Chapter 11 Sweet Treats
Sweet Treats
Sadie
Bless Rowen for buying extra toothbrushes. After cleaning myself up and slipping back into my vintage red dress, I felt ready for the day—or night, as it was.
Rowen looked ridiculously handsome in his standard button-down shirt and pants, ready for an apron over top. But we wouldn’t be spending the whole night in the kitchen. We had deliveries to make!
I couldn’t help humming happily to myself as we loaded croissants and pumpkin loaf into boxes for Enchantresso, the tea shop next door.
Balancing three boxes in my arms, I slipped through the door of the cafe after Rowen, who held four more boxes with one hand. The bulge of his biceps was only a little bit distracting.
“Marigold, this is Sadie. She’s helping me out at the Wicked Whisk,” Rowen said, setting the boxes on the counter near a witch with wavy hair cascading down her back, going from a bright copper color to leaf green on the tips.
“Nice to meet you,” I said, sliding my boxes onto the counter too.
“So this is the new baker,” Marigold said, smiling politely at me.
“Goldie?” a tall man said, appearing in the archway to the back of the tea shop. “Oh, sorry.” He stopped short, running his hand through blond hair.
Rowen’s eyebrows shot up. “Lucian.”
“Oh, hey, Rowen,” the man said.
“Good to see you back,” Rowen said, giving him a bro nod. His gaze returned to Marigold. “Let me know if you need anything.”
I cringed at the awkward exchange, sensing something was going on between Marigold and Lucian, and I hoped Rowen would fill me in on it later.
“Will do. Have a good night,” the tea shop owner said, waving us off.
As we walked out, Rowen wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him. The sudden move surprised me, and I stiffened, glancing back nervously to see Marigold watching us with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
Rowen was making it seem like we were a couple, and while we had spent the night together, I didn’t consider him my boyfriend or anything. We were just two adults spending time together.
“So, what was up with that?” I whispered as the front door of the tea shop closed behind us.
“What?”
“That—the awkwardness, them,” I tried to clarify.
“Oh,” Rowen chuckled. “Marigold and Lucian used to date. I’m surprised she hired him, but it’s none of my business.”
Laughing lightly, I wrapped my hands around his arm, leaning into him. “Thank you for telling me. I feel like everyone in this town knows each other, except me, and it’s nice to feel like I’m on the inside of the circle for once.”
Turning, Rowen kissed my forehead. “I’ll tell you everyone’s business, if you like.”
“Maybe not everyone’s,” I said with a sheepish grin.
“Anything you want to know, just ask. Alright, next is Evie.”
“Evie?”
My mouth fell open as we walked up to the bed and breakfast. I’d admired the place every time I drove past, imagining what it might be like to stay there instead of the shady motel outside of town, but there was no way I could afford something this nice.
Gingerbread trim covered the eaves and surrounded the windows and door, all painted a raspberry color, with ivory accents. It looked like a storybook.
A petite blonde witch answered the front door. “Oh good, you’re here. Thank you so much!”
We slipped past her into the entryway.
“Oh, who is this?” she asked.
“Evie, this is Sadie,” Rowen said, his free arm settling over my shoulders and tucking me into his side.
A blush crawled up my neck.
“Sadie,” Evie repeated, a look of surprise on her face similar to the one Marigold had worn.
“You have a beautiful bed and breakfast here,” I said.
“Thank you. Here, I’ll take those,” Evie said, trying to take the boxes from Rowen. He refused, carrying them into the kitchen for her.
Momentarily left on my own, I admired the beautiful decor. From the charming millwork to the antique furniture, it was one of the nicest spaces I’d ever been in.
“Feel like home?” Rowen asked, returning to my side with empty hands.
“Not exactly,” I said, canting my head. “Not sure I’ve ever been somewhere so classy before.” His brows furrowed, as if he didn’t believe me. This was the last topic I wanted to discuss. “Come on, I’m sure we’ve got a lot to do tonight.”
“Bye, you two,” Evie said, a mischievous smile on her face.
“What did you tell her?” I asked, frowning at Rowen as we walked down the front steps.
“Nothing. Well, she asked about you, and I was honest.”
“Honest? Like what, you told her you made me come this morning just by letting me rub myself all over you while I bit you?” I hissed, blushing harder when I heard my own words.
Rowen chuckled, pausing at the sidewalk. “Stop worrying.”
“Well, you’re kinda acting like we are a couple here in front of all these people who seem to be your friends,” I said slowly. “Is that what you want?
Rowen’s smile widened, and he used the hand at the small of my back to pull me against his front. Instead of arguing with me, he ducked his head and planted a kiss right on my lips.
Spluttering, I tried to say something, anything, but my brain shorted out when his mouth brushed mine. Giving in to temptation, I hooked my hands behind his neck and kissed him back.
“Rowen,” I murmured when the kiss finally broke. “We’re out in public.”
“That won’t stop me,” he murmured, his nose bumping my cheek.
“Okay, well, we are working right now.”
“Not sure that’ll slow me down either.”
“Rowen!” I scolded, my cheeks absolutely flaming. “Come on, we need to get going.”
I needed to make him answer if he wanted people thinking we were a couple, because that’s what was happening.
But I chickened out, too scared to hear his answer.
If he said no, I’d be crushed. But if he said yes, it would be a commitment, and my stomach churned at the thought.
Either way, I wasn’t ready to hear it, so I clung to his arm and attempted to steer him back to the bakery.
“So we are basically ready for the Pumpkin Festival tomorrow,” Rowen said, rubbing at the back of his neck with his free hand.
“There will be a few things I’ll need to bake tomorrow, early afternoon, right before it starts at sunset.
So do you want to just meet me there? Do you still want to work the booth with me? ”
Turning off the sidewalk, he opened the door to the bakery for me.
“Sounds like a plan,” I said. “I can’t wait to see everything. It’ll be fun getting to do the selling part of the business, finally.”
“We are going to run out of pumpkin bread. The entire town is going to want two loaves when you’re the one selling it,” he said crowding into my space as the door closed behind us.
“That’s ridiculous,” I argued. “So you said we’re basically ready? What do we need to do?”
“I need you,” Rowen said, his big hands cupping my neck and pulling me into him.
Heat spiked low in my gut at the way he dragged me around, like he couldn’t wait for me to come to him. I didn’t have time to react before his mouth was on me, peppering kisses over my neck. Sighing, I arched, tilting my head to the side.
“This isn’t very professional, Mr. Sinclair,” I murmured.
“I don’t care.”
His warm, reassuring tone washed away the rest of my worries. I was done fighting it. Rowen had taken care of me, fought for me, and I knew I could trust him. Sighing, I melted into him, softening against his hard frame and letting him take control.
We backed into the kitchen with clumsy steps, bumping into the cabinets. His hands found my hips, and he lifted me onto the counter. My legs hooked around his hips, pulling him closer.
“You’re irresistible,” he murmured against my skin, sending sparks down my spine. “I want to lick every inch of you. Tell me I can do that.”
“Rowen,” I moaned, unable to think straight as he licked up the column of my throat. “Fuck.”
His teeth nipped at the delicate skin below my jaw.
“You can do whatever you want to me.”
His answer was a rumbling groan that made all the hair on my arms stand on end. My entire body was sensitized, needy for his touch.
We should stop and discuss things. Discuss us. This was insane—kissing in the bakery, his hands grabbing my thighs, sliding under my dress.
But I couldn’t string two words together. My brain was scrambled by the way he laved his tongue over the top of my breast.
“Hold on,” Rowen muttered.
He disappeared, leaving me reeling, my forearms flat on the counter as I fell backward. My chest heaved as I sucked in air, trying to ground myself.
When I blinked my eyes open, Rowen stood there, holding a piping bag in one hand with a wicked grin on his face. “Are you serious?”
“You’re already delicious, but I thought this would be fun.” His eyes darkened. “Call it a fantasy of mine.”
He wanted me to fulfill some bakery sexual dream of his, and I was completely, utterly on board with that plan. Nodding, I reached for him.
“Patience,” he hummed. “I need more of you to work with, darling.”
Blood rushing in my ears, I rushed to comply, unzipping my dress and shimmying out of it. The impropriety of it only heightened my need as I sat on the counter in my bra and panties.
“What next?”
“I’ll take care of these.”
Setting the piping bag aside, he leaned over me, kissing my shoulders as he slid my bra straps down.
His clever fingers made quick work of unclasping it, and he carefully set it aside.
My panties got the same careful treatment, with kisses scattered over my hips and down my thighs as he removed them.
“You are so fucking beautiful. I don’t know what I did to get so lucky,” he murmured, pressing me back onto my elbows.
“You’re fully clothed.” Jutting my bottom lip out, I looked hungrily at the sliver of chest visible where his button-down shirt was open.
“Right now is about you,” he said simply, picking up the piping bag.
Before I could articulate an answer, he placed the metal tip against my collarbone and drew a thin, delicate line of frosting over my skin.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.