Some Like It Hotter

“Ames Cooke.”

Yup. The pain in Chris’s lucky ass. The entitled, arrogant rich boy, who Chris had neglected to mention was devastatingly sexy.

Was he cocky businessman through and through? He certainly looked the part, but there was that gold stud glinting in one ear, and his slightly spiked hair. She was already thinking maybe a tattoo in a hidden place.

A place she couldn’t wait to discover.

“You visiting?” Ames was looking around, undoubtedly still hoping Chris would emerge from the back of the shop.

“I’m taking over for Chris for a month.”

His attention zoomed back to her. “Chris? What’s wrong? Where is she?”

Look how nice of him to be concerned. A thoughtful guy. “She’s at my place in California. We switched lives for a month.”

“You switched—” Ames was clearly having trouble processing that one. But maybe the fact that his supposed beloved had left town without letting him know would help him understand that he and Chris were not destined to be together forever.

Whereas he and Eva...

At least for a month.

“Well, crap.” He stared forlornly at the flowers, a stunning and almost laughably huge bouquet of pink roses, burgundy and white alstroemeria, white tulips, freesia and God knew what else.

“You could take them back to the shop. Or leave them here.” Eva gestured around. “A little color and life wouldn’t hurt.”

“Oh.” He stared as if he’d forgotten her. “Yeah, okay.”

“Thank you.” She took the vase into her arms as if she were cradling a baby and beamed at him. “So what are you doing tonight, Ames?”

As she expected, he looked startled, glanced at his watch, face reddening slightly. “I’m due at... I’m... I have...”

“Wow. That sounds fabulous.”

He laughed in surprise.

“I just arrived today from California, so I’m going to take it easy tonight.” She put the vase on the counter over the pastry. “Maybe order takeout, because I hear you can get anything delivered in this city.”

“True.”

She threw him a flirty look over her shoulder. “Even you?”

“Even me what?”

“If I was home bored and wanted company, could I order you for delivery?”

“I don’t...” He took a step back. “That is...”

Eva waved dismissively and moved the vase farther down the counter. “Don’t worry, I was only flirting. Cup of coffee on the house?”

“Uh.” He laughed uncertainly. “Actually, I’m—”

“Jinx.” She inclined her head toward the barista. “Give this man whatever he wants.”

“Okay.” Jinx stared coolly at Ames. “What’ll it be?”

“Hmm?” Ames was lost in poking at his cell again. “Uh...a red eye. Room at the top. To go.”

Eva took half a step closer to him. “We call those hammerheads in California.”

“Really?”

“Really.” She grinned at him. He was so adorable and so innocently unaware of the nights of hot sex that lay in store for him over the next month—and possibly forever. “And in the upper Midwest, where I grew up, it’s called a depth charge.”

“Okay.”

Eva folded her arms across her chest. “So what do you do in this fabulous city, Ames?”

He muttered something, jabbing away at the little letters.

“Ames.” Eva put her hand on his arm and pushed gently down.

“Huh?” He looked up at her. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

“I asked what you do in New York.”

“I’m sales manager for Boyce Wines, a distributor based here in New York. We import from exclusive small family vineyards in Italy and France.”

“Cool job. So you know a ton about wine.”

“I guess.” He shrugged and put his cell in his pocket, staring at her curiously. “Do you?”

“Just coffee.” She took another step toward him, caught a whiff of his fresh masculine aftershave. “How did you get into that?”

“Dad owns a wine shop.”

“Yeah? Where?”

“New Jersey.” He edged toward the pickup area of the counter. “Are you this nosy with all your customers?”

“Nosy?” She sent him an odd look. “In California we call this conversation. They don’t do that here?”

“Sorry.” He had the grace to look embarrassed. “Been a tough day. So, California, huh?”

“Central Coast.” She tipped her head, smiling alluringly. “Good wine country.”

“Absolutely.”

“Red eye. Room at the top.” Jinx plunked the container on the counter.