“Oh yeah? How’s that?” I asked, genuinely wondering.
His gaze dropped down to my hips and back up. “You’ll see.”
“You’re not going to tell me?”
“Did you do what I asked you to do this morning?” he questioned.
I bit my lower lip and shifted from one foot to the other, the silicone plug buried in my ass shifting with me, but I just nodded instead of speaking. No need for him to get a read on my voice too—my face gave plenty away.
“Good,” he replied as he took a step towards me, his voice lowering. “We’ll celebrate later, right on top of this counter, little flame.”
I cleared my throat and nodded. “Okay, I’m going to gomake sure the kitchen stuff is all prepared for the soft opening. Can you, um, sweep one more time?”
“Of course I can,” he said with a chuckle.
The next hour passed in a blur—half my mind filled with thoughts of him buried in my ass while the other half was trying to ensure everything ran smoothly.
I’d let Wyatt and the girls talk me into hiring one more employee, including Jade, who was thankfully able to come back and work with me. We were all women, which I also loved. Jade was the youngest, then Maggie was retired, but her grandchildren had just started school, so she wanted something to keep her busy during the day. I’d put her in charge of all my overstock baking, and she was absolutely amazing, as well as opening early a couple days a week.
Overall, I felt as if the three of us were really getting along, and this reopening was going to go well. Tonight was just a soft launch though, so Jade and Maggie weren’t here. It was more so just Wyatt and I throwing a little party for our family, which I was equally as excited about.
As far as the public knew, the bakery had experienced a faulty wire, old building and all. It caught fire in the middle of the night. We were all lucky it was slow to grow, and Wyatt and I made it out when the fire alarms tripped.
What they didn’t know was that the fucker who broke in actually disconnected my fire alarms, and if it wasn’t for the extra security that Wyatt had installed? Well, I didn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened.
I looked around the newly remodeled bakery and let out a sigh of relief.
“You did it, again, little flame.” Wyatt had been by my side every step of the way, but he was right. It was still all me in here. I’d even commissioned Aspen to paint a new piece on the wall for me since her last one was destroyed.
The entire Carragan clan had rallied around me and helped me make it my dream spot again. Mom and I had gone to countless thrift stores and antique shops to find new chairs and tables for the place. Oliver had helped Rowan and Wyatt build me a new front counter and even found a glass case that matched the wood they’d used. Ivy had donated some of her own plant babies to redo the plants along my ceiling.
I knew it was all me and my style in this room, but it was little pieces of them too, and I was beyond grateful. Hence the soft opening—it was a small preview for all the people I loved and wanted to experience and celebrate with me.
“We did it, Batman. Together.” I took his hand in mine and pulled him along with me towards the front door.
He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Don’t get too sappy on me now, we have some dirty stuff to do later. Few more hours and I’ll be buried in your tight little ass, Ember Rae.” I bit my lip as he reached around me and welcomed our family inside the bakery, the charming smile on his face as if he hadn’t just whispered such dirty words in my ear.
I wanted to reach beneath his shirt and pinch his nipple just to set him on edge with me, but I wouldn’t. I’d save my brat-like tendencies for later.
The following hour was spent over wine, coffee, and taste testing new recipes for the bakery. Mostly things for the Holiday menu since we were doing our grand reopening two weeks before Christmas Eve. All things Wyatt had approved and threatened to tie me up and deny me orgasms if I didn’t put it on the menu.
“Aunt Ember, these donuts are to die for, seriously,” Hudson mumbled around a mouthful of chocolate.
Oliver shook his head. “Can we not talk with your mouth full, dude?”
Hudson giggled and shoved another bite in his mouth. Ivy sat across from him, and I watched as they both started laughing, mouths full of donuts, while Oliver looked back and forth between them, a brow arched in clear confusion.
“I’ve got to grab some more coffee,” I whispered to Wyatt as I rose from the table.
“Oh, let me help!” Mom added as she got up from the other side of Wyatt and walked behind the counter with me. Once we were out of earshot, she pulled me into a tight hug. “I just wanted you to know, that I already know. He had me approve the ring months ago, my crazy boy.”
I couldn’t help but sniffle as I wiped my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered through the sudden onslaught of tears.
“Before we go back over and sit, I just needed you to know that I’m so proud of you and how far you’ve come, Ember. I know everything with your parents hasn’t been easy, but…” She trailed off as she looked over at the table filled with our family—Wyatt, Rowan, Aspen, Hudson, Oliver, Payton, Ivy, and Evan. “But I hope you know you’ll always have a family here, with all of us.”
I nodded and hugged her again. “I do, and I love you.”
She smiled softly. “I love you, now let’s go sit so we can announce this big news, and I can talk about it! I hate being the best secret keeper.”
