in front of me and crossed his arms. “You’re supposed to be staying off that leg.”
“I am off it,” I pointed out.
“Sit your ass down, Lace.”
“I can’t. I have cupcakes in the oven.”
“I will pull them out when they’re ready.”
“And you’ll burn your mouth because you’ll immediately shove one into it.”
“I will neither confirm nor deny,” he retorted.
I grinned. “I’ll let you help me, but you have to promise not to eat any.”
“I won’t eat any... while they’re hot.”
“They’re for the kids, honey. I promise I’ll make you anything you want for Christmas, but let the kids enjoy all the goodness when they come tomorrow, okay?”
He leaned down to kiss me gently. “I’ll give you everything because you called me ‘honey.’”
“Jesus, you’re easy.”
Mouse laughed. “Remember that.”
I rolled my eyes and lowered myself into a chair next to the sofa just as the timer on my phone pealed.
“Don’t move,” Mouse ordered, and I craned my neck to watch him as he walked into the kitchen.
I would kill for a kitchen like the one the Howlers’ had in their clubhouse. They had both a giant walk-in pantry and freezer, along with three commercial grade refrigerators, all run on solar. Sundance was working to get the entire property running on solar, and I couldn’t imagine how much money it would cost him. Not that they cared... they were flush with cannabis funds from both their grow-houses and shops around Colorado.
I was currently taking advantage of three of their four ovens to bake cupcakes for the foster kids who would all be at the club tomorrow for a huge holiday party, complete with gifts and a visit from Santa.
It was very similar to the one we threw in Savannah, only on steroids.
I might not know much about one-percent clubs, but these bikers had hearts of gold, and wanted kids to be safe and well cared for not just at Christmas. Violet said her dad donated a ‘shit ton’ of money to various charities, including the arts. I found I was liking Sundance the more I got to know him.
“They’re good, Lace,” Mouse called out.
“You sure?”
“I checked them just the way you showed me.”
I heard metal clanging and deduced he was setting the pans onto the stainless-steel island. These were my last hundred cupcakes. Now, I just had to frost. Luckily, Mouse was always a willing assistant and a quick learner, so frosting should go quite quickly.
Mouse made his way out to me just as I heard a deep voice bellow, “Who the fuck made these goddamn cupcakes?”
“That would be me,” I called back.
Rocky, the club’s VP, appeared in the doorway. He was a gorgeous, long-haired, epic-bearded, badass biker who could make any woman forget their manners. “You’re a fuckin’ genius with sugar, sweetheart.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You shouldn’t know that, Rocky, because they’re for the kids, not you.”
He grinned a chocolatey grin. “Sorry, not sorry.”
“So, if I make a batch and freeze them for the club, you won’t object?”
“You’d seriously do that?”
“Sure, if you want them.”
“Yeah, I fuckin’ want them.”
I chuckled. “Okay, I’ll do that then.”
He gave me a chin lift and turned back toward the kitchen.
“Don’t touch the cupcakes, Rocky!” I snapped.
“Goddammit!” he growled, and I couldn’t stop a laugh.
Mouse leaned down and kissed me. “Aero and I are headin’ out for a bit. Are you good?”
“Where are you going?”
“None ya.”
“None ya?”
“None ya business,” he clarified.
I bit my lip. “Are you shopping for my Christmas present?”
He grinned. “Stay off that leg.”
“Nothing pink.”
“Baby, do you really think I’d ever buy you anything pink?”
“Unless it’s rose gold.”
“I’m well aware of your obsession with rose gold, Kennedy,” he retorted.
“So, it is my Christmas gift.”
He dropped his head back and laughed, then he leaned down to kiss me again. “I’ll see you soon.”
I stroked his beard. “Be safe.”
“I will.”
“I love you.”
His eyes widened, and he kissed my nose. “Love you too, baby.”
I smiled. It was the first time I’d told him first, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
He and Aero walked out the door and Violet set a cup of cocoa in front of me. “Fox wanted you to have extra marshmallows.”
“Oh, my god, he’s so cute.”
‘Fox’ was actually Felix Stonewell, Stoney’s little boy. Stoney was gorgeous and had fallen madly in love with Sabrina when she’d showed up looking for his help. Fox was actually Sabrina’s nephew, and the result of a one-night stand between Stoney and Sabrina’s sister years ago. The little boy had been kidnapped and desperately needed Stoney’s resources to find him.
“When you’re off