Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“You look wonderful,” Tori said honestly. Everyone came in different shapes and sizes. As long as they were nice, Tori thought they were perfect.
“Here he comes. I’ll disappear and let you talk to him alone,” Sue commented with a nod to the handsome man approaching with a big smile.
How in the world is that guy interested in me?
“Hi, Curls! I was afraid you wouldn’t be here. Did you bring me a cupcake?” Evan asked.
Trying to keep her hands steady, Tori offered him the sweet treat. “I wore gloves to take it out of the display like I do when I wait on customers at Little Cakes.”
“I’d let you touch my cupcake, Little girl,” he said with a grin as he took the treat from her shaking hands.
“Oh, I always wear gloves,” she explained.
“Is this your favorite flavor? The one you were telling me about? Pink Lemonade?” Evan asked as he pulled the paper liner away from the cake.
Tori nodded. “Yes.”
“I wanted to try this, but I was so happy about our date that I forgot to go in and buy cupcakes. Will you help me remember to pick up a few later?” Evan asked.
“I’ll try,” she promised, watching as Evan lifted the cupcake to his mouth and took a huge bite. Tori giggled at the frosting clinging to his nose.
“Mmm!” Evan hummed as he chewed. His delighted expression reassured Tori that he liked the treat she brought.
“This is delicious,” he commented after swallowing.
“Um… You’ve got a little…” She wiped her hand over her nose. I forgot to take off my gloves. Quickly, she shucked them off and dropped them in the trashcan near the bench.
“Do I have frosting on my nose?” he asked, sticking his tongue out to lick the crumbs from his lips.
Tori just stared as her thoughts shattered in a million directions at the movement she immediately classified as erotic.
“Curls? Are you okay?” Evan asked, wrapping an arm around her in concern.
“Oh, I’m alright. You have some frosting on your nose,” she explained. Without thinking, she reached up and brushed it off.
“Thank you, Tori. Here, you try a bite. Show me how to eat this without getting the frosting everywhere.”
She looked at the cupcake and back at him. “You want me to eat after you?”
“I’m clean, Little girl. I was just tested last month. How about you?” he asked easily.
“Um… I haven’t been tested, but I don’t think I have anything.”
“If you’d rather, you can take a bite from this side,” Evan offered, turning the cupcake around to show her the untouched side.
“Then it will just fall apart,” she predicted. “I’ve already tried it. That one’s for you, anyway.”
“A man shouldn’t eat a cupcake all by himself. I’m going to be the only one wearing frosting.” Evan suggested before taking another large bite. “Mmm!”
“I could take a small bite,” she volunteered, not wanting him to feel bad.
“Thanks, Curls. Here,” Evan said, holding out the cupcake for her to take a bite.
Feeling awkward, Tori bit into the cupcake. It was so yummy. The frosting was sweet and tart and the cake was incredibly moist. It was the perfect combination. The lemon flavor kept it from being overwhelmingly sweet.
“You know what I like best about this flavor?”
“What?” she asked, holding her breath for his answer.
“I’m not a big frosting guy. But this,” he said, gesturing with the cupcake, “isn’t all sugar sweet. The citrus flavor really tones down the taste.”
“That’s exactly what I think, too,” Tori exclaimed in surprise. She took another bigger bite and chewed happily as she watched him pop the last piece into his mouth.
“Let’s make sure our hands are clean before we go touch the stuffies,” he suggested, wiping her hands before cleaning his with an old-fashioned handkerchief from his pocket.
“My grandpa used to carry one of those,” she said without thinking.
“Ouch, Curls. I don’t quite have my retirement locked in yet,” he said, laughing as he tucked it back in his pocket.
He continued before she could say anything, as if it didn’t bother him. “The most important thing is not getting the stuffies dirty at the store. We don’t want them to ban us from the premises.”
“I’m all clean,” she assured him after looking at both sides of her hands and holding them out palm first for him to see.
“Then let’s go!” Evan reached out for one hand and held it in his, lifting it closer to his face. “You painted your nails,” he pointed out, winking.
Tori flushed. “Yeah. Uh… Last night.” She’d picked off all the polish between meeting him the other day and fretting over the memory. Last night she’d polished them her favorite shade of pink, but she’d also had to remind herself a dozen times afterward and this morning not to peel off the paint.
“They look very pretty, Curls.” He lifted her knuckles to his lips and kissed them before nodding toward his sports car and heading that direction.