“Good morning,” they said in unison. It was kind of adorable,really.
“I thought I’d check on the progress.” She crossed the room towhere they stood. “I might have also brought breakfast for the crew. You know,to stay in their good graces.”
Joss folded her arms. “Are you implying my crew needs to bebribed?”
Her tone was teasing, but Amanda wanted to stay in her goodgraces, too. “Not bribed. Appreciated.”
“Oh, well, then. Appreciate away.”
“It’s all out in my car.”
“Would you like a tour first?” Quinn asked.
“Yes. Yes, I would.” Quinn probably wouldn’t kiss her in front ofJoss, but a tiny part of her wanted her to.
“Excellent. Joss, would you like to do the honors?”
“It would be my pleasure.” Joss bowed, but when she stood, shewinked at Amanda. “Especially if there’s breakfast to be had.”
“I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
They started with the blueprints. Amanda had seen them at least adozen times before, but not like this, where Joss could point to a line on thepage and indicate exactly where and how that line translated to her space. Nextcame the good part—large openings in the walls. Joss gestured for her to walkthrough, so she did. Then back. And back again.
A decidedly unprofessional giggle escaped. “Sorry.”
“You should never apologize for joy,” Joss said without missing abeat.
“What she said, one hundred percent.” Quinn hooked a thumb atJoss.
“Thanks for that. I don’t want to say I can’t believe it’shappening because you’re both professionals and I trust you. But a little partof me can’t believe this is happening.”
“Totally allowed,” Quinn said.
Joss nodded. “We’ve got all the old paneling out and are cleaningup the electric on this side.”
“Already?”
Joss led the way around the room, pointing out where new outletswould be. “As soon as we get the insulation in and the new wall framed, thedrywall and wainscoting can go up.”
“And you do that before floors, right?”
“Yes, but the flooring arrived yesterday. We’ve got it up frontwhere the new counter will be.”
“Oh, that’s exciting.” She’d been disappointed the originalfloors couldn’t be salvaged, but then Joss had introduced her to the world ofceramic tile crafted to look like wood. The durability and ease of cleaning wonher over in about two seconds.
“Would you like to see it?” Quinn looked at her with a smile shecouldn’t quite read.
“Yes, please.”
Instead of going back the way they’d come, they kept going. Thewall that would divide the decorating room from the seating area hadn’t beenframed yet, but Joss indicated where it would go. Amanda paused and turnedback, taking a second to appreciate how much room she was going to have. Theblueprints hadn’t been able to do it justice. She let out a contented sigh andfollowed Quinn and Joss around to the front of the bakery.
Quinn put a hand under her elbow. “Watch your step right here.The subfloor is uneven.”
The casual touch shouldn’t have made her heart beat faster, butit did. And despite being in the middle of a construction zone and getting herfirst peek at what her bakery would look like when the work was done, all shecould think about was Quinn putting her hands in all sorts of other places.
“Is everything okay? I know it can be hard to imagine thefinished product when everything is such a mess.”
Amanda shook her head, wanting to dispel the concern in Quinn’seyes. “No, no. It’s perfect. I got a little distracted is all.”
Joss offered an encouraging smile. “It can feel like sensoryoverload at times.”
It was sensory overload all right, but not the kind Joss had inmind. She laughed. “That must be it.”
Quinn took a few steps and turned around, expanding her armswide. “So, this is where your display counter and register was.” She shuffledninety degrees. “And this is where they will be.”
She enjoyed Quinn’s gesture as much as she did imagining how itwould look. “It’s going to be perfect.”
Quinn tipped her head and lifted a shoulder. “I’m not sure aboutperfect, but I think it’s going to work.”
Joss lifted her chin. “Hey, speak for yourself. I’m aiming forperfection.”
“I only mean perfection is a problematic term when it comes toold buildings.”
Watching the two of them debate the semantics of perfection wasbeyond cute. “How about perfectly imperfect? Can we agree on that?”
Both Quinn and Joss seemed willing to concede the point. Theyfinished the tour and Quinn helped Amanda bring in the treats she’d brought forthe crew. As much as she wanted to linger, she didn’t want to be in the way. Orimpede progress. She thanked Joss and said her good-byes, but Quinn offered towalk her out.
“I didn’t expect to see you this morning. It was a pleasantsurprise,” Quinn said once they were out in the parking lot.
“Likewise.”
“Are we still on for dinner tonight?” Quinn looked at herhopefully.
“Absolutely.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing I can bring?”
She contemplated answers for a moment, then decided why the hellnot. She looked down for a second, then into Quinn’s eyes. “You could bring abag.”
Any worry or hesitation she had over being so forward evaporatedas she watched confusion, understanding, and arousal play across Quinn’s facein rapid succession. Quinn swallowed, but didn’t speak.
“No pressure, of course. But we’ll have the house to ourselvesand it might be nice not to think about driving home.”
Quinn nodded slowly. “Very practical.”
She smirked. “That’s me.”
“I like that about you.” The comment was innocent, but Quinnstared at Amanda’s mouth as she said it.
“So, I’ll see you around six?”
“You most certainly will.” Amanda made to open her car door, butQuinn took her hand. She glanced briefly at the building, then back at Amanda.“How would you feel about me kissing you in your parking lot in broaddaylight?”
She appreciated that Quinn asked, but appreciated even more thatQuinn wanted to. “I feel very positively about it.”
“Oh, good.” Quinn closed the distance between them and slid hermouth over Amanda’s.
Her eyes closed instinctively, but sunlight caressed her eyelids.The breeze teased the hair at the base of her neck. Quinn’s hand cupped hercheek in a way
