But he appeared to be immune to Fiona’s charms. The first man in history. Sufficiently rattled that a man did not find her mouthwatering, she had lamented over that, swearing he must’ve been gay.

She’d seen the disinterest as a challenge, ramping up her flirting to no avail… until she realized that I was infatuated with him. She realized this because of the way my entire chest, neck and face reddened when I was forced to interact with him, when I would practically sprint out the back when he walked in the door, muttering about ovens and timers going off.

Then, because Fiona was my best friend, she’d immediately ceased flirting and changed tactics, relentlessly trying to get me to commence flirting, even while I was engaged to Nathan. She’d given me a grace period since I broke the engagement and turned into somewhat of a mess, letting me run off to the back whenever he came in.

Which was exactly what I was about to do, after I’d bathed in his near presence for another handful of seconds.

I took a deep breath, imagining that I could smell him… a masculine musky, salty, outdoorsy scent that no cologne could replicate. On the few occasions I’d found myself brave enough to actually interact with him, I’d inhaled that scent. It had made my knees weak.

Or maybe my wobbly knees were caused by his eyes zeroing in on mine, so intense, so unnerving, it had been impossible for me to hold eye contact.

I dreamed of him. That scent. Even while Nathan was lying in bed next to me, smelling of expensive aftershave and the matching body wash I came to despise.

It was not healthy... For me to be infatuated with a man I’d only had a scant amount of interactions with. Who likely barely knew I existed, the intense stare just his default.

Rowan Derrick was somewhat famous in Jupiter. Not just because the construction business he’d opened with his best friend Kip was wildly successful and in demand, but also because everyone wanted the two muscled, badass, rugged, insanely gorgeous men to work on their houses. Kip was a notorious ladies’ man. He was handsome, for sure. Dirty blond hair that was always mussed. Striking green eyes. Tall. Ripped. A cheeky grin. A charm that came out of him as easily as breathing.

I appreciated all of that. But at a distance. It was Rowan who made my insides twist.

Interestingly, Kip and Fiona had never found their way into bed together, despite them both being devastatingly attractive and only ever after casual flings. Maybe that was why…They were just too similar.

That didn’t matter at this moment though.

“I’m just going to…” I pointed to the kitchen. “Check on the flour levels,” I said lamely, my eyes purposefully avoiding the place in line he was taking up.

“Nope,” Fiona replied as she stepped back, holding her hands up with a wicked grin. “I need to go on my break.”