Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
She shrugged. It did sound appealing, but she wasn’t ready to admit it out loud. She was pretty sure both Ellie and Daisy had exactly that kind of Daddy. They both owned their own businesses and were fully capable of taking care of themselves, but she also knew they had special rooms at home where they could relax. A place where they played and colored. She’d seen Ellie’s dolls and toys. She’d also been envious, but she’d never said so out loud.
“I wonder what went through your mind when you saw that blue room earlier. I bet you had thoughts of what it would be like to have a room like that. One filled with all the toys and dolls you never had as a child.”
She couldn’t respond. There was a lump in her throat that prevented her from taking a full breath.
“You can have all that, Lark. All that and more. I want to be the one to give it to you. I know it’s fast, but I also know my heart. So, I’m going to buy that house, and I’m going to court you. I’m going to take you out on dates every chance I get, and we’re going to talk until we know every single detail about each other. And then, when you’re ready, I’m going to make you mine in every way.”
The heat in her cheeks increased tenfold as she stared at him. There was no mistaking what he meant when he said every way. He didn’t mince words. He was dead serious. If she wasn’t careful, she would lose her heart to him. And maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.
Lark had been alone for a long time. Sure, she had friends—amazing, wonderful friends. But she didn’t have someone special she could go home to at the end of the day. Someone she shared everything with who knew her inside and out. Someone who would hold her when she was sad and celebrate with her when she made an amazing sale.
Could Wyatt be that man? At thirty, she’d given up thinking she would ever find someone who understood her and could fill the role the way she visualized in her head.
She’d never considered the fact that she could be Little, but perhaps she’d been kidding herself all this time because what Wyatt was offering sounded like a dream come true.
Chapter Six
Lark parked her sedan in front of Little Cakes. Every light blazed inside the cheerful bakery. Stepping out of her car, she beeped the doors locked and smoothed a hand over her black yoga pants and T-shirt. She had definitely dressed to be able to move more freely as Wyatt had instructed.
The glass door opened and Ellie waved at her. “Come on! You haven’t missed anything yet. We’re just getting set up!”
The bakery owner taped a large sign outside the store that read, “Private party! Please come again.” The bakery wasn’t open on Mondays anyway, but the sign would be helpful to anyone who might see the lights on and think they were open.
Grinning at her friend’s enthusiasm, Lark quickened her steps. “Hi, Ellie.”
“Are you ready to hi-yah?” Ellie asked, making a karate chop gesture that she obviously felt was threatening.
“I’m not sure I’m quite up to that,” Lark answered with a definite shake of her head as she stepped into the store. She was nervous. She knew she was uncoordinated and didn’t want to make a fool out of herself in front of other people.
“You made it!” Wyatt greeted her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to press a kiss to her lips. His touch eased her anxiety a bit.
Ellie’s eyebrows jolted upward before she recovered, waggling them suggestively at her friend behind the police officer’s back.
“Hi, Wyatt. Thanks for doing this for us,” Lark said to cover her embarrassment.
He winked at her before addressing the class. “I think everyone’s here. Ellie’s crew set up a classroom over here with chairs and a demo area for us to practice what you learn. Everyone, take a seat and I’ll talk to you for a few minutes.”
Quickly, the assembly settled into chairs around the cute bistro-style tables. Lark took stock of those in attendance. All the Little Cakes staff was there: Ellie, Riley, Tori, Sue, and Tarson. Daisy (the owner of the floral shop in the strip center and Tarson’s Little girl), Garrett (Ellie’s Daddy), and Avery (Wyatt’s partner), rounded out the assembled group.
Her tension eased a bit more. Lark knew all these people. At least they weren’t strangers—or worse, clients, making Lark maintain her professional demeanor. If she made a fool of herself, this audience would forgive her.
“Hi, everyone. You know me. I’m Wyatt Hazelton. I’m a detective here on the police force. This is my partner, Avery Reynolds. We’re here to show you some self-defense moves to help you in case of trouble. I think you all know each other. Thank you for wearing name tags so Avery and I can learn your names as well.”