“Want me to join you?”
“Okay.” Wickedness sparked in her eyes.
I enjoyed the unforgettable shower where she screamed out my name so many times. I loved the sound of her blissful cries and how her body went lax after the orgasm.
After the steamy shower, we got dressed and returned to the kitchen.
“I’m not that hungry anymore.” She popped green grapes into her mouth as she sat on the stool, looking satisfied and cozyin her pajamas.
She picked out a gray top and striped bottoms for me, the set she’d gotten me when we first started dating.
“But you will be soon.” I took the warm fried rice out of the microwave and placed it on the counter. I got out plates and checked the oven. Ten more minutes before the frozen pizza would be ready.
I brought over a pastry box and set it in front of her. “Want some?”
She opened the box and tilted her head up, looking delighted. “When did you get these?”
“The day you were off. I helped Cindy bake them. They’re cute.” I picked up the cat bun and bit into it. “So good. You can make an entire animal series.”
“Plan to.”
She watched me finish her cat bun, and a question flickered in those brown eyes.
“What is it?”
“Why is the bakery called No Name?”
“Because I wanted you to name it.”
“What?” Emotions stormed her eyes.
“I opened the bakery for you,” I admitted.
“But . . . but we weren’t together then.”
“It didn’t matter.” I shrugged. “Opening the bakery made me feel closer to you. Though I didn’t know anything about baking or running a bakery, I made it happen. Did my research, hired the right people, and invested in a dream that was important to me.”
Ava shifted, threw her arms around me, and cried. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” I inhaled her hair, which had the scent of my shampoo. “What do you want to call it?”
She drew back and considered. “Not sure yet. So, I can name it anything?”
“Anything. The bakery is yours.”
She blinked. “What do you mean?”
“We own it together. I put you down as part owner when I started it.”
“Austin, that’s risky!” she huffed. “How could you be sure we’d get back together? What if?—”
“My mission was to get you back no matter what it takes. When I saw Bianca had hired you as the part-time baker, I knew that was a sign. Christmas came early for me.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll help me make it the most successful bakery in the city.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “I’ll try my best.”
