Free Sugared (Misfit Brides #4) by Jamie Farrell

from the gap widening in her coat. “Did you just say goatpeckers ?”
    She fiddled with the edges of the trench coat, barely holding the two sides together. “It’s a goat, except it’s also a woodpecker. And this—” she let the trench coat slide off her shoulders “—is your surprise.”
    Get Suckered was written in bright purple over the neon green tank top that stretched across her breasts. Josh’s lips parted, and he had to blink against the bright, clashing colors.
    His groin was protesting that there was still a layer of cotton between his eyeballs and her skin.
    “I special ordered you a matching T-shirt, since I know you hang out at Suckers when you’re in Bliss. They’re super comfy for sleeping. Yours will be in this weekend.”
    Forget the talk about being a businessman instead of a fire-spitting ninja unicorn. He needed to have a talk with himself about not getting turned on by Kimmie Elias, and not getting suckered into finding her hilarious.
    Which she wasn’t, since she was making a fool of him.
    “This relationship is done,” Josh said.
    She tucked her hands into the pockets of her pink jean shorts. “Okay, but you won’t get your recipes.”
    His jaw clenched hard enough to crack a diamond between his molars. He forced himself to smile—undoubtedly far from his best smile—and was rewarded with Kimmie’s round eyes going rounder.
    He forced his voice to drip into bedroom territory, which was much easier than it should’ve been. “More than one way to seduce a cupcake baker.”
    Jagged splotches of red rose in her cheeks again. But she thrust her chin out like he’d seen her mother do every time he’d spoken to her.
    “Let’s make this easy,” Josh said. “You give me five cupcake recipes. I give you ten thousand dollars.”
    She lifted a hand to her mouth, then dropped it, her lips wavering between a smile, a frown, and a pursed panic. “Each?” she said.
    Josh checked a laugh. “Total.” His parents had been extremely generous with his trust fund during the good years, and he could afford it. Every dime they’d given him would go to rescuing their business one way or another. But he wasn’t about to waste more of it than he had to in securing new recipes.
    Not yet, anyway.
    Kimmie sniffed, and again, Josh saw her mother. “Enjoy your cupcakes,” she said.
    “Ten grand will go pretty far to get your dirty cupcake business off the ground.”
    She squeaked out a gasp and something that sounded like fluffernutter .
    “Suppose your mother would salt your melons if she heard,” Josh added. He’d made a connection or two in Bliss, and when he’d heard what Kimmie was up to—pairing with the local ice cream lady who sold risqué-flavored ice cream to cater dirty-named treats for bridal showers—he hadn’t believed it.
    But he’d gotten his hands on a sample or two, and there was no denying it.
    Kimmie Elias was the only person in Bliss who could’ve baked a cupcake that light and fluffy, with a magic mix of sugar and flavor and presentation.
    Her mother would have a shit fit of epic proportions if she knew Kimmie were involving her cupcakes in such a racy endeavor.
    And Josh needed to forever separate the thoughts Kimmie and racy from his brain.
    Now.
    Kimmie crossed her arms over her melons, and this time, there was something different lurking in the thrust of her chin and the rigidity of her posture. Plus that blue flame igniting in her eyes.
    As though Kimmie Elias had layers the world didn’t know about. Spunky layers. Stubborn layers. Intriguing layers.
    He couldn’t decide if she was a mini-Marilyn with a warped personality, if she was odd for show, or if she really did permanently reside in this special little Kimmie-verse she’d created.
    “Go ahead.” Kimmie stepped into his personal space. “Tell her. Tell my mother I take special orders for sexy cupcakes on the side.” She poked him in the chest. “ You can’t stop me. She can’t stop me. But if she