Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
EZRA
The smell of paint fills the air. A ray of sun is shining right into the bakery despite the cloudy day.
Violet sets down the roller brush, and rubs her forehead with the back of her hand. As she turns towards me, I notice she rubbed some paint on the top of her nose and it makes me smile.
“What?” she asks.
I shake my head, continuing to paint with the roller brush. The mix of a wet swish and hiss drags up and down the walls. “Have you thought about what you’re going to call this place?”
“I think I might name it Violet’s Bakery.” She stops painting and looks over my way. “Would that be a stupid name?”
“No. Why would it?” I reply, stepping up on a stepladder trying to reach higher up. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her shrug her shoulders.
“Because it’s my name. But I thought it would go well with how I’m planning on decorating.”
I glance down at her. “It’s perfect.”
It makes me happy to hear the conversation she had with Haley and the excitement she has knowing they are talking again.
Not only because losing a customer was hard on her but also because she’s gaining a new friendship.
Losing her friends has been hard on her.
We were the only friends she turned to for everything.
It’s already hard enough for her to let people in and help.
She carries so much weight on her shoulders, and knowing she let Haley in is going to heal her in some way or another.
Even today, I know her letting me help is knocking down her wall little by little.
It’s not only helping her, but it’s helping me.
I didn’t know my life would turn out this way or where it would have gone after knowing my heart didn’t lie with Rya anymore.
But I’m glad where it ended up. It’s nice knowing that after all the shit we’ve both been through, there is good coming out of it.
It makes me feel like this is exactly where I need to be. Where we need to be.
A few hours later, the sun is setting and dark clouds have moved in. I watch as Violet stands smiling with her hands on her hips looking at the paint job and cleaning we did. I can’t imagine how she’ll feel when it’s completely done.
Her smile grows even wider as she turns towards me. “This looks good. The paint brightened it up.”
“It matches your eyes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your eyes are a lot brighter. You’re glowing and smiling more.”
“You’re the reason for that.”
“And you’re the reason my smile came back.”
She steps closer to me and I can feel my heart pounding harder.
“Thank you, Ezra. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
Her tone is soft and the way she whispers my name is so seductive. I swallow hard, and step closer to her which puts us inches away from each other.
I tilt my head slightly, my eyes dropping to her. “I’ll always be here to help you.”
Her hands graze my arms until both arms wrap around me; she steps closer and rests her head against my chest. Her vanilla scent mixed with paint lingers around me.
I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer, and it feels like all the blood in my body rushes south when I can feel myself hard against her.
“I know you will. And I need to trust that. It’s just hard sometimes.” She raises her head and rests her chin on my chest to stare up at me.
I touch my palm to her cheek, trying to wipe away the dried paint on her nose she’s been carrying around all day.
Her nose crinkles. “Do I have something on my nose?”
“Just paint.”
“Since when?”
“Pretty much all day,” I answer with a chuckle.
She releases one hand from me, rubbing her nose. “And you didn’t tell me?”
I shrug my shoulders a little, but I make sure I don’t release my hold on her. “You looked cute.”
She giggles. “I’m sure.”
We catch each other’s gaze and for a second, neither of us moves. The sound of our breaths fills the space around us. My fingers twitch at her side, wanting to pull her in closer and break the invisible line we’ve been dancing around for far too long.
I take my chance. I grip her tighter and bring her closer to me, and it feels like electrical waves flow through my body when our lips barely touch.
I want to feel her again.
All of her.
Our breaths are soft and uneven. The first drops of rain tap against the glass and provide a gentle rhythm that fills the silence between us. The sound is steady and soothing because even in the darkest of our storm there’s always going to be rain that washes the darkness away.
The pull between us is impossible to ignore. Both my hands cup her face as my world stills and fades into her. Our lips meet in a rush that breaks the invisible line that’s been standing between us since I first laid eyes on her.
Our kiss deepens, and our breaths are heavy. My hands slide down to her neck and then down to the curve of her back, feeling the softness of her skin. Her grip tightens around my shirt, bringing us even closer.
I reach down and scoop her into my arms with our mouths still locked together. I carry her into the kitchen and set her on the edge of the table. Her legs wrap around me, closing the space between us. My pulsing cock presses against her center; the warmth of her sends more shocks through me.
Our kiss breaks, and both of us are breathless. Her fingers trail down my chest to the bottom of my shirt before she rips it away from me. Her touch sends a shiver through my body. My hands find her waist as I rub myself against her.
She exhales softly as she runs her hands down to the bottom of her shirt and throws it off.
My forehead rests against hers, eyes locked.
For a moment we stay like that. The sound of the rain tapping against the glass still echoes in the distance.
The air is thick with everything we’ve been holding back.
Her fingers move down to my jeans, unbuttoning them.
I take a slow breath as my pulse hammers throughout my whole body.
Stepping back, I let my pants fall to the floor.
My hands find her waist again as I step out of my jeans and close the space between us.
My fingers trace the curve of her hips before tugging her pants down.
My heart stills as my eyes travel over her, every inch, every soft line. Her body is breathtaking. Something shifts in me, and my heart drops. How could someone betray her? How could someone hurt her? She’s beautiful inside and out. How could anyone put someone else above her?
I reach up and brush the strand of hair out of her face. My thumb grazes her cheek. “You’re so damn beautiful,” I whisper.