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“I should have asked, but do you have any allergies? Special diet or anything?”
She smiled. “Not today.” She rested her hand on my shoulder blade as she looked on. “What are you making?”
I moved, already missing the weight of her hand on me, and pulled the simple ingredients from the pantry as Cass propped herself up on my countertop. I liked how at ease she was in my home. She looked damn good sitting on my counter, her legs dangling in front of her.
“Doughnuts. I’m testing out a new recipe. You can be the first to try them.” I scooted a bowl from the counter toward me and pulled off the plastic wrap. The dough was puffy and perfectly proofed.
“I am an excellent taste tester.” Cass beamed at me, and I had to clear my throat to keep from dragging that pert little mouth to mine and devouring her completely.
I tested the temperature of the oil. Adjusted the flame.
“What can I do to help?”
I arranged paper towels to allow the doughnuts to drain once they were done frying. “When they come out, they’ll go here. I was thinking of honey and walnuts as a topping.”
Her throaty hum of appreciation floated across the air. I got to shaping and frying the dough. The first few doughnuts weren’t perfect, but after a few minutes, the fried dough came out of the hot oil perfectly shaped, puffy, and golden crisp.
Cass’s bright green eyes met mine. “You are so talented. Have you always loved baking?”
I laughed at her question. “Not at all.”
I switched off the burner and focused my attention on finishing the doughnuts and not on the way her eyes moved over my chest and down my arms.
“Sort of fell into it. I was a welder. Got laid off and needed to make money. I had a few other gigs––bouncer, bartender, that kind of thing.”
“Kind of a leap to owning a bakery, though.”
I nodded and smiled to myself. Sometimes it still surprised me how my life unfolded. “You’re not wrong. My sister worked at the café, and I was picking up odd jobs to pay the bills. The cook didn’t show up one day, so she called me. One day turned into a week, which turned into a real job. I liked the routine of it, but also the chaos.”
She hummed but let me talk. Her comforting presence had me opening up when normally I’d keep my head down, shut my mouth, and bury myself in the monotonous work. Something about the way her assessing eyes were altogether curious and understanding had me cracking myself open for her.
It was as if I liked that she wanted to get to know me.
Fucking weird.
I cleared my throat in hopes of focusing. “Eventually, enough people were asking for me to bake something for birthdays or parties. Finally, my sister convinced me to open my own shop, and it just took off.”
I raked a hand through my hair. It was entirely uncomfortable to talk about myself and my business, but there was something about Cass that had me talking in a way that was completely unlike me.
Letting her in.
“I think your story is amazing. You found something you love, and pastries always make people happy.”
I piled the last of the fried doughnuts on a platter and used a honey dipper to drizzle the tops of the doughnuts. Cass lifted a small bowl and delicately sprinkled chopped walnuts over them. Once they were done, I plucked one from the platter.
“First taste?” I held it up for her.
Cass’s eyes locked with mine. With her still on the countertop, we were nearly eye level, and she didn’t look away.
Neither could I.
Her soft lips opened and my heart thundered. I placed the small, puffy doughnut into her mouth and watched the soft pillows of her lips close around it. Her eyes fluttered closed, and her head tipped back with a throaty, appreciative moan.
“Oh my god.” She smiled, her eyes still closed.
I watched the muscles move in her neck as she swallowed. My hand went there, my thumb gently tracing the long column. When she opened her eyes and looked at me, her emerald gaze deepened. Darkened.
My hand dropped to grip her leg, just above the knee. Sticky honey clung to the index finger still hanging in the air. Before I could wipe it away, Cass grabbed my wrist. Locking eyes with me, she pulled my finger into her mouth and closed her eyes.
