The Cinnamon Bun Book Store: TikTok Made Me Buy It (Dream Harbor, Book 2)
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store: Chapter 19

‘I think you’re better at this fun thing than you let on, Haze.’ Noah’s voice was a low rasp in her ear, his hands on her butt, tugging her closer.

‘I’m improving.’ She found his lips in the dark and he gave a quiet groan. She leaned into him and his back hit the shelves behind him, rattling the contents of the bins Hazel knew were stored there.

‘What is this room, anyway?’ he asked, pulling away from the kiss long enough to glance around.

Hazel pulled the overhead light switch and lit up the tiny storage room. The shelves behind Noah were filled with oversized plastic Tupperware stuffed full of seasonal decor. She knew because she’d been the one to organize them. It was nearly time to pull out the multiple bins labeled ‘fall’ and decorate the town hall with garlands of fake colorful leaves and plastic pumpkins.

‘Supply room.’ She flipped the lock on the door. ‘Don’t worry, no one ever comes in here. Especially after hours.’ Her father’s office was down the hall along with a meeting room for the town council and some other town employee offices.

Other than the over-full metal shelves, the room contained some old office furniture, several artificial Christmas trees with the lights still on, and a stack of traffic cones. Actually, with the fluorescent light on, the room was kind of depressing.

Hazel frowned. ‘Maybe this was a bad idea.’ She’d been sitting in that meeting realizing that it was nearly September and her birthday was only a month away and her time with Noah was running out and she just…

She already missed him.

And she didn’t want to waste any time. Certainly not to listen to the pros and cons of a new trash company.

But now that they were in this room where Dream Harbor hid its charm in between seasons, Hazel was thinking she’d miscalculated.

‘Nah, it’s not a bad idea.’ Noah stepped forward and ran a finger down her nose, gently forcing her to stop wrinkling it in dismay. ‘Just needs a little adjusting.’ He walked over to the biggest tree and stooped down to replace the end of the lights. He plugged it into the outlet and the tree lit up with tiny white lights. He did the same with the other two trees and then pulled the overhead light chain, bathing the room in the soft glow of the Christmas lights.

Hazel smiled.

‘Much better,’ he said, pulling her close again.

‘You’re really good at that.’

‘At what? Setting the mood?’ He winked but Hazel didn’t miss the shadow that crossed his features at the joke, like he thought that was all he was good at.

‘No. At making me feel good.’

His eyes widened a little at that, his expression so genuinely surprised that Hazel wondered how he really saw himself. Did he not know how sweet and loving he was? How he made everyone around him happier just by being himself?

She should tell him but he was already dipping his head, already kissing her, nipping and sucking his way down her neck, breathing new words into her skin.

‘I’m going to make you feel even better.’

Hazel groaned. She didn’t doubt it.

He flicked open the buttons on her shirt one by one, exposing her to the soft glow of the room. A grin spread across his face.

‘I’ll never get tired of that.’

There was a lot packed into that statement, wasn’t there? Did he want to keep doing this after their time was up? Did she want to?

The questions were washed away by Noah’s tongue on her skin, tracing the tops of her breasts and dipping lower. Her nipples peaked beneath her bra and she couldn’t help the arch in her back, the moan from her lips.

She felt it, too. That she would never get tired of this.

But that was crazy. That’s not what this was supposed to be. It wasn’t what Noah signed on for.

Noah’s large hands spread around to her back, smoothing over the bare skin, holding her close as he kissed her. His face was covered in a rough stubble today and it scraped Hazel’s cheeks and lips and neck, the slight burn distracting her from her thoughts. He smelled like a sunny day, fresh air and freedom.

He was summer and she was fall. He was adventure and she was comfort. But right now, on the cusp between the two seasons, in this liminal space they’d carved out for themselves, they fit just right.

‘God, Hazel, you’re so damn perfect.’ His hands traced the curve of her waist, the fullness of her breasts. She kissed him, tasting his words. She wanted to keep them.

Shouting erupted from the room below them and they froze. The reality of where they were and the possibility of being caught crept back into the room.

Noah chuckled, low and deep. ‘Town drama.’

Hazel huffed. ‘Always something.’

He held her gaze, his eyes dark and hungry like he didn’t give a shit what scene was unfolding downstairs. And then he was kissing her again, hard and deep and like they were running out of time.

He managed to undo her pants with one hand, the other was tangled in her hair. He kissed her, his tongue twined with hers while he shoved a hand in her pants, suddenly desperate to get to her.

She was already wet and aching when his fingers swiped her sensitive flesh and her moan vibrated between them. He held her tight, a slight pull on her hair that sent sparks skittering through her body and his fingers rubbing her right where she needed it. His lips launched a brutal assault on her mouth and all Hazel could do was stand there, her legs trembling in the forgotten Town Hall supply closet and take it.

She clung to Noah’s shoulders, the orgasm barrelling toward her so fast she thought it might knock her clear off her feet.

‘Noah,’ she gasped, pulling her mouth free. ‘I’m…’ She pressed her forehead to his and he flashed her devilish grin.

‘Come for me, Hazel. Right here. Right where anyone could catch us.’ His voice was low and deep and wicked and his gaze nearly burned right through her.

She came fast and hard, biting down on her bottom lip to keep in her screams. Her legs trembled but Noah banded an arm around her waist and held her up as the aftershocks rolled through her. He pulled his hand slowly from between her legs and licked his fingers. Hazel’s eyes widened at the obscene gesture.

His low chuckle rumbled through her. ‘You are just full of little kinks after all … the thrill of getting caught. I didn’t know you were into that.’

‘I didn’t know I was into a lot of things.’

He pressed a kiss to her temple. ‘Good thing we’re getting it all figured out.’

Hazel’s hand wandered between them to where his erection was still straining against the front of his jeans. She freed him from his pants and Noah’s groan filled the tiny room.

‘Shh…’ she whispered, gripping him in her fist.

‘Jesus Haze, I can’t shh when you’re doing that.’

She flashed him a grin. ‘Well, you have to.’ She caught his mouth with hers and kissed all the moans from his lips as she stroked him. She knew how he liked it now, after this week of experimenting, fast and a little rough. His hands wandered while she touched him, squeezing her breasts, her ass, tugging her hair. He pumped his hips into her fist the closer he got, his movements becoming more erratic.

‘Hazel, I’m close…’

She dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth, surprising them both.

‘Are you sure?’ Noah asked, holding still, his voice choked and raw.

Hazel nodded, swirling her tongue around him and Noah broke. The jagged sound from his mouth was nothing more than a wounded gasp. His hands came to her face, a thumb caressed her cheek. In a week of firsts, Hazel added one more and swallowed.

Noah tugged her up off her knees. ‘Hazel, you didn’t have to … that was… I mean…’ He tipped his forehead against hers and she couldn’t help her smile.

For once in her life she felt sexy and powerful and she was claiming it right here, right now, in this bizarre little supply closet. Maybe she hadn’t needed to change her life, maybe she’d just needed to change how she saw her life. How she saw herself.

And right now, in the twinkling lights of the old trees, with Noah panting against her, she saw herself as pretty damn hot.

‘You liked it?’

‘Hazel.’ He wrapped his arms around her. ‘I really, really liked it.’

She kissed the tip of his nose. ‘Good. Me too.’

Noah shook his head a little. ‘This has been the most surprising summer of my life.’

Hazel laughed. ‘Mine, too.’

‘You’re a very fun girl, Hazel Kelly.’

‘Yeah, maybe I am.’