Page 7 of Aspen's Defense

"Twice, actually." I slide the bag across the counter toward her, holding her gaze. "The first time, I let him know that I would not be spying for him."

"You…what?"

"He was cranky about it, but he wasn't entirely surprised." I slip plastic utensils out of my pocket and place them on top of the bag. "He wasn't even surprised when I told him that I think you're gorgeous."

For the first time since I met her, she actually cracks a smile. "You told him that?"

"Mmhmm."

"And he isn't flying here right now?"

"Might be." I shrug. "I didn't ask."

She stares at me for a long, silent moment, then shakes her head, her tense stance easing. "You're a crazy person, Noah Diamante; I hope you know that."

"Does that mean you're having dinner with me?"

"Yes."

I grin.

"But only because I'm hungry," she quickly adds.

Chapter Three

Aspen

"Holyshit."Noah'sgazeflies to mine, his eyes wide.

"I told you," I say through laughter. "They're amazing."

He chews the blueberry scone before swallowing. "Fuck me. You make these?"

"Every morning."

"No wonder this place is always packed when I drive by," he says, staring at the crumbs on the plate I just set in front of him. "That's fucking amazing."

"It was my mom's recipe."

"Yeah?"

I nod, not sure why I'm telling him this. Maybe because talking is less awkward than him staring at me. He did that the first ten minutes of dinner. I think he would have kept doing it had I not started chattering. He's…intense. Or maybe it's simply that I'm intensely attracted to him. Either way, my panties are soaked, and it's his fault.

I'm determined to keep my distance since he's here as a favor to Nash, but he's so outrageous, it's endearing. Most guys get mad when you tell them no. They get offended that you dared to reject them. I can't count how many times I've been called a bitch for declining an offer I didn't ask for in the first place. Or how many times I've been told I'm not actually their type and they were just being nice. As if the fact that I'm plus size means I'm somehow unworthy. Miss me with that mess. I may be a big girl, but I learned a long time ago that fat doesn't mean ugly, and thin doesn't mean beautiful.

I was bullied a lot when I was younger. When you're chubby, and you're named after a tree, kids get inventive with the name-calling. I was Fat Forest for a while, or Bigger Than an Aspen. The ones doing the name-calling were usually thin. I'm not sure why they made me their target—maybe because I was the girl with no parents. But it taught me that people say a lot of mean crap when they're jealous. Hurt people hurt people, and insecure people love to lash out.

Rejected men are the worst. They do an about-face fast enough to cause whiplash. One minute, you're a goddess. The next, they were just doing you a favor because no one would ever possibly date someone your size. Ugh.

Noah is a refreshing change from the norm. Despite my rejecting him, he hasn't gotten nasty or passive-aggressive. He hasn't been rude. No matter what I say, he just comes back for more. Every word he says is more outrageous than the last. I've met charming men before. They're everywhere around here. But I'm in serious danger of softening toward this one.

I'll worry about that later.

"She taught you how to cook?"

"No," I murmur sadly, a lump forming in my throat. "She died before she got the chance, but I have all of her recipes. One day, this place will be half bakery, half coffee shop, using her recipes." I bite my lip as soon as I say the words. Crap. I shouldn't have told him that. If he's lying about telling Nash that he isn't going to spy for him, then my brother is going to know that I'm up to something. He'll be on my doorstep, demanding I move back home and driving me crazy.

"She ran a bakery?"