Second Chance Hero by Rebecca Sherwin

nice.”
    “But I’m always nice to you, Jen.”
    “No. Don't do that.”
    “Don't do what?” his eyes stalk me as I move to the
food mixer and begin measuring out the butter and sugar.
    “That. What you’re doing, like we’re still best
friends living out of each other’s pockets. We’re not friends anymore, Deac.”
    “Are we not friends because I left uni or because
you left Folquay?”
     
    I turn the machine on and it whirs to life, blocking
out any sound coming out of his beautifully annoying mouth. I’m in my own
world, watching the butter and sugar cream together when his arm reaches across
me and he switches the mixer off at the wall.
    “Don’t say something and then ignore my comeback.”
    “I just want you to leave!” I spin around and shove
at his chest but it’s like granite and he doesn’t move, “Get out! You had your
chance to support my business choices and you blew it. Get out!”
     
    I repeatedly pound his chest, but he just stands
there and takes it, his chest heaving and his fists clenched. He flashes in his
eyes, setting his blue orbs alight and he grabs my shoulders and pushes me
against the counter, knocking over the mixer, before crushing his lips to mine
and slides his hand around to the back of my neck to hold me in place. He
doesn’t move, just holds his mouth to mine; I stop hitting and sag against him,
my body betraying my heart...my mind is lost somewhere trying to process all of
what’s going on. Deacon’s lips move slowly against mine, and I follow his lead.
     
    “Come for a drink with me,” he says, releasing my
lips and resting his forehead on mine.
    I shake my head and try to pull away from him but
his steel body has me caged against the metal worktop.
    “Come for a drink with me.” He moves his lips down
across my jaw and to my neck. My body comes to life in a way that has been
dormant since the last time he touched me like this.
                “No,” I say, unable to convey any
sincerity as my body begins to bow to him.
    I feel his smile against my throat as his lips
travel to the other side of my neck and he grazes his teeth along the skin just
under my ear. I can’t contain the moan that escapes as he teases my erogenous
zone.
    “Come for a drink with me.”
    “One drink.” I whisper before my body completely
submits.
    He steps back and frees me, instantly satisfied with
himself.
    “What time shall I pick you up?”
    “Not tonight, I have plans. Ask me next time we
mysteriously bump into each other.” I turn back to the mixer and switch it on, “I
was serious about you leaving, I don’t want you here.”
    There’s no eradicating his smile; he looks like the
cat that got the cream. But he does as I ask and leaves me to my baking,
throwing his business card on the counter on the way out.
     
    ~
    The raspberry ripple cupcakes are the best cakes
I’ve made for months and I made a light butter cream to ice them with, and my
phone starts ringing while I’m busy clearing up. It’s Grace, Jonas’ girlfriend.
    “Hi, Grace.” I answer.
    “Jenna, hi. I’m going into town if you want to come.
I asked your mum but she’s busy and I could really use some advice on an outfit
for the weekend. Jonas is taking me to London to the theatre and I’ve never
been to the city before.”
    “Sure.” Good timing. I could do with by something
new for dinner with Kip tonight, “I’m in the shop so I need to go home and
clean up. Give me an hour okay?”
    We hang up and I switch off and lock up, taking the
cakes with me in a little white box. I manage to shower and change out of the
pencil skirt I wore to meet with Perry this morning, get the verdict on the
cakes from Mum, Dad and Jonas, and I’m ready by the time Grace gets to the
house. I offer to drive, seeing as I haven’t got much use out of my car since I
got back.
     
     
    “So what’s the deal with you and the Reid brothers?”
Grace asks from behind the curtain of the dressing room.
    The