Page 59 of Bake the Town Red

Right. I said I wouldn’t wallow, and I won’t. I’ve been waiting for four years, and I’m not sad. I’m longing.

I’m hot as fuck for him.

Can’t stop looking at him. My man, wearing his black T-shirt and light jeans. He hasn’t combed his bed hair, though it’s way past noon. Or maybe he has, and he’s run his hands through his hair.

He lowers to one of the wooden chairs on the dining table, typing something on his laptop. This can’t be comfortable, sitting on that chair for hours. Maybe he likes the pain.

So many questions I’ll have to ask him once we’re together.

My man.

It sounds so good.

Lucifer personified sounds even better.

The man isdark. He’s still my Tyler, my guardian. He’s also twisted. Angry. Ruthless. Even with his back to me, even with a window separating us, I feel it.

His power. His intensity. The black hole that sucks me right in.

I bet he could drag me into the pits of hell and pull me back out, if he wished.

I wish he’d believe that, too.

I’ll make him.

In the meantime, I watch him working. There’s code on the screen of his laptop. Numbers and letters flashing on a black screen. I never understand what it means. But since his job is a part of him, I like it regardless. The games of his company, I don’t care for those.

Tyler’s not the creative behind them. Just those long strings of code. That I could watch for hours.

“I can’t concentrate for shit,” he says to the empty room, running his hand through his hair. Sighing.

He’s so handsome when he’s upset. More delicious than any cupcake I’ve ever baked.

And what’s this? How have I missed this? He’s picking up a fork, sinking it into a piece of chocolate cake.

Cake!

My little baker’s heart flutters. Tears well in my eyes. He’s not cheating on me by buying cupcakes from another place.

I’m about to break the vow I made to myself. Jump into his apartment and sink my teeth into his neck. Scream that I’ll never leave. That he’ll have to get over himself and keep me.

He’ll have to be mine and let me be his, even if the world bursts into flames. Even if there’s nothing left but him and I.

I pinch my forearm, waking myself the fuck up. I’m not up here to force myself on him. I’m here to seduce him.

Seduction, much like killing a person, is a form of art. It can’t be rushed. Has to be done right. The way I planned it this morning.

Tyler pushes his chair back.

“I’ll deal with you later.” He gets up. Rakes his fingers through his hair again. It stays perfectly messy.

Now’s the time for me to act. I press my ear to Tyler’s window, listening to the sound of him peeing. Ugh, I missed that. I could hear anything he did in our tiny apartments.

But being nostalgic is a privilege I don’t have at the moment. The clock’s ticking. I have to hurry. And I do. I push his window up. Climb inside his apartment ever so quietly.

Flush.

Thank fuck I scribbled the first part of the note back home.

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