Stud Muffin (Donner Bakery #2) - Jiffy Kate Page 0,86
need time to think and sort through my feelings. And hopefully, not be weird the next time I see Cage.
Unlocking the bakery door, I walk to the back and flip on some lights. Breathing deeply, I love the sweet smell that always lingers here. This is definitely my happy place and I throw myself into baking and creating, coming up with a perfect Muffin of the Day.
Crazy—loaded with nuts (all puns intended) and chunks of dark chocolate.
After a couple hours of baking like crazy, the open sign of the bakery gets turned on and my mind is feeling better, less frazzled and more focused.
It’s a busy morning from the get-go, a couple customers were actually waiting for the door to be unlocked and it hasn’t slowed down since. So, when the door chimes and I’m unloading another tray of muffins into the display, I call out, “Good morning! Welcome to Donner Bakery!”
“Good morning.” Cage’s deep, smooth voice makes me snap my head up in his direction, my heart practically jumping out of my throat.
“Hey,” I manage to say without sounding too off. Hopefully.
He smiles, scratching at the back of his head. “Hey…”
“Can I get you something?”
Checking the case, he peruses the options. “What’s the Muffin of the Day?”
Clearing my throat, I lick my suddenly dry lips. “Crazy… loaded with nuts and chunks of dark chocolate.”
The look he gives me over the top of the display case is downright sinful. He should be arrested for giving a look like that. Earlier, during my baking session, I’d convinced myself that I needed to try to get back to just being Cage’s friend. That’s a safer zone for me to be in and there’s a lot less risk of getting my heart broken if and when he leaves. But now, I’m not so sure.
Maybe there is no going back.
“Crazy, huh?” he asks, a lazy smirk on his face. “Are you feeling crazy, Tempest?” His voice is a low whisper, meant only for me, but I can’t help looking around to see if anyone else overheard. It’s not the question he asked so much as the tone he used—seductive, like liquid sex.
“Uh, yeah,” I say, probably a little too loud, now that I think about it. Laughing nervously, I brush some hair behind my ear. “It’s got that perfect… crunch and hint of salt from the, uh, nuts… mixed with the bite from the dark chocolate… ninety percent cacao… full of antioxidants. I mean, it’s basically a health food… Crazy, huh?”
“So crazy,” he says, but I feel like his words hold a double entendre. “Can we talk?”
I nod, but my feet stay frozen in place behind the counter… my safety zone.
“Maybe outside… or over at that table,” he suggests, pointing to an empty table in the corner by the window.
“Okay,” I agree, making eye contact with Mikey and motioning over my shoulder. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”
Cage and I sit and he reaches across the table and takes my hand. I have to force myself to not close my eyes from the sensation of his skin on mine, which is crazy. You’d think after yesterday, I’d be used to it… maybe would’ve built up some sort of immunity, but no. I crave it more. Now that I’ve had the full dose, a measly little hand hold won’t do.
“Hey,” Cage says, getting my attention. “You okay?”
Yes.
No.
“Sure,” I say, giving him a small smile. “Why?”
He cocks his head to the side and looks at me speculatively. “You didn’t say much yesterday when I dropped you off. I thought about you all night… even drove by your apartment when I got off work, but I couldn’t tell if you had any lights on or not, so I circled the block and went home.” Breathing in deeply, he puffs his chest up and then exhales. “I just don’t want you to think anything has to change between us, because it hasn’t. Don’t freak out or stress, okay?”
I swallow down the small lump in my throat.
Why does he have to be so damn intuitive and in my fucking head?
“The ball is in your court,” he adds, squeezing my hand to bring my eyes back to his. “Your pace… okay?”
“Okay,” I finally say, feeling a little of the tension I’ve been carrying around since yesterday dissipate.
“The reunion is this Friday, right?” he asks. “We’re still on for that?”
I smile, grateful for the shift in conversation and for him just being… Cage. He’s wonderful and I’m reminded of how grateful