out of their minds? Who in the hell would pay almost seven dollars for one bag of flour?

  These prices were going to cut into her small budget fast, plus she still had about ten more items on her list and they were only for the muffins. The cupcakes needed four extra components that were on another sheet of paper in her back pocket.

  The mere thought of digging into her already near empty pockets made Maymi’s stomach drop to the bottom of her feet. Nevertheless, she was up to the challenge, so she grabbed the items off the shelf placing them inside of the cart.

  She was more than confident that she would be able to think of a kick ass recipe for the healthy customers who had been coming into her store. She decided to start Sinful to draw all kinds of clientele and it was up to her to draw Jensen’s health club clients into her bakery.

  If she could make a low-fat, low calorie muffin, cupcake or cookie, they would flock to her bakery for an after work-out treat or maybe stop by for a snack during any day of the week. It was left up to her and no one else to make this happen.

  Glancing down at the list in her hand, Maymi checked it to make sure that she wasn’t forgetting anything in this aisle before moving on to the next item. She didn’t want to drive way back out here for something simple.

  “I know I must be seeing things because I know you aren’t in a health food store. I didn’t think you even knew any of these products existed.”

  Why did he have to be here today out of all days?

  She hadn’t laid eyes on him since the attack which was about three or four days ago. Jensen seemed to have the ability to ruin her good mood in the matter of seconds. God, how was it possible he was here with her?

  Placing her list down in the cart, Maymi spun around trying not to stare at the muscles straining against the dark red t-shirt. Hell, she really hated how hot Jensen was. Usually guys who looked like him never got a second look from her, but for some stupid reason she couldn’t stop noticing how good-looking he was all of the time.

  Didn’t this jerk know how to have an off day when it came to his looks?

  “I hate to shock you, but yes I do know about this place. I’m working on some new baked goods for Sinful. I do know how to do more than one thing.”

  “Are you sure you’re able to handle making healthy cookies, cakes and pies?” Jensen asked, his eyes watching her closely from underneath his baseball cap.

  He had a way of making her uncomfortable from only a look. How was it possible for her to dislike him and then be drawn to his sorry ass a split second later? She was destined to be a guest of the Dr. Phil show.

  “Yes, I can handle it if you must know,” she snapped back. “God, you’re getting on my last nerves with the way you’re talking to me. I’m really kicking myself for helping you that night. My act of kindness sure hasn’t made you think about being any nicer to me.”

  Maymi sighed and then spun around from Jensen. “Look, I have to go. Have a nice day. Mr. Lowe.” She reached for her cart so she could leave, but a hand suddenly wrapped around her upper arm preventing her from moving anywhere.

  “Don’t go.” Jensen sighed behind her. “I shouldn’t have attacked you like that; it was wrong and thank you again for helping me. After the way I’ve been treating you I would have understood if you just drove away.”

  He let go of her arm and moved back from her personal space.

  Don’t accept his apology. Just keep walking and leave him standing there. Yet, she didn’t do it because her father raised her not to be outright rude to anyone...not even Jensen.

  Sighing, Maymi slowly pivoted and stared right back at him. I can do this...Don’t let him beat you, she repeated to herself.

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad that I could help you. You seem like you’re doing a lot better than the last time I saw you at Sinful.”

  “Yes, I am. I guess having you next door worked out for me that particular night,” he said.

  “Yeah, I guess it did. So now that means you are in my debt and will be until you do something life and death for me,” she replied before turning around, then grabbed her cart walking away leaving Jensen staring after her with his mouth open.

  ****

  Jensen tried not to smile, but the corners of his mouth turned up anyway. Maymi was so full of fight and determination. Her will to beat him was almost as attractive as her beautiful face, but not quite.

  Today, she had pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail, tossed on a pair of black jeans that hugged her full ass way too good for his eyes not to stare as she sauntered away from him. Even her creamy, chocolate skin had a glow to it like she has just rolled out of bed after a good night of mind-fulfilling sex.

  He couldn’t help but wonder what guy put that look of satisfaction on her face he noticed when he was walking up on her before she noticed him there.

  He would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that he noticed instantly how stunning Maymi was when she first came out of the kitchen door at Sinful. However, he shoved his instant attraction to her down because his visit had been based on business and getting a date with her hadn’t been in his plans.

  Foolishly he believed, after he laid out all of his concerns, Maymi would see reason and agree with him. Yet, she did the total opposite which only kicked up his competitive streak even more.

  He wanted to get his way with her, but now he had something else to contend with because Maymi’s unbending will had his cock hard. She turned him on more and more every time he was within hearing distance of her voice.

  To make matter even worst for him, instead of being on his side, Casper decided to become her newest buddy. So much for blood being thicker than water, he thought.

  Dealing with Maymi digging her tiny heels in was bad enough without his brother whispering encouraging words into her cute little ear.

  Groaning, Jensen ran his hand down his face as something hit him. Fuck! Maymi had sidetracked him again.

  Why was it every time he got around her she had the ability to make him lose track of time. He had to find a way to keep himself a step ahead of her ‘sweet’ personality with a hint of sin mixed in to distract him. Which would have to start with him not being too obvious about what he still wanted from her.

  Hurrying around the corner, Jensen searched the aisles, hoping he
would spot Maymi still inside of the store. He was about to give up until he saw her at the very end of the spice aisle. He kept walking until he was only standing a few inches behind her delectable body.

  “Maymi, can I talk to you again?”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  He heard her mumble under her breath before she spun around and looked at him. “I thought we were finished. We both know where we stand with each other so why can’t you just leave me alone?”

  She started to turn away, but he caught her by the elbow spinning her back around. He wasn’t fond of people turning their backs on him. She had already done it to him more than a few times, but it was going to stop today.

  “Are you always so disagreeable?” Jensen asked, removing his hand when Maymi glared at him. “Or do I just bring that side of you out more?”

  “No, I’m a pretty happy person but that is only to people who like me,” she answered.

  “I don’t dislike you. I just think you need to take my advice.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to say the words, it’s written across your face every time you look at me.”

  Taking a step closer, Jensen blocked Maymi’s body between the cart and his body. Her eyes blazed with sudden anger, but she didn’t tell him to move away from her.

  “How do you know I’m not thinking something else besides dislike when I’m looking at you?” he asked, lowering his voice. “You are a very good-looking woman. I would be fool not to notice.”

  Maymi blinked at him a second before she tossed her head back and her soft laughter filled the space around them.

  “Are you kidding me?” She chuckled. “We both know you haven’t paid attention to my looks once in all of the occasions our paths have crossed.”

  For a long moment, she looked back him while he stared back in waiting silence wondering what he was going to do with her. Maymi had a mouth on her and someone should have taught her a long time ago how to think more and talk less.