Double Dare by Melissa Whittle Page B

sound of a deep, familiar timbre stilled her steps.
    Taking in a deep breath, she walked forward, closer to where Tobias stood soldier-straight by the door. Eyes as serious as death, he did one of those stuck in his chest kind of laughs. She wondered what it would take for him to let loose. Me naked , came to mind. Letting himself be a man for one moment in his life didn’t count.
    She shook her head at the musing. Abigail kept chatting him up about being an ad exec, which probably wouldn’t sell him on her shark-like abilities. But, when Emma really looked at him she could see Tobias was taking Abigail seriously. Then again he seemed to take everything seriously.
    She stepped into view and Tobias’ gaze zeroed in on her. His midnight eyes had enough sizzle to cook a raw egg. Emma’s heart pitched forward and went off to the races, thudding fast in her chest. Maybe she had managed to plunge under those still waters.
    “Hey.” She kept the tremble of nerves out of her voice.
    He lifted a hand, full of papers. “Put together the proposal and an agreement.”
    “That was quick. You can put it on the counter.” She lifted the mop and broom. “I can get my attorney to look it over. Don’t know when he’ll have a free moment—”
    “He’ll have one,” Abigail interjected and then pursed her lips. “You know, my lunch hour is almost over. I’ll put something together for you, Tobias.” She lifted the card Emma had given to her earlier. “Give you a call.”
    Could Abigail be any more obvious? Wait. Of course she could. Her friend could start wearing a shirt that had the words Hump Him. Yes, HIM . The idea wasn’t so far-fetched Emma wouldn’t dare joke about it. A blush rose to her cheeks. Ducking behind the counter, she cleaned up the mess. The bell above the door dinged again, and she let out a relieved breath.
    With all the goop on the dustpan, she stood. Tobias loomed over the counter watching her. She jerked back and the mangled mush of éclairs threatened to upend. Tobias lurched forward and grabbed the dustpan with both hands.
    “I’m going to assume,” he grinned, taking her breath with the way his face lit up, “I scared you.”
    “Yes.” It came out as a laugh. How could she not with him grinning like that?
    “I wondered where you went.”
    “You could have made a noise.” She went to put a hand over her heart, but stopped short, remembering the goop.
    “Trash?”
    She reached forward and said, “You don’t have to—”
    “I know I don’t have to.”
    “Over by the tables.” She attacked the floor with the mop until all the red disappeared. Thankfully, he wasn’t watching her, but was frowning down at the pie section.
    “Dustpan?” she asked, and he brought it to her.
    “You give your food interesting nicknames.”
    “Started in college. I’d make something Sasha or Abigail would say Finger Lickin’ Pie or OMG Chocolate Chips.” She shrugged. “Traditions are hard to break. Sasha makes the placards.”
    He nodded his head slowly as though he was just realizing something. “You’re close to your friends.”
    It wasn’t a question so she didn’t feel the need to answer it. “Was there something else you needed from me?”
    “I see you’ve put out the cookies I had last night. I could use two, no, six. Josh’s covering for me.”
    “Does he eat you out of house and home?”
    The laugh burst out of him, and the sound of it seeped into every cell of her body. How could she have thought this man didn’t have charm? It was there in his smile and laugh.
    “Imagine me at work,” he said. “All day thinking about the last piece of lasagna or whatever. I can see myself heating it up and taking the first bite. Then I get home and can’t find it anywhere because Josh has already hoovered it up. This scenario is a regular occurrence in my house.” This time the laugh was deep in his chest again.
    She didn’t have to ask if he loved his brother. The light in his eyes spoke