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“I was so lucky that a few months after Freya passed away, Cassia came in one day looking for a job. She didn’t have references, but something made me give her a chance anyway. I thank God every day that I did. So, since you’re here for our baked goods, what can I get you? Do you have a favorite?”
“I don’t know. Everything I’ve tried so far has been excellent. Any suggestions?”
His face screwed up in concentration, then he smiled. “I actually do have one. It hasn’t been put on the menu yet. Cassia has been perfecting it. We think it’s almost ready. Why don’t you be our beta tester and tell us if it’s good to go or not?”
“I’d be happy to test it or anything else. I believe I’ve met Cassia. Would you mind having her bring it out so I can give her my feedback directly? I’d love to thank her for all the other great things I’ve had here.”
“Sure. Give me a few minutes. What can I get you to drink?”
“Just regular black coffee works for me.”
He hurried to get me a cup of coffee. After I took it and found a table to sit at, he waited on a customer who came in after me then went into the back. He was gone so long I was starting to wonder if he forgot me. I was about to leave when he came back, practically dragging Cassia behind him.
I knew immediately by the expression on her face, she wasn’t happy to be out here. When she saw where he was bringing her, she tried to get away, but he held onto her arm. I had to keep from growling at him for touching her. Even if Ian was in his sixties and unlikely to be interested in her, I didn’t like another man touching my Cassia. Yes, she was my Cassia, even if she didn’t know it. Like I said, I’m an obsessed stalker. She was clutching a plate in her hands. He brought her to stand next to my table. I stood up.
“Blade, this is Cassia, who I told you is my baking goddess. Cassia, this is Blade. He works for Salvation Security, the ones who put in our new security system. He’s a member of the Archangel’s Warriors motorcycle club and from what he’s said, he’s addicted to your baking. I asked him to taste your latest creation. He’ll tell us if he thinks it stands up to your other creations. I already told you I think it does.”
I knew some of this was for my information, not just hers. She reluctantly set down the plate. On it were three doughy round doughnut-looking things covered in powdered sugar. I saw it had filling oozing out of the two halves.
“Hello, Cassia, it’s good to see you again. Ian’s right. I do love everything of yours that I’ve tasted. What is this? It looks delicious. There are a lot of delicious things here.”
I let my eyes bore into hers as I said it. I was hoping she’d get my double meaning. The blush on her face and how she looked away from me told me she did. Ian looked oblivious to my meaning. When she didn’t say anything, Ian nudged her arm. She glanced back at me, but I could tell she was looking no further up than my neck.
“Hello, Blade. This is called asonho. It’s a Portuguese pastry. The name means dream. It’s like a doughnut, and in the middle, it has a custard. They’re typically vanilla-flavored, although I played around with it. This is a pumpkin spiced custard,” she said softly.
I sat down since I thought me towering over her was making her more uncomfortable. The whole idea was to get her to relax around me and to talk. I waved at the seat across from me.
“Please, sit with me for a few minutes. Let me taste this and then I’ll be able to give you my feedback. Although, I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Cassia. Everything here is amazing. If it wasn’t, I’d say so. I don’t lie.”
Her gaze met mine for a second, then dropped again. Ian was called back to the counter by the arrival of a couple more customers. I raised thesonhoto my mouth and took a healthy-sized bite. Immediately I tasted the light, fluffy doughnut and the sweet sugar, but as I chewed, the more complex flavors came through, especially the pumpkin. It literally melted in my mouth. It was the lightest doughnut I’d ever eaten, and the custard was to die for. It didn’t take me but three bites to eat the first one.
Taking a moment after consuming it, I sipped my coffee, then I spoke. I reached across the table and snagged her hand. She tried to pull it back, but I held on. Her panicked eyes met mine.
“Cassia, that is the lightest and most delectable doughnut I’ve ever tasted. The pumpkin explodes on your tongue. I don’t know how you could make it better, honestly. I shouldn’t have another, but I can’t resist,” I told her, before letting go of her hand and snagging a second one. She watched me with a look of surprise on her face as I ate the secondsonho. I’d have to get some of these and take them to the office when they came out on the menu.
The next one was as good as the first. I groaned when I was done. “Damn, if you keep adding more stuff to what you already have here, I’ll be in here every day and have to spend an extra hour in the gym every night. But it will be worth it. Darlin’, I don’t know where you learned to bake like this, but it’s amazing. My brother Menace, his old lady, Alannah, and a few of the other ladies are great bakers, but you surpass even them.”
“You have a brother named Menace? And he has an old lady?” she asked, sounding confused.
I laughed. “I guess that does sound strange. Ian told you that I’m in a motorcycle club, an MC. We all have road names, nicknames. Mine is Blade, and one of the other members, who we call brothers, is nicknamed Menace. His old lady is his wife. It has nothing to do with her age. She’s a helluva baker. Old lady is what we call a serious girlfriend or wife.”
“Oh, that’s different. I don’t know anything about motorcycle clubs, as you probably figured out. So, you think this is okay to put out? I hate to put anything new on the menu unless I know it can’t be perfected anymore.”
That was the most I’d ever heard her say. She didn’t seem as tense as she had been when Ian dragged her out here. I sent up a prayer asking God or whoever to keep her talking.
“Yeah, it’s different, but in a good way. Don’t believe everything you might see on TV or read in books. We’re one big family. And yes, I think this is more than ready to be put out for the public to enjoy. It doesn’t need you to tweak a thing. Are there any others you're working on? Because if so, I’m your man. I volunteer to taste test anything you make, now or in the future.”
“Not yet. I’m working on something else, but it’s not close enough to have anyone else taste it yet. Thank you for doing this. I’ll leave this other one for you to eat or take with you. I should get back to work.”
She pushed back her chair to rise. I jumped to my feet and rushed around the table to help pull her chair out more. I found out something new about her when I did. She flinched. That told me that someone, at some point, had laid hands on her. No one flinched like that or had that look on their faces unless they’d been physically beaten. I’d seen enough trauma in the various ladies at my club and at our sister chapter in Hunters Creek to recognize it. The thought of anyone laying a finger on her to cause pain infuriated me. I couldn’t keep the growl inside of me from leaking out.
A panicked look came over her and she shoved her chair back faster and was on her feet, rushing toward the counter and the back of the store in a blink of an eye. I tried to stop her without touching her.
“Cassia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just hated how you flinched. I’d never hurt you, Boo. That’s the absolute last thing in the world I’d do. My whole club and I are about protecting people and helping when we can. Please, don’t run away. In case you haven’t figured it out, I like you. I’d like to get to know you better. What do you say to us, maybe going out?” I babbled quickly. This felt like my last chance.
She made it behind the counter. No one was there now, and Ian was somewhere in the back. She faced me, which I knew took courage. She was shaking her head. “Blade, I’m sorry. You seem like a nice guy, but I can’t go out with you. And you didn’t scare me.”
“Why can’t you go out with me? Are you seeing someone else? Married? Don’t say it’s because you aren’t interested. I can tell you are.”
