Page 16 of Cream and Punishment
“Hmm, they’reyourcupcakes, so that automatically raises the bar a bit. Plus, Max is notorious around the squad for his sweet tooth. If you were looking for a way into his good graces, or, you know, hisheart” —she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively— “you found it.”
“Good graces.Justhis good graces.”
I’d be hard-pressed to accomplish that much, let alone anything more. And anything romantic was out of the question. Forever. Getting him not to hate me was one thing. Getting him to like me was another. And did I evenwanthim to like me?
I mean, I wantedeveryoneto like me. Butlike-like? A chill raced down my spine before I could entertain such a ludicrous thought further. Max didn’t go for women like me. He hated me, I ruined his life, and I couldn’t fit a dating life into my schedule anyway. Simple as that. End of discussion.
She laughed, accepting the box of cupcakes from me. “What was it you said when I used to complain about Colt?” She adopted a British accent that was as horrible as my own. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”
“I’m protesting the exact right amount, thank you very much. Now get out of here so I can get some sleep.”
“Sure thing, Grandma.”
I rolled my eyes as I walked her to the door. I didn’t care what she thought of my bedtime. Sleep was sacred and mornings were superior, which was something a night owl like her had disagreed with me about all our lives. “Drive safely, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow for girls’ night, assuming you can still make it.”
“I’m hoping so.” She sent me a mischievous grin. “If you change your mind and want more tips about how to woo your neighbor, let me know.”
“Goodbye, Lex.”
I shut the door before she could make any kissy faces or otherwise tease me. As the older sibling, wasn’t thatmyresponsibility? The problem was any razzing I gave her about her relationship didn’t faze her in the least. Hearts would practically shoot out of her eyes and her voice would soften. It would’ve been gross if it wasn’t so cute.
I’d find someone.
Eventually.
Probably.
But that someone wouldnotbe Max.
five
Keys?Check.Wallet?Check.Lucky scrunchie? Check. I was all set for my first day running My Batter Half Bakery and Café. I’d even woken up half an hour earlier than usual, yet I was somehow still leaving at the exact same time. Story of my life.
I checked the peep hole to make sure there was no Max waiting for me outside. The coast was clear.
I straightened my chef’s coat and clutched my umbrella tighter before stepping into the hall. The rain hadn’t let up all night, and the forecast didn’t make it seem like that would change any time soon. This was when having a bum car—AKA: no car—really sucked. But I’ve got this. I refused to let anythingrainon my parade today.
Okay, so maybe horrible puns ran in the family and Lex wasn’t the only culprit. But it was possible to both make and appreciate bad puns and also feel physical pain from them. They were versatile that way.
Apparently the Powers That Be wanted to test me. Maybe exact revenge for wishing stomach cramps on them. Two steps past Max’s door, it opened, and he joined me in the hallway.
Andoh. My. Coffeecake. If he looked good in a suit, he looked otherworldly in workout clothes. And by “otherworldly,” I don’t mean like bug-eyed aliens or Jabba the Hutt or the Vulcans fromStar Trek. I mean more like nothing from this earth could possibly look that perfect. Just… Wow.
His light zip-up hoodie obscured some of the curves of his shoulders but allowed me to see how the fabric of his shirt lay across his chest like it belonged there. Never before had I been so jealous of a shirt. His athletic shorts showed off even more muscles and gorgeous olive skin. His black hair was deliciously mussed, like he’d just woken up and ran a hand through it, and he rubbed at his eyes as he closed his door behind him.
I didn’t think he’d seen me yet, but what exactly could I do about that—sprint for the stairs in the two seconds it would take him to rub the sleep out of his eyes? Uh, yeah, I may be desperate to avoid him, but I wasn’tsprinting-leveldesperate. That only came when being chased by an ax murderer. Or snakes.
Instead, I used those two seconds to close my mouth before any drool could leak out.
I may not make it out before he saw me, but I sure wasn’t going to stick around and wait for him to catch up. Nope. Fate was serving him ample opportunities for revenge, but I didn’t need to make it easier for him by embarrassing myself. Even if I deserved whatever he had planned.
I’d only speed-walked another few paces before his voice broke the early morning silence. “Dekker?”
Crappity crab legs. Now social graces demand I at least turn and acknowledge him.
Note to self: bring earbuds in the future to have plausible deniability when I didn’t respond to him.
I turned briefly, conveying in the angle of my body that I was in a hurry. And wasn’t I? This was a big day for me, and I didn’t need him or his revenge plans ruining it. “Oh, hey, Max!”
