MACY

I felt as if my new job was human resourcing for both the Churchill businesses. First, I had to get the local newspapers to print out an ad for two professional mechanics needed at Stephan Mechanics so their burden could decrease. They were earning enough money to employ two more people in their small shop and by the way business was booming the last week, they might even earn enough money to buy a bigger workshop and increase their workforce.

Then I had to get the newspapers to run an ad for a bookkeeper for Axel's bakery, Creative Moments. I couldn't understand how Axel hadn't hired a bookkeeper before this day. He didn't graduate from business school, I knew that much since he left a year in to join culinary school, but he should have known better than to leave his finances all up to one person along with the entire management of the bakery. I felt a little bad for Claudia, she had a lot to deal with so something was bound to get botched up slightly.

Nevertheless, the damage wasn't irreparable. It might take a very long time to get repaired but it wasn't the end of the world. At the end of the day, no matter how wrong or badly handled the books were, there was no doubt in my mind that Axel's bakery would still reflect a hefty profit. Running a loss was near impossible with the number of people who visited his bakery on an everyday basis.

I grimaced, looking at the clock in Axel's tiny office. It felt like time was moving at a snail pace making me long for Axel's presence. His musky scent still lingered in his office from his late night at the bakery making me crave him. I didn't even know that he had an office at the bakery until he told me about it this morning during breakfast. That amazing, wonderful, mouth-watering breakfast where he decided to use those three sacred words. I contemplated saying them back. It wasn't as if I didn't reciprocate his feelings toward me but for some reason, I just found it difficult to say. I wasn't one to throw those words around freely. Basically, I only used them if I really meant them –meaning them from the very bottom of my heart.

My phone ringing jolted me out of my thoughts. The song You are my Sunshine blared through the room, making me roll my eyes. I grabbed my phone, knelt back in the leather office chair, and placed my feet on top of the wooden table –crossing them at my ankles. Usually, I wouldn't answer numbers that I didn't recognize, always expecting them to be agents trying to sell me something I didn't really need. But, I was so bored that I decided to answer and the voice that floated out surprised me, to say the least.

"Macy?" My cousin's boyfriend, Dylan, whispered into the phone, "Are you busy?" His tone sounded pleading for some odd reason.

Furrowing my brows from the obvious sense of confusion, I asked, "No I'm not busy, and why the hell are we whispering?" My voice came out equally as hushed as his. It just felt too wrong to use my normal tone of voice when he was being mysterious.

I'm almost certain anyone else would have done the same even though there was no logical reason to do so!

"I'm at work and don't want anyone to hear me, what's your excuse?" He muttered sternly and I mentally cringed at his tone. I've met Dylan personally and he looked intimidating as well as sounded it. With that intimidating persona came his devilishly handsome good looks and weird past. Your average, everyday, typical bad boy from the way I saw him and my cousin had the pleasure of falling for him.

"I don't know," I honestly admitted, "How did you get my number?" Although it sounded like a stupid question because obviously my cousin would have given it to him but then again, she knew how much I hated handing out my number to people. Lacy may have been dating him but that didn't mean that he needed my number.

He groaned, probably already tired of the conversation and my multiple questions. I suspected that he was a man of limited patience, "You phoned me a couple of months ago remember. That was the same day Lacy told me about the book she wrote..." He trailed off, pausing as I heard shuffling coming from his end before he could continue, "I need some help." An exasperated sigh was heard.

"Help? Help with what?" My question sounded more like a bewildered remark.

"Fuck!" He breathed, "I may have been a complete dick to your cousin while we were having an argument. I'm still trying to work on...controlling my anger? I guess. Anyway, she's been mad at me for three days. She won't even come to bed with me. She's fucking sleeping with Rose. Personally, I feel she's being fucking extra but I miss her and I tried everything but she just won't talk to me. She won't even look at me!"

I hummed, letting him know that I was listening to his predicament, "What exactly did you try to convince her to forgive you?" I asked after a while.

"Bought her roses, chocolates, tried getting her to go out on a date with me, made her breakfast in bed which she ignored. That day she burnt the frying pan that was scrambling her eggs because she was too stubborn to accept what I made her. You're her cousin, you know how pathetic her cooking skills are." He murmured much softer than before, probably to make certain not a soul beside me could hear his words.

I couldn't help but snicker at the thought. She was as stubborn as me, if not even worse at times when she had her mind set on something. "It sounds like you've tried everything any normal guy would do but Lacy isn't any ordinary, normal woman. You know, once you came into her life and then brought Rose along with," I paused, trying to not sound like I hated the idea of my cousin playing house with them. It's not like I hated it, I just figured my cousin would want to live her life a little more before settling down. Sighing, I willed myself to continue in a nicer tone, "Rose and you have become her world. She would do anything for both of you. If you want her to forgive you then don't only focus on her but focus on Rose too. I don't know, make it like a family thing, a day out at the movies –something suitable for the kid, get them their favorites flowers. Lacy prefers Daisies over roses."

"Are you sure this will work? I mean, I really need her to put this fight behind us."

"Nope, not sure at all but considering Lacy has switched to mother mode in the last couple of months it's worth a try," I shrugged, moving my feet off the table and crossing them on the leather chair. "Do I want to know what the fight was about?" I queried skeptically.

"You'd laugh if I told you."

"Try me."

He groaned once again and a little chuckle escaped my lips, "Are you laughing at me?" His voice literally whisper yelled at me which I found even more amusing, "unbelievable, you're a sadist. How can you laugh when I'm going through...through withdrawals!"

"Really, withdrawals? And you said she's the one being extra. I can see why you both ended up together," I taunted, irritating him further. "Okay, okay. Seriously, what was the fight about? I'm curious to know what made Lacy so mad at you."

"She insists on paying half the rent for the apartment or buying the groceries or paying for cable but she refuses to just live here with me. Apparently, if I don't let her contribute then she'll move out and find her own place to stay. How ridiculous is that!" Dylan practically growled at the end and my only reaction was a wide-eyed, mouth agape expression. He inhaled deeply before letting out what I assumed was a calming breath, "I told her I wouldn't allow her to leave or pay the bills. She's paying for Rose's education and that's more than enough."

"Maybe she doesn't want to feel like she's using you for money and that she needs you to take care of her," I suggested, knowing full well that was probably the reason behind Lacy's actions. If it were me, I'd have done the same, "she's independent but now it's like she's dependent on you and she doesn't like it."

"I get that!" Dylan said in a clipped tone, "I really do but her fucking parents' if we could even call them that... No offense," he muttered with a tinge of guilt before continuing, "they're convinced that I'm with her for her money and just because she chose to send Rose to a school of performing arts. Imagine what they would do if I actually allowed her to pay half the rent. The fucking world might come to an end for them!"

I couldn't help but laugh at how dramatic he made that sound, his sarcasm coming through loud and clear, "Firstly, no offense taken. Aunt Carol is nice and all but she could have been the more for Lacy and as for uncle J, the man's half a dick. He's not even worth being called a full dick."

He let out a hearty laugh, "I guess not everyone is fortunate enough to have parents' like yours."

I hummed in agreement, an emotional wave suddenly submerging me. As each day went by, I truly did miss my parents so much but I figured it was a process I would have to go through sooner or later. It wasn't as if I would be staying with them forever.

"Hey Dylan, thank you." I suddenly said quickly. A lump forming in my throat, making my voice sound deep and hoarse. Tears began to prick my eyes but I willed them to stay within the confinements of my eyelids.

"Thank you for?"

"For being there for my parents when I couldn't. You didn't have to, neither did Lacy but you both are being really supportive. My parents even seem to like you."

"Not a big deal," he said in a dismissive tone as if it were water off a duck's back, "I just stay really far away when your mother and Lacy's mother are in the same room. There are too many mixed vibes and looking at them gives me a headache."

"They actually look quite different now. A couple of years ago you couldn't tell them apart and it completely sucked that their names are Coralline and Caroline. It's like a God damn tongue twister and it gets so confusing. Whoever started the rhyming names trend in our family needs to be shot in the head." I glowered, thinking of how Lacy and my own name rhymed.

"Agreed." Was Dylan's short response. I could hear muffled voices before he spoke again, "I have to get back to work. I'll let you know how your advice panned out."

We said a quick goodbye before disconnecting the call. The picture on my phone's home screen took me off guard. Axel hadn't only changed my ringtone to You see my Sunshine. No, he also changed my home screen to a picture of him and I standing next to a little stall that sold pretty scarfs and other pieces of eccentric clothing in the small market place he had taken me when I first arrived in England. In the picture, I was laughing as I swaddled his head in a neon pink scarf that hand tassels dangling from it. The silver sequence that decorated the scarf in floral patterns glistened as it caught rays of light.

A crazy grin was plastered on his precious face. His illuminated hazel orbs staring down at me in the most enthralling manner. So much endearment floated in his honeyed eyes that I never noticed before. He had an arm slung across my shoulders feebly as I proceeded to snap the shot.

My lock screen was changed as well, to a picture of him and me the night he had asked me to be his girlfriend. My back was facing his, my voluptuous curls bunched in one hand as he adorned me with the necklace I wore every day since. My cheeks were a bright red from the heat that lingered in them. His proximity was so close, those beautiful pink lips of him barely touching the rim of my ear. It was either Dwayne or Emmitt that took the picture, that I knew for sure.

In the beginning, I thought that he was trying to own me. I thought that because he kept telling me what to do he was just like every other man. Now, I realized that it was his way of caring and instead of him owning me, I found myself 'Owning Mr. Churchill'. Who would have thought that I'd fall for the one guy that managed to annoy me in zero point two seconds flat? But I was happy. He made me happy and the uncontrollable smile and blushing cheeks that I had in the photo proved it.

Pocketing my phone, I decided to leave the stuffy little office and make my presence known in the kitchen area. I wore the same shirt from this morning, only switching my sweatpants for a pair of blue skinny jeans that wear torn at the knees and sneakers. It still hurt to move, especially since I had a stiff neck but it became slightly more bearable.

I spotted Claudia talking to one of the male bakers standing by a huge mixing machine. They seemed to be having a heated discussion about something but abruptly halted when their eyes met mine. Claudia's grip tightened around the piece of cloth in her hand as she shot the man a near to deadly look before marching out of the kitchen to the front of the bakery.

Raking my brain for the baker's name, I drew a blank. I was never one to remember names unless they were important to me. Suddenly, I was wishing for a better memory. Deciding to stop my pathetic attempt at remembering the man's name, I waltzed my way over to him, plastering an innocently sweet smile onto my face.

The man was good looking, well built, pale-skinned, medium height, average weight. All in all, he was nothing special to look at. He was young, maybe mid to late twenties so around my age however he was so bald that the light in the room bounced off his scalp.

He probably took extra care in polishing his dome-shaped head every morning to achieve that shine!

"Hey there," I greeted cheerily, noticing that he was about to empty the contents of the mixer in a few muffin trays, I went on, "Do you need any help?"

The man shook his head, barely even paying attention to my presence next to him, "I can do it myself."

"Oh, okay then." I watched him for a few seconds. His level of concentration something I've never seen before. Not even Axel had that intense level of concentration when I was around but he did call me a distinction before, "Can I ask you something?" I quizzed once boredom began to seep in once again. Watching him wasn't as fun as watching Axel.

God, I missed the moron!

"If it's about what you just saw then I suggest you mind your own business," he quipped, giving me a side glance so I could see the annoyance looming in his ordinary brown eyes.

I held my hands up in a surrendering motion, "Look, I don't mean to pry buddy. I just wanted to know if you two are... Hooking up or whatever it is. You know, I just thought I'd investigate if she's finally moving on from Axel." I sneered the last part unintentionally.

He cackled at that, a weird laugh that sounded like it belonged to an evil guy in some Disney movie, "Moving on...she's doing something along those lines." He sounded slightly cryptic, almost as if there was a hidden message in between the lines.

Quirking a perfectly arched brow at him although he paid no attention to see it, I inquired, "What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

Shaking his head he drawled, "Oh, nothing."

My phone began to vibrate in my pocket and before the ringtone could even sound through the speaker I answered it with a gleaming smile on my face, "I miss you." Was the first thing my brain decided to order my mouth to say. Directly after, I facepalmed myself at how needy I probably sounded.

I could practically hear the smile on Axel's face as he replied, "I miss you too. You picked up really quickly. Where you sitting and waiting for me to call up?" His cocky demeanor automatically coming in causing me to roll my eyes.

"You wish!" I deadpanned, "I just didn't want the entire kitchen staff to hear my new ringtone. When did you find time to change it and my screensavers?" I giggled to myself.

"While you were having a shower this morning. I slipped into your room and changed everything while Stephanie kept an eye on the breakfast. You should really lock your bedroom door. You never know which creep might walk in," he teased playfully.

"Let the creep come, I'll castrate him if he dares try anything with me," Chortling lightly, I walked over to one corner and away from the weird man I had just spoken too, "what's the point of me locking the door when you're just going to use that spare key of yours to waltz right in and do as you please."

"Point taken," he mumbled as I heard music float to my ears, "I'm on my way to pick you up. Claudia can close the bakery today. Meet me outside in a few because I'm not coming in with these messy clothes. I smell like grease, motor oil, and Stephanie's terrible perfume."

I crinkled my nose at the thought, "Why do you smell like Stephanie's perfume?"

"I told her that her perfume smelt like someone melted sugar and put it in a spray bottle so she thought it would be funny to spray the contents on me. I need a shower, want to join me?"

I smirked, my cheeks heating as the image floated into my mind, "I'd love to but no. You need to concentrate on getting yourself clean and not on other things."

He snickered, "What are these other things?" His sultry tone made me gulp.

I rolled the corner of my bottom lip between my teeth, biting down on the soft flesh in an attempt to control my raging hormones, "Don't do that!" I chided.

"Sorry, Sunshine. Dad's on his way to the shop so I decided to leave before he could arrive so he doesn't see me. It's better if he thinks I spent the entire day at the bakery than knowing I was at the garage. After I get all this grease off me, we're going to go back to the garage to give them something to eat. Do you have anything in mind?"

Gnawing at my bottom lip in thought, I chirped, "Indian, can we get Indian. It's been a while since I've eaten Indian and I'm suddenly craving for it. God, Indian food is like a gift from the Gods!" I moaned as my mind recalled the scrumptious aroma and spicy taste of the amazing food.

"Why does it sound like you're having an orgasm right now?"

Gasping at his words, I looked around to see if anyone had heard my moaning. Satisfied when I noticed that everybody was too busy to pay attention to me, I whined, "I just love Indian food okay. It's my all-time favorite take out."

"That's good to know for future reference. Now get your sexy arse out here so we can get home."

"What, you're already here?"

"I phoned you when I was two minutes away so yes I'm already here and I've already texted Claudia about closing the bakery so grab your coat and let's go home," he ordered, his voice dropping an octave.

"You do that on purpose don't you?" I asked in an accusatory tone.

"Do what?"

"Drop your voice that's what!" I deadpanned.

"Maybe..." He trailed off, "Now, hurry up would you." With that, he disconnected the call.

Running toward the office, I grabbed the beige coat I had worn and shrugged it on before trying to civilize myself. My body experienced a rush of energy due to my excitement. I had never experienced such excitement before just to meet someone. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes to calm my buzzing nerves.

Walking out of the office, the man I had spoken to before Axel's call glanced at me over his shoulder before shooting me a smirk. The glint in his eyes sent a strange feeling through me. It irked me. Making my way to the front, Claudia's gaze met mine. The scowl on her face didn't faze me in the least bit.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, Claudia. I'll see you tomorrow," I smiled widely at the abashed expression contouring her face. If she was moving on with her life then who was I to stop her. Matter of fact, I was more than happy for her.

The moment I exited the bakery, I could feel the cool spring breeze and smell the scent of spring in the air. Axel was parked directly outside the bakery. When I entered the car I felt my breath hitch. He looked so utterly manly and rugged in his greased stained gray tee and equally greased stained blue jeans. There was a slight stubble coating his face since he hadn't shaved from yesterday. It was odd that he didn't considering he shaved every day. He felt that facial hair didn't suit him, clearly, he was wrong. I loved how messy his hair looked, although he still desperately needed a haircut. The twinkle in his eyes and his contagious, humongous smile pulled at my heartstrings.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he breathed, leaning in to place a lingering kiss on my lips. The mixture of scents he mentioned earlier waft around me, the most pungent odor being the sweet perfume owned by Stephanie.

"Mr. Churchill, if you hadn't told me about your sister's doings I might have gotten the impression of you cheating on me," I grinned cheekily against his lips, his eyes on mine. The tiredness in them didn't evade me. He probably worked so hard today, harder than what he would have worked at the bakery but he hadn't complained once thus far. My heart swelled with pride.

A man of many talents.

Placing another kiss onto my lips, he murmured, "There's no one for me beside you. Never forget that Sunshine." Pulling away from me, he began driving in the direction of home. "Open the glove compartment, I left something for you inside." Axel mindlessly told me, his attention fully on the road.

Doing as I was told, I opened the glove box to find a square-shaped box. A box that reminded me of a jewelry box. I was about to comment on the box when something silver caught my attention. Digging further into the compartment, I discovered a revolver. Taking the revolver into my hands, I took note that it wasn't loaded.

"Axel?" I called to get his attention to which he just hummed in response, "I thought handguns were illegal in the United Kingdom."

His head shot to me before whipping back onto the road. Glancing at me from the corner of his eyes he nervously chuckled, "It is, but muzzle-loading pistols are legal so..." With a shrug, he ran a hand through his hair. The action caused tufts of hair to stand in multiple directions.

"Okay, I couldn't care less if the weapon was illegal though. I just want to know why you have it. Here. In this car." I didn't have a problem with guns. My father had a collection of them in his basement and I was taught to shoot one from the moment I could hold one. A gun was something I introduced myself with especially since my father happened to be a cop. However, I was also taught that you shouldn't use a gun or any weapon unless you're in imminent danger and there was no other alternative.

Personally, I preferred to use the self-defense moves I learned in karate and a good knee to the balls would take down even the biggest of men.

"It's my dad's. He has a friend that runs a gun range. Mainly for shotguns and stuff since those are mainly legal but he allows my dad to do some target practice with the pistol. The week that mum..." His voice cracked and I watched his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed before continuing, "you know. I either channeled all my energy into you or sleeping because I didn't know how else to deal with it. But I didn't want to come onto you too strongly to the point where it seemed like I was forcing you to do something with me. Although, all I could think about was-"

"I get it, I get!" I squeaked, a blush ran up my neck to tint my cheeks and I couldn't help but wonder when that would stop. When would I finally get used to his words, his voice, his looks, his flirting? I loved the feeling that captured my body whenever he was around but when would it become normal.

With a flirtatious smirk, he continued, "My dad use to go to the range whenever he needed to blow off steam and eventually taught me how to shoot. If it wasn't him teaching me it was his friend that owned the place. I grew out of it though but with all the stress and tension that was going on, especially the sexual tension between us, I needed to blow some steam so that's why that's here."

"Oh." The feeling of the cold metal against my warm skin wasn't weird at all, neither was the pistols heaviness in my grasp although it wasn't loaded, "My dad taught me how to use a gun too. Maybe you two can use this as bounding when you meet him again."

The wildly spectacular grin on his face was earth-shattering, "Are you scared that he might not like me because you know he already does right."

"Whatever!"

"Alright, put the weapon back and open the box would you," he chided playfully as we pulled into the driveway of his home. He switched off the car engine, undid his seatbelt before undoing my own, and then crossed his arms over his chest with a stern look on his face, "Go on!"

Narrowing my eyes into slits, I began to slowly open the box. I hoped that it wasn't another piece of jewelry because I'd have to decline it. There was no way in hell that I could accept something else that cost a fortune from him. What I saw when the lid finally opened left me speechless for a second before a little shriek left my lips and I internally cringed.

Inside the box sat a fluffy, furry pair of striking pink handcuffs. My mouth hung open as Axel tilted his head back to release a gut-wrenching laugh. His long arms wrapped around his torso as if he were trying to keep his stomach and other organs from splitting.

Picking the cuffs up, I dangled them from my index finger, "What the actual... Axel, what the..." I scrutinized the object before completing my sentence, "Unless you're planning on wearing these you can forget about tying me down baby, but you're welcome to keep dreaming."

His laughing halted as he stared at me with an incredulous expression. I smirked, allowing him to watch me open the car door, step out the car and walk to the front of the house.

Once I started this chapter I couldn't stop typing because I had so many idea and decided to stuff them all in the chapter!

Dylan made an appearance and I'm so happy coz I missed him so much!!! Omg I just had to give him an appearance.