Chapter 4
PATRICK
Allen was standing in my bakery.
Holding a box of honey.
My brain short-circuited for a moment, trying to process what I was seeing.
The cute guy from last night, the one I couldn't stop thinking about…
was the honey farmer. Was that even what they called them?
Whatever, he was the same honey farmer whose voice I'd heard on the phone twenty minutes ago and thought sounded familiar.
I wasn't imagining things. It really was him.
Allen's eyes went wide, and his cheeks flushed that pretty pink I remembered from last night. The box in his arms started to slip, so I lunged forward to catch it before it could hit the ground.
My arms crossed over his on the sides of the box, and we stood there frozen for a moment. Standing so close to him, I could smell that same sweet scent wafting off him. Now I recognized it as honey. It suited him.
"Patrick." Allen’s voice was breathy in both shock and maybe a little relief. “Hi.”
"Hey." I smiled and pulled the box out of his arms. "So you're my honey guy."
"And you're my baker. I mean, the baker." Allen's lips quirked up in a small smile. "Small world."
"It is, indeed." I couldn't stop staring at him. He looked different in the daylight, softer somehow. His hair was a little messy like he'd been running his hands through it, and there was a smudge of something on his cheek. I wanted to reach up and wipe it away. "Nice to see you again."
Mia cleared her throat from behind the counter, and I remembered we had an audience. “Thank you for bringing these. The crates are in the kitchen, but I can take them to your car.”
"Cool, thanks.” Allen fidgeted with the hem of his shirt and looked anywhere but at me. "I’m parked out front."
I glanced at Mia. "Can you hold down the fort for a few?"
She gave me a knowing look that I chose to ignore. "Take your time, boss."
After loading the crates onto a dolly, I followed Allen out to his car, doing my best not to focus on the way his ass moved in his jeans or the nervous energy radiating off him.
Allen popped the trunk, and I dropped the crates inside. "I'm really sorry about the mix-up. I usually triple-check everything, but I was super busy yesterday and..." He trailed off and averted his gaze again.
"Don't worry about it. Honestly, it worked out perfectly." I slipped my hands into my pockets. "I’m glad I got to see you again."
Allen's eyes finally snapped back to mine with an eagerness I was relieved to see. "You wanted to see me again?"
"Definitely." I didn't see any point in playing it cool. Didn’t want to miss my chance. "I couldn't stop thinking about you."
Allen ducked his head, but I caught the smile tugging at his lips. He twisted his hands together and glanced back at the door to the building.
This was my chance. I couldn't let him walk away again. "Allen." I waited until he looked up at me. "Can I get your number?"
His eyes went wide. "My number?"
"Yeah." I took a step close enough to see his pupils dilate. "I thought maybe we could have dinner sometime. Like an actual date, not just..." I shrugged. "You know."
Allen bit his lip and nodded. "I'd like that."
My heart was pounding like it might explode out of my chest. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Allen pulled out his phone and handed it to me. "Here."
As I took it, my fingers brushed against his. That same spark of electricity arced between us. Just as I was pulling up his contacts, a notification popped up on the screen from someone named Jeff. Did you pick up your milk yet?
I froze and just stared at the message. It could mean anything, but was there a chance it meant… “Um, you got a message.”
Allen reached for his phone and then swiped away the notification. "Oh, that's just, um… my next errand.”
I did my best to keep my expression neutral even though I could barely breathe. "You’re picking up milk from someone?"
"Um, yeah." Allen wouldn't meet my eyes. "Next door, actually. Jeff ordered it for me as an apology for ditching me last night."
Next door. The apartment entrance where I lived. Where I ran my milk delivery business.
Holy shit.
"What kind of milk?" I tried to sound casual, but my voice came out strained as I looked right at him, hoping he’d meet my gaze.
Allen sighed but then his shoulders went back and he looked into my eyes. "The regular kind."
He was lying. Or at least, not telling the whole truth. And that told me everything I needed to know.
Allen was picking up human milk. From my apartment. That I'd bottled myself just this morning.
My brain was having trouble processing this information because it was too good to be true. The sweet, shy guy I hooked up with last night was more than likely a Little who liked to drink man milk.
Good thing I had plenty to give.
Allen noticed the grin that spread across my face, and he frowned. "What?"
"Nothing." I tried to school my expression into something less obviously delighted. "Just happy."
"Why?" He crossed his arms over his chest and took a step back, obviously protecting himself from whatever judgment he thought was coming.
Because I wanted to pull him into my arms, and I was fairly sure he’d let me. Nothing could have made me more happy. But I couldn't tell him that. Not yet. Not when he was clearly embarrassed and trying to keep that part of himself hidden.
"Just thinking about where to take you for dinner." I waved my arm forward to go back inside the building. "You have any cravings or allergies?"
Allen relaxed slightly and took a step toward the door. "Nope, I'm pretty easy."
I bet you are, sweetheart.
"How about tomorrow night? I can pick you up at seven." I had a lot of baking to do over the next twenty-four hours, and then I could focus on that boy for the weekend.
"That works." Allen pulled out his phone again and his fingers flew over the screen. "Here’s my address."
My phone buzzed in my pocket, so I saved the unknown number with a heart emoji next to his name.
Allen glanced at my screen and his eyes went soft. "A heart?"
"Too much?" I made a face, hoping he’d find me endearing and not overbearing. “I can change it to a rubber duckie.”
"Either is fine." He smiled sweetly and swallowed hard. "Respond back and I’ll add a cookie next to your name."
We stood there for another moment, neither of us seeming to want to move. Finally, Allen cleared his throat. "I should probably go pick up that milk before they sell it to someone else."
"After you." I held the door open for him to walk through.
Allen paused at the threshold between the stairs to my apartment and the door to my bakery. "Thanks for being so nice about the delivery mix-up. And for..." He bit his lip as he looked at mine. "For asking me out."
"Thanks for saying yes." I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, letting my fingers linger against his cheek. “Now, let’s go get your milk.”