Page 14 of Her Pastry Shifters

I glance to Rune, who nods. And just like that, I’m not jealous anymore. I have three hot pastry shifter mates who can’t get enough of my curvy body… and fine; I admit it, I’m looking forward to becoming a shifter, too, and eating unlimited desserts without gaining a single pound. Pastry shifter metabolism, here I come!

Bax leans in to kiss me, distracting me from my delicious thoughts with new, different—but equally delicious—thoughts, while Mac and Rune nuzzle my neck. Heat courses through me, and I’m this close to stripping off all our clothes when I remember we’re in the backstage lounge. The judges could have the result ready for us at any moment. I do not need to go viral because I found out I won the Epic Bake-Off while butt naked.

Chapter 20

Jessy

“Wedon’thavetime,”I tell the guys regretfully as I gesture at the big screen.

The camera is zoomed in on the three bakers who will decide the fate of the bake-off, but it looks like they’re still busy whispering among themselves while sneaking bites of our cakes, blissful expressions on their faces.

I gasp. “We haven’t even tried the cakes.”

That seems to get my guys’ attention, and we relocate to the cart Sienna wheeled in earlier.

I grab a plate with Bax’s creation, a chocolate drip cake, and take a bite. “Wow, this is…” I moan. “Utter perfection. I mean, I’m still going to win, but seriously… Magic in every bite.”

“That’s because it is magic,” Bax reminds me.

“Yeah, I know. Everything you bake turns out perfect.” It’s no wonder he’s been the one doing the baking in the competition.

Bax shakes his head. “Not everything. Obviously, if I tried to make something taste bad, it would. But so long as I put in the right ingredients, the magic gives them an extra oomph of perfection.”

“It’s hard to compete with perfection.” I smirk, “But I still think I won.”

All three guys gape at me.

“If anyone could beat me, it’s you,” Bax says, and I can tell he means it.

“You’re an amazing baker. I heard about you before I met you, and we rarely get news about humans,” Mac adds, grabbing a plate with my cake.

Rune nods in agreement and grabs a plate with a slice of my entry, a mango cake with a special secret ingredient. One that just might be able to take on Bax’s cake.

I may not achieve perfect, but I’ve got something better—that right amount of weird that will make those judges stop and take notice. Too much weird, and they’ll trash my cake… and my reputation. But if I got it just right, they will never forget me.

Rune takes a bite of my cake, and his eyes widen. “Shit, Jessy. This is…” He grabs another forkful. “Everything! What’s in this? I’ve never tasted anything—” He strings together one word too many and shifts into a croissant. His plate clatters onto the floor next to him, thankfully face-up, thus salvaging my cake.

Mac promptly shifts into an eclair. His plate stays face-up too, and the slice of cake is missing a bite-sized chunk.

Luckily, the backstage lounge isn’t equipped with cameras, so at least the rest of the world isn’t about to find out that shifters are real.

I’m surprised Bax managed not to shift while baking, but he only shifts when he’s anxious. And apparently he’s not the least bit worried about the outcome of the competition. Then again, neither am I.

I may not always be confident about my curves, but give me an apron, and I bring it.

I take another bite of Bax’s cake and moan when a knock echoes from the other side of the door. “Is everyone decent? Because we’re ready for you.”

“Coming.” I grab Rune’s plate, while Bax grabs Mac’s. We set them back on the cart and head toward the door.

Rune shifts back first.

Mac follows suit and catches up to me. “A dash of hot pepper?” he whispers in my ear. “You really like things spicy.”

I step out of the lounge, smile at Sienna, and glance back over my shoulder. “I take it you approve?”

Mac nods. “More than approve. Your cake was magical.”

“Both cakes were,” Sienna gushes to Bax and me as she gestures for us to follow her down the hall. “I don’t know how the judges could possibly choose between them.”

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