Page 114 of Hero's Prize

“You’re glowing, Ella-Bella,” Lilah said. They all liked the new nickname her friend had come up with much better, since Bella meantbeauty.

Becky smiled gently. “She’s right. You’re gorgeous.”

“What’s that?” Lilah pointed to the treat box in Ella’s hand.

“I made something sweet especially for Colton.”

Lilah and Becky shot each other a look.

“What?” Ella asked.

Becky reached over and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Ella’s ear. “Nothing. I’m sure he’ll love it. Get over there and say hello before Colton storms over like a Neanderthal and throws you over his shoulder.”

She glanced up to find his gaze pinned on her. Everything in her body heated and melted at his look.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. “Did you guys see what he posted this morning on social media?”

“Oh, we did. Believe me,” Lilah said. “We all did.”

Ella barely heard her. She gave her friends a wave as she walked toward Colton—unable to resist him any more than she’d be able to resist gravity.

“Hey, you.” She reached up onto her tiptoes to kiss him.

“Finally.” He wrapped both arms around her hips and lifted her so they were eye to eye. “I missed you.”

“We’ll see you guys around,” Bear said, he and Lincoln walking away. Once again, Ella was only barely listening. She couldn’t do anything else when she was this close to Colton.

He kissed her, both of them very aware they wanted more, but then set her back down on her feet. He slid his arms from around her but didn’t let go of her hand as they both slid into the booth across from each other.

“The guys didn’t have to leave. Do they want to eat with us?”

Colton didn’t so much as look over at them. “Nah. They have plans.”

“Okay, that’s probably good anyway. Because I have something for you.” She pulled out the small white box containing her new creation and set it on the table.

Colton just stared at it, saying nothing.

“It’s a new treat I came up with. I wanted you to be the first official person to try it.” He was still staring at the box. “What’s wrong?”

He shrugged then brought up an identical box from beside him and set it on the table. “I also have something.”

“What’s that?”

“I baked you something too.”

She laughed. “You did? Why didn’t you come do that with me? We could’ve done it together.”

He still looked a little shell-shocked. “I wanted to surprise you.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “I wanted to surprise you too. Whose should we try first?”

“Yours!” The word was surprisingly adamant.

She blinked then laughed. “Okay. Go for it.”

He opened the box slowly, almost reverently, folding the sections of it down so it became a flat cardboard plate. “Rainbow sprinkles.”

“Yes, just for you. It’s called a choux au craquelin. It has butterscotch-flavored pastry cream on the inside.”

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