Page 12 of Bound By Temptation

Getting busy, I easily fell into the zone, blocking out everything and every sound around me. Molding and sculpting the cake was awesome. I could see it in my head and started to carve off pieces to round certain areas. The image to me was so vivid, and full-out joy filled me.

“Know you hate to be bothered when you’re in the zone, but someone wants to talk to you,” Meadow called from behind me a few hours later. I’d just gotten all the cake formed of the dinosaur’s head and was thinking of working on the hands next. Did I mention when I was in the zone I lost track of time too? Well, I did.

“Who?” I asked as I turned around seeing Blaine there, a wide smile across his lips. I looked over at the clock on the wall as it read a quarter to seven.

“Shit. I’m so sorry. I got busy…” I held up my cake covered hands. Hell, I probably had it in my hair and on my face at this point of the process.

“You lost track of time. It’s fine,” he stated with a grin on his face, holding up a plastic bag. “I thought you would, so I brought dinner.”

Wow. The forethought was impressive even if I had long ago sworn off giving in to a man easily ever again. I grabbed a towel off the table and wiped my hands off as I rose from the stool I’d been sitting on, feeling my tight muscles. Yeah, I’d been sitting way too long.

“That’s so sweet!” my sister said with a wide smile.

My eyes went to my sister. “You can go now.”

“Right. Everything is cleaned up. I’ll lock the door behind me.”

“Thank you.” She stared at me a beat, winked, and turned to the door.

If she thought I would screw this man back here in my sanitized area of cakes, she had another thing coming. That didn’t work for me one bit. Not that I was going to screw Blaine or anything, but it was the thought.

“What are ya workin’ on?” He nodded to the sculpted cake behind me. On instinct I turned to the side and admired my work. Getting the cake just right was important. Just like any other structure, the base was always important to the stability of the piece. I needed to focus on that next and not the hands.

“Dinosaur. Once the fondant covers the cake it’ll look more like a head.”

He turned his head this way and that, inspecting my work. Part of me felt a little shy with him measuring my cake. I loved what I did, and I didn’t need anyone telling me I sucked. But Blaine wouldn’t do that. Nothing in the past few months should lead me to believe he’d tell me I was a horrible baker. Those damn insecurities again.Thanks, Axhole!I shook my head. Now was not the time to be thinking about him.

“I can see it. You’re very talented.”

This had me smiling with relief. Had to admit, I liked hearing the compliment from him. I’d texted him pictures of my cakes, but he’d never come in the back like this. It was nice to share this part of my life with him.

“Thank you. Why don’t we sit over there where cake isn’t everywhere?” I pointed to the clean table only a few feet away. It had stools around it, but I’d sat on a stool long enough today, so I grabbed a chair.

“I would’ve gotten that for you.” Blaine told me as he pulled out Mexican from the white bag, the smell making my stomach growl. He smiled. “Knew you like burritos and rice.”

“I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Once I get in the zone, I stay there until something pulls me out.”

He handed me a wrapped up greasy goodness. I took it and opened it. Truthfully, I didn’t care if it had beans in it, which weren’t my favorite, because I was so hungry. Once Blaine got his food out and sat down, I took a huge bite and groaned loudly.

Blaine chuckled. “Good?” he asked.

I opened my eyes, not realizing I’d shut them, and felt a blush creep my cheeks. Yes, Blaine and I had been talking for a couple of months now, but that didn’t mean I knew him really, and I felt a little shy at the noises I made.

We hadn’t made it anywhere near moaning in our relationship. A kiss maybe, but moaning in pleasure, not so much.

“Very. Thank you for bringing food here. It was very thoughtful of you.” More than thoughtful.

He shook his head. “Not a problem. You told me how you get when you’re working, and I selfishly wanted to spend time with you, so I brought food to you.”

Little butterflies flitted in my stomach. Yeah. I was twenty-seven and I was getting butterflies. It was sweet, him knowing that information about me and going above and beyond to make sure I ate. It’d been a long time since someone thought of me in such a way.

“I appreciate it. So what made you come to town today? Not that I’m complaining.” I smiled at my food as he gave me one in return.

“My boss is an asshole, so I called in sick and drove here.”

“What happened?”

He waved his arm in dismissal. “Nothing too bad. Just putting more work on me than I can do in one day. Got fed up and needed a break.”

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