Kieran’s chest rumbles. “Next year, we should enter as a team.”
I prop up on an elbow to look at him: bruised jaw, tired eyes, heartfelt expression.
“You're serious.”
“Dead serious. You and me. Taking on the baking world together.”
“We'd be unstoppable.”
“Fucking unstoppable.”
I kiss him gently, mindful of his injuries. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Next year. Team registration. You and me, baby.”
His smile is brighter than my trophy. “You and me. I love the sound of that.”
EPILOGUE - KIERAN
One year later
The smell of cinnamon and brown butter hits me before I even open my eyes. Sweet, but not half as addictive as the taste of Juniper when she’s coming on my tongue. That’s the best breakfast I’ll ever have.
She’s already next door in the bakery, probably has been since four a.m., but my cock’s still hard from the way she rode me before sneaking out of bed. Six months of waking up to her, and I still want her every damn second.
After months of planning, construction, and more bureaucratic bullshit than I knew existed, her shop on Oak Street is real.Buns N Roses. The name makes me grin every time I see it painted on the window in vintage script with a rose curling around the ‘B’. Magnus Huckle helped with the business loan, and my MC brothers did most of the renovation work. Even her uptight parents are coming around now that she’s selling out every day by noon.
I run club errands all day, come home and shower, then throw on jeans and a henley, grab my cut, and head downstairs. Through the shop window, I watch her for a moment. Her red hair’s in braids, flour dusting her cheek, and she’s hummingalong to Motorhead while shaping dough. Fuck, she’s beautiful. One year in and she still makes my cock ache just by existing.
The bell jingles when I walk in. She doesn’t look up.
“Hey, trouble,” she says, hands still working the dough.
“How’d you know it was me?”
“Your boots. Plus, you always pause at the door to watch me first, you creeper.”
Busted.
I stalk straight to the counter, reaching for the fresh cinnamon rolls cooling on the rack. She swats my hand without even looking.
“Those are for paying customers, you thief.”
“I am a customer.” I snag one anyway, taking a huge bite. “Your best customer.”
“You don’t pay.”
“I pay in other ways.” I lean across the counter, lowering my voice. “Want me to remind you how I paid last night?”
Her cheeks flush that pretty pink that trails down her throat. My fingers twitch with the urge to follow it under her apron, make her blush harder.
She winks at me. “Alright, scary biker dude, you’re on cleanup duty, then we can get out of here.”
Tania, Juniper’s assistant, appears from the back, pulling on her jacket. “Okay, I’m done. I need to run. My cousin just texted… she’s engaged!”
“Congratulations to her!” Juniper beams.
