Page 1 of Cupcake

Chapter One

Logan

He was drawn to the colorful artistically painted front window of the bakery in town. Every morning Logan passed the bakery, and it was getting harder and harder to resist going inside again. Not only did the smells coming from the establishment lure him closer but so did the man that worked behind the counter. He didn’t just work there though. That man was responsible for all the tingles inside Logan’s tummy and down his spine.

Logan’s father used to say that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. His mama had told him nearly every day of his childhood that it was a good thing he was pretty and would give her beautiful grandbabies because he was dumber than a box of rocks. So, Logan might not be smart, but he knew that he needed to stay far away from the intriguing man that owned and ran the bakery. But it was so hard.

And they had cupcakes again.

The big pretty cupcakes with bright pink icing and sprinkles.

His mouth watered and he had to swallow. How embarrassing would it be if he started drooling? Logan was pretty sure that had already happened a time or two.

Logan ached on the inside. He wanted that cupcake. He wanted to hear the deep voice from the small man that welcomed customers inside. It confused him. Now that mates were being found within his family, Logan hoped that he’d find his own soon. The draw to the bakery had Logan rushing insidethe first time he felt it. He thought…yeah, stupidly he’d thought that he’d been blessed, and his mate had been inside.

The only employee back then was the man that owned and operated the business and while Logan thought Dean was gorgeous, he didn’t feel the pull described by the others when they’d scented their mates.

As much as Logan was interested in Dean, he knew it was better to stay far away. It would be just his luck to get into a relationship and then find his mate. Logan couldn’t imagine ever hurting someone like that, so he stayed away from Dean. And the sweet-smelling treats.

But the cupcakes were so so sparkly!

At that moment Dean’s head snapped up and he smiled at Logan where he was peering through the large front window. Logan quickly looked away, but his gaze fell on the cupcake in the big display case.

Logan licked his lips.

He was lucky that the bakery had quickly become one of the places that the others in the group had grown obsessed with. The other boys loved their cookies and pastries. Sam and Ansley’s bookstore was only a few blocks over and they often brought home special treats for the family.

No one had brought home one of the pretty cupcakes though.

“Hey, Logan.”

He jumped at the deep but soft, inviting voice. Looking to the side, he saw Dean standing at the open door, smiling at him. Logan had to swallow again. Oh no! He quickly stepped back.

“Sorry! I was just looking!” Logan blurted out. As soon as Dean had spotted him, Logan should have left. Dang!

“I noticed. Was there something that caught your eye?”

Well duh. Two somethings and one of those things was looking at Logan with amusement in his eyes. Was he silently laughing at Logan? Probably. He no doubt thought Logan was weird and dumb. Just like his birth pride had. Logan quickly shook his head as he took several more steps back.

“Why don’t you come inside?” Dean invited. “I’ll give you your choice of anything in the display case. Free of charge.”

Oh! Dean had never offered that before. In fact, he hadn’t ever come outside and talked to him. Normally Logan was smart enough to run away if Dean started toward the door.

“I…” Logan shifted uneasily on his feet. The impulse to run throbbing through his body.

“Come on,” Dean urged. “I promise I don’t bite.”

Bite? Why would Dean bite him? Logan frowned as Dean smiled a perfect white smile. He didn’t even have sharp teeth. Logan had overheard Axel talking about Dean and how he was a mage. Didn’t that make him nearly human? Well…maybe a human with a little magic. Logan didn’t know how magic worked. He was too embarrassed to ask when the others talked about it too.

“I…” Logan didn’t know what to do.

Dean strode forward. He was several inches shorter than Logan, slimmer, but he seemed to radiate power and confidence. Logan wasn’t confident at all. Was that why Logan was so drawn to the mage? Because Dean seemed to radiate confidence?

“There has to be something you’re craving,” Dean said. “I noticed you like to look at the displays.”

He nodded. It would be dumb to deny that. Not as often as he was busted staring inside the bakery. Of course, Dean didn’t know that Logan also liked to look at him.

“Come.” Dean wrapped a hand around Logan’s upper arm.

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