No, no, no. I'd burned yet another batch of petite madeleines within the last hour, all because I couldn't keep my mind off Daan and our weekend away. I'd hoped he'd call the bakery in the week, even if it was just to check up on his grandmother, but after dropping me back in Brighton neither one of us heard from him.

I couldn't really blame him after I confessed it was a bad idea if we took it any further. Often the words leaving my mouth weren't the same ones consuming my thoughts or heart because I couldn't think of a good enough reason to stay away from Daan Booker.

With each ring of the phone or buzz from the door, I found myself rushing onto the shop floor only for it to be a customer Madeleine was capable of dealing with on her own or someone ringing to ask about our opening hours.

Deflated, I locked myself away in the prep room and baked the impatience away. A fat lot of good that was when bake after bake failed.

My first batch of cakes had fallen victim to the wrong temperature settings and this one was down to human neglect. I was so busy daydreaming I'd forgotten they were even in the oven. What a terrible crime from a baker!

I dumped the cremated cakes into the sink and poured water on them, hoping the smokey scent wouldn't linger for too long. Once cool enough to handle, I bagged the charcoal-like lumps and threw them in the outside bin.

My chin dipped to my chest and my shoulders slumped, I walked back into the kitchen unaware someone was waiting for me by the office door. I pulled my apron off and was all set to make Madeleine her afternoon cup of tea when the shadows creeping towards my yellow plimsolls made me jump.

Hand to my throat, I gasped and took a step back. "Daan! What on earth are you doing lurking in the corner?" My already racing heart quickened when one side of his mouth lifted. "You scared me!"

He's really here.

"Maybe I should be asking you why it smells like someone's attempting to burn the bakery down?" His eyes pinned me in place but when he took three steps forwards, I took the same amount backwards, until the hard edge of the counter dug into my back.

"Oh, that? It's nothing. Just a recipe that didn't work out. All cleared up now." My face heated and I swerved towards the sink, finding the shell shaped baking tray soaking at the bottom. Needing to occupy my restless hands, I grabbed a butter knife and scraped along the pattern to remove the residue of black cake.

With him standing in front of me, I forgot how to act or what I wanted to admit.

"Happen a lot?"

I lowered my gaze towards my hip and watched two of his fingers slide into my belt loop. Losing all ability to talk, I shook my head.

"Because I should know, right? If our prized baker can no longer bake. As her boss and all that." His breath tickled the skin below my ear and I dropped the knife, splashing water up my arm.

"Not my boss." My chest heaved.

"Not your boss. That's right. My grandmother's worried something's on your mind and thinks I can help you. Can I help you, Noa?" The deep gravel in his voice set off the butterflies in my stomach and I fought the sudden urge to run.

I was done with running away.

So instead I gripped the lip of the stainless steel sink, anchoring myself. "I've got it under control. It's fine. Just a tiny mistake. It won't affect the business."

"I don't." His forehead grazed the back of my head but, as if he thought better of it, he inched back.

"You don't what?" I closed my eyes and held my breath.

"Have it under control." He tightened his fingers around my belt loop but made sure that was the only part of himself touching me.

"Oh." I exhaled a ragged breath.

"Yeah. Oh."

"I can't stop thinking about you. It's messing with work. It's messing with here. But I don't fucking care." He sighed and brushed some of my hair away from my neck before dropping his voice to a whisper. "I'm sorry I let you go after the hotel. We should've spoken about it then. I don't want to play games with you."

"I didn't say anything either." My own words remained as low as his, like we both held onto secrets we feared releasing and leaving us vulnerable. "Is that true, though? That you can't stop thinking about me?"

His chest pressed against my back, and I couldn't tell if it was my own beating heart I felt erratically thump or if it was his. "Just every second of the day." His arms wrapped around my middle and we stood there in silence for a few minutes.

"So what are we going to do about it?" I turned in his arms and my fingers searched for comfort on the edge of his shirt collar. They traced along the white fabric and left watermarks where they were still damp from the washing up. My gaze had yet to meet his. Once they did, all sanity would be lost.

"Let me take you out for dinner tonight. Just the two of us. Where we can talk and get to know each other properly. I'm not the stupid kid you knew at uni, Noa. I think we could be really good together." His forehead dropped to mine and I could no longer escape him. The look he gave me turned my insides over and the tightness in my chest grew heavier.

"Tonight? I promised Selene I'd meet her in town. I've already cancelled on her twice." I didn't want Daan to get the wrong idea and think I was pushing him away before anything else had a chance to happen between us. I wanted more of this feeling brewing under my skin when his eyes lowered to my lips. "Tomorrow? I'm free after work if you're still in Brighton then?"

His mouth thinned and he looked over to the door. "I have to be back in London for a meeting tomorrow afternoon. How about this weekend? I could probably get down here early Saturday morning."

Too long. This week had been unbearable as it was. "We won't be alone, but come with us tonight?"

"You sure that's okay? Selene won't mind if I crash your night?"

I scrunched my nose and gave a short laugh. "I doubt it. And I really want you there."

"Yeah?" He reached up and cupped my face. "I'm going to kiss you now. I need to kiss you."

I felt the energy in the room on my tongue and it sparked every nerve ending. My toes and fingers tingled and I moved further into him while his thumb traced my bottom lip. I swallowed hard and his mouth hovered over mine, both of us forgetting where we were or how many health code violations we were willing to make.

"Did you find her, Danny?" his grandmother shouted, walking into the kitchen. "Oh, I see you did."

Daan stepped out of our embrace and rubbed his index finger over his mouth.

"Cup of tea?" Madeleine flicked the kettle on. "Would love to try one of the cakes you've spent all afternoon baking-" She smirked and pulled out the box of tea bags from one of the overhead cupboards-, "but there doesn't seem to be any on the cooling racks or in the oven."

"No tea for me, Gran. I have to get to the shops for a few supplies." He ignored her teasing and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight. I'll message you when I know where we're meeting."

Daan kissed my cheek before leaving me alone with his grandmother.

"Maybe now we can get some decent cakes." She winked. "Be a love and bring my cup out to me. I have to sit down a minute."

The second Daan left the bakery and Madeleine returned to the shop floor, I grabbed my phone to call Selene. "You can't stay at mine tonight. I'll come out but you'll have to make plans for after," I rushed.

"Woah, slow down. How about a hello Selene, how are you doing first."

"Sorry. Daan's coming out tonight and-, you can't stay at mine."

"Say no more. I know when to make myself scarce. I'll invite some of the others and then you don't have to worry about ditching me."

"Don't be like that. It's just the home part that's changing."

"Oh no, Noa. Ditch away and make that vagina happy. I want all the dirty details afterwards though."

"Deal."

Tea bags steeped, I added a dash of milk to both cups and joined Madeleine in her favourite spot. I struggled to wipe the smile off my face as a new kind of yearning bloomed in my chest.

After all, why should I deny myself a taste of something I craved because of what happened years ago?