Tymber Dalton by It's a Sweet Life Read Free Book Online

handsomely playful sight. “We hadn’t got that far yet,” he said, holding up the bag. “But we bought cheese danishes.”
    “Well come on in here. You can eat at the counter. We’re still moving the furniture and stuff around.” She led them into the apartment. “Charles, since you’re an artist, you might like that this apartment gets really nice light during the day and afternoon.” She pointed to two large windows against the living room wall. “That’s another reason I decided to move to the other apartment. It’s darker later in the day. I’m an early riser and go to bed early. Occupational hazard of owning a bakery. Plus I didn’t need the second bedroom.”
    The men set their snacks down on the counter and followed her to the bedrooms. Both were empty.
    Ken said, “I saw the mattresses and box springs.”
    Still shrouded in plastic storage bags, the twin bed sets leaned against the wall out in the hallway.
    “Those come with the apartment. I don’t have much in the way of extra towels and bedding,” she said. “That’s still boxed up. I’ll need to find it and get it all washed for you. It’s been packed for a while. But the mattresses and box springs for the beds are brand new. My parents had put them in their guest room a few months before…” She cut herself off and quickly continued. “They’re several years old, but they’ve never been slept on.”
    “That’s okay,” Charles assured her. “We can pick some bedding and towels up somewhere.” He looked at his cousin. “I like it. Let’s do it.”
    She fought the urge to hold her breath while Ken slowly nodded. “I’m in.” He pulled out his wallet and counted out fifties. “We’ll sign the lease for six months, if that’s okay? And then possibly extend it after that. We don’t know what our plans will be by then.”
    Her heart fluttered. Six months wasn’t that long, but it would get her through snowbird season and take some financial pressure off her. “And I’m willing to take some off the rent every month if you wanted to help out downstairs. I can always use another set of hands in the bakery.”
    “I don’t know anything about baking,” Ken said, “but Charles is pretty good in the kitchen. Let’s pay you for this right now, and we can negotiate the rest later. Seven hundred a month is more than a fair price.” He offered her another smile that not only set her stomach fluttering, but warmed up places lower in her body that hadn’t felt like that in years.
    “Great. I’ll go get the lease.” She hurried downstairs to her office, to where she’d printed off a generic lease form for Florida rentals.
    So what if they’re gay? Her immediate problems were solved.

Chapter Five
     
    Ben waited until she was out of earshot. He kept his voice low. “This is perfect.”
    “She’s cute.”
    Ben glared at Allan and reached for his cheese danish. “Don’t even. We’ve talked about this. It wouldn’t be fair to her. That’s why we’re telling folks we’re gay, remember?”
    “Dude, you have to admit she’s a sweetie. She’s tripping all over herself.”
    He found his hand fisting the front of Allan’s shirt collar before he realized what he was doing. “ No . We will not put someone else at risk. I’ve seen what those fuckers do to people. Especially what they can do to the women of men who cross them.”
    Allan stared at him. “Let me go,” he said, his tone strained, but calm.
    Ben let out a breath and released him. “Sorry.”
    Allan straightened his shirt. “One of the executive assistants in my office has fibromyalgia. Some days, she can barely function. I don’t have a problem helping Libbie out in the bakery if she needs it. And you can’t dictate who I can and can’t be friends with.”
    “Friends, fine. No problem. But don’t go dragging an innocent woman into our crap. I won’t put anyone else at risk.” He bit into his danish. As he chewed he struggled not to moan. It was, no