Huck and Raiden were standing a few feet away, eating some of the mini cinnamon honey cakes. After swallowing the last bite, Huck licked the frosting from his fingers and hummed withappreciation. “Those taste like fall and…I don’t even know. My childhood, maybe.”
Raiden smirked. “Wait until you try the Sideline Bars.”
“I think I just got a taste of heaven,” Sylas muttered around a mouthful of blueberry blondie. “Micah. Marry the girl. I’ll officiate.”
Huck held up a half-eaten Sideline Bar like a ring. “If you don’t, I’m proposing to Rylin myself. I’m not gonna let this one get away.”
I looked up slowly, met his eyes, and let my stare go flat.
Huck froze mid-bite.
Sylas muffled a laugh, and Raiden snorted. “Don’t threaten his territory, man. I’m pretty sure Micah’s just waiting for the right moment to bite somebody.”
“Relax.” Huck laughed uneasily. “Just saying the girl’s got magic in her hands.”
Yeah. No shit.
I scanned the room, looking for dark honey hair and intense hazel eyes, but I didn’t see her. Her apron had been hanging by the kitchen door a few minutes ago, but now it was gone.
Setting my napkin on the table, I leaned over to Raiden. “Be right back.”
He raised a brow. “Tell her she’s a fucking genius.”
I nodded, already walking away.
The kitchen doors swung lightly as I pushed through, and it only took half a second to find her. Rylin stood just inside, her hand pressed to her chest like she was trying to hold in the sound of her own breath. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her eyes were bright and glassy. The soft overhead lights glinted off her hair where it was twisted up into a messy knot. She wore a pale-yellow T-shirt that hugged her curves like a damn prayer and tight jeans that clung to her ass in a way that made my hands flex.
She hadn’t noticed me yet, so I took a moment to observe and appreciate her beauty. Inside and out.
Her gaze was locked on the pass-through from the kitchen to the front counter, watching the crowd as they devoured every last crumb she’d made.
I came up behind her slowly, letting my body brush hers as I leaned in.
“Told you,” I murmured, my breath causing the flyaway hairs on the back of her neck to dance.
She jumped, then let out a soft laugh and a little shiver. “You scared me.”
Grinning at her reaction to my touch, I cupped her hip and leaned a little closer. “Sorry. You were just standing there, beaming like you’d won the fucking lottery.”
Her smile grew as she looked up at me over her shoulder. “They really liked them, didn’t they?”
“Baby.” I turned her to face me. “They’re losing their minds out there. You should see what’s left. Or more accurately, what’s not left because I don’t think you’re going to find even a single crumb. Especially not those blueberry blondies.”
She pressed her hand to her mouth, shaking her head. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I almost didn’t put them out. I got nervous.”
I leaned in and brushed my lips over hers. “You need to stop hiding your light, sweetheart.”
She tilted her head back to meet my eyes, her breath shallow. My heart beat harder as heat crept under my skin. Her shirt clung to her in all the right places, and I wanted to strip it off and see if her skin also tasted as sugary sweet as her lips. Then I wanted to cover her pussy in frosting and bury my face between her thighs until she screamed.
Patience, Daughtry.
Yeah, I was so fucking done with that word. I slid my hand around the back of her neck and lowered my head to kiss her.
She melted instantly. Her mouth parted, and her hands fisted in my shirt as I deepened the kiss, angling my head so my tongue could sweep inside her mouth to taste more. All of her. Everything.
A little moan slipped past her lips as her body pressed against mine, all soft curves and heat, and I groaned into her mouth.Fuck.I was fast approaching the edge of my control.
Then the roar of laughter from the front broke the moment.
