Chapter 30
T hree weeks of officially being a couple had passed in the blink of an eye. And watching Scott sleep had become my new favorite pastime; tracing the lines of his face and watching the way his eyelashes fluttered as he dreamed.
He looked so peaceful in sleep, so relaxed, and his handsome, rugged face had less of an edge to it.
It was a face I wanted to look at every day for the rest of time. And nothing about that thought scared me.
I knew how his mind worked, and I knew how deeply he felt for those he cared about.
I knew what his favorite meal was, and how to push his buttons. I knew when to press for him to open up, and I knew when to let him be.
I knew almost everything there was to know about another person, and I loved every part of him.
Even his stubborn side.
Even the side that felt the need to charge toward danger. That part of him that served and protected so fiercely.
But most of all, I loved the way he loved me.
“Can I turn over now? I need to stretch my back.” He smirked, opening his eyes, and I felt my cheeks heat.
He’d been awake all along.
Scott turned over, the sheet falling slightly, and I only had a moment to enjoy the sight of his broad chest and washboard abs coming into view before I was hauled toward him from my seated position, and he wrapped me up in his arms. A squeak escaped me at the speed of the move.
“Mornin’ creeper.”
“I wasn’t creeping!” I pouted.
“It’s nice waking up in the same bed, huh.”
“It really is.”
“I didn’t want to tell you in case it didn’t work out, but I’ve been speaking with old man Cooper.”
Cooper Steiner was the guy who owned the building Cupcake and my apartment were in.
“About what?”
He stroked his hand over my hair. “This apartment is tiny.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Cozy though.” And it was. It was everything I needed it to be, but more space would have been a bonus.
“Be a tight squeeze,” he said and kissed my temple.
“What would?”
“Me moving in here.”
I sat up a little so I could meet his eyes. The butterflies in my belly fluttered in excitement.
“We could make it work,” I told him.
“Cooper thinks we can too. Says he’ll give us the okay to knock through into the space next door. I’ve worked out a deal with him and I know a guy who would draw out some plans.”
I blinked, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying.
“You want . . . are you serious right now?”
He grinned. “My apartment would be better, but I already hate that you have to open up in the dark during the winter. I wouldn’t want you walking the streets at 5 a.m. so we need to stay above the bakery. I’m all in, cupcake. That means tying you down as soon as possible.”
My breath caught at both the thought of us officially living together and the fantasy of being tied up while Scott . . .
“Oh, you like that.”
I captured my lip between my teeth and nodded.
He searched my face. “I’m trying to work out if you’re more excited about me moving in or over my choice of words.”
“How about both?”
Another smirk. “You wanna try a little bondage?”
“With you? I want to try everything.”
He rolled over, caging me beneath him. “Then both you’ll have.”
He raised my arms above my head, clasped one of his hands around both my wrists, and tightened his hold.
When I tried to move from his grip I couldn’t and gasped when his mouth suddenly descended on my bare breasts. He licked and sucked and bit while I writhed and moaned beneath him.
Trying with everything to free my hands, and soon the need to touch him became almost unbearable.
I wanted to feel him beneath my fingertips. Feel his warm soft skin wrapped around hard muscle. He was right there, and I couldn’t do anything.
He worked his way lower, kissing over my stomach and down my sides. It only made me try to break free from his hold even more.
His free hand snaked down my body, and when he got to the apex of my thighs, he groaned.
“You’re drenched.” He dipped two fingers inside me and still didn’t free my hands.
I moaned again when he pumped his fingers in and out of me and whimpered when he added a third.
My thighs fell open of their own accord and my back arched when his mouth found my overly sensitive nipples again. He alternated between the two and I felt completely owned.
Scott curled his fingers, and it was game over. I detonated and it felt like I broke into a million pieces. Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over me until I eventually tapped out.
The second Scott released my hands, I threw them around his neck and drew him in close to me.
He lay his head on my heaving chest while I came back down to earth.
“First job on today’s agenda is to get you some restraints. I think we’re gonna have a lot of fun with this.”
I giggled. “Would you ever let me do it to you?”
“You find something I can’t get out of, and I’ll let you do whatever you want to me.”
I liked the sound of that. But I wanted him this very second.
“How about you just pretend for now and let me have my way with you?”
I kissed him lightly on the chest and then trailed my lips down to his very hard erection.
He placed his hands behind his head and raised an eyebrow.
“Do your worst, cupcake.”
I maneuvered and settled myself between his legs. I wanted to tease him a little, so my touch was light as I feathered my fingers around his length, my lips barely touching his velvet-smooth skin.
Slowly, I worked his cock over with my hand, he was too big for only my mouth and that turned me on more.
My tongue stroked over his crown and through his slit and he nearly levitated off the bed.
“Jesus. Sixteen-year-old Scott just died and went to heaven.”
I smirked. “Well, let’s make twenty-eight-year-old Scott see stars.”
He hissed through his teeth when I engulfed his whole head with my mouth and drew him in as far as I could.
With my mouth stretched around him, I gulped and watched as his eyes rolled back into his head.
His hands shot from their position and threaded through my hair. I hollowed my cheeks and sucked as I bobbed my head to meet my hand at the base of his erection.
His grasp tightened in my hair, and I moved in earnest, swallowing after every pass. His thighs started to shake, and his head fell back against the pillow, no longer able to keep his head up.
“Fuck . . . fuck . . . fuck,” he chanted. “Jen-Jenna . . . I’m gonna . . .”
Two more sucking drags and it was game over. Scott came on a string of curses, and I drank every last drop of him down.
I pulled off him, gasping for air as he roughly pulled me up his body and wrapped himself around me.
“I love you. I fucking love you. I love you,” he muttered, making me giggle.
“Just a little taste of what you do to me.”
“Once I get the feeling back in my legs, I’ll fuck you so hard you won’t even remember your own name.”
“Hey, Jenny.”
I spun at the sound of Gabe’s voice and couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.
“Hi yourself, stranger. Where have you been hiding?”
It had been weeks since he’d been here last, and it was good to see him. Although nothing romantic would ever happen between us, it was nice all the same.
“Wanted to give you a little space. Had a feeling your firefighter friend might have unstuck his head from his ass.”
I smiled and nodded.
“Well, I’ll be damned. You can thank me now.”
I laughed. He was so full of himself.
“And you helped me how?”
“ He knows, and that’s all that matters.”
What now? “Wait, have you seen him again?”
“Nope. Just that once when he and his crew were in here.”
Huh, boys were strange creatures, but as men, they were even stranger. Did they even speak that day? I couldn’t remember if they had.
“Okay then. Are you staying for breakfast? It’s nice to see you.”
“I’d like that, Jenna , thank you.”
He took off his jacket and placed it carefully over the back of one of the chairs and then sighed out a breath as he sat down at one of the tables close to the counter.
“Long morning already?” I asked as I handed him a menu showcasing this year’s summer additions.
He nodded. “Thank you.”
Gabe perused the menu for a moment, his lips ticking up at the side.
“I’m impressed. This all sounds delicious. I’ll take the savory French toast, please.”
“No problem. And to drink?”
“Hmmm. An iced coffee, can I get oat milk though?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
We chatted back and forth, and I realized for the first time since I’d known him how relaxed he looked.
He seemed different, softer like this, and he wore it well.
I pottered around making his drink and when I turned around, he’d rolled the sleeves up on his crisp white top.
I was a taken woman, completely and utterly, head over heels in love with my best friend, I barely even noticed the opposite sex, but you’d have to be dead not to notice the forearm porn going on in the corner of my bakery.
Kate came bustling through the front door, pulling up short when she noticed the man sitting alone in the corner.
Her hair was sticking out of her ponytail every which way and her tiny shorts and equally tiny crop top told me she’d come straight from a workout.
“Nice to see you’ve finally graced us with your presence, Mr. Parisi.”
“Kate!” I gasped. She had absolutely no filter.
He grinned. “I’ve been busy.”
“You’re not going to stop supplying us with your coffee now that Jenna’s off the market are you? It gives Cupcake the edge and she deserves that.”
“Oh my God. Kate .” My tone was harsh and chastising.
He full-on laughed though.
“I would never. I like hiding out in here. I wouldn’t do that to Jenna, let alone myself.”
She side-eyed me. “He’s a good sport, I’ll give him that.”
Then she hooked her tote over the edge of the free chair at his table and plonked herself down.
“Please, join me,” he said with an amused smirk.
She gave him a wide, teasing smile. “Why, thank you.”
I just shook my head. “Are you eating?”
“Yeah, not yet though, I’ll come and make a coffee.”
“That’s okay, I’ll get it. You want iced?”
“I would love that, thank you. Can I get that with oat though?”
Gabe raised an eyebrow at the firecracker making herself comfortable at his table.
Oh boy.
The two talked nonstop about Gabe’s work and Kate’s course load for next year. I joined in with the conversation now and then, but after making their plates up, I busied myself with the cupcakes I’d brought out to cool on the front prep station.
The door jingled again, and I turned to see Scott filling the doorway.
The smile fell off his face when he saw Gabe.
A few silent moments passed between them until Gabe stood from his seat and strode the short distance to meet him.
“Gabe, nice to meet you,” he said, holding his hand out for Scott to shake.
Scott studied the gesture for far too long, but eventually, reluctantly, took it.
“Scott. Jenna’s boyfriend.”
Gabe grinned and I worried, just for a second, that that would irk Scott, but it didn’t. He simply rolled his eyes at Gabe, released his grip, and came over to me.
“Hey, cupcake.” My tummy somersaulted at my nickname, and I pecked him on the lips.
“I see you got the use of your legs back,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Just about.” Then he dropped his tone and his smile drew wicked. “And don’t forget what I owe. What’s coming for you later.”
Then in the weirdest turn of events I never saw coming, he plonked himself down with Kate and Gabe.
Gabe was the first to leave, but not before dipping his hands into the cookie jar I kept at the counter, unwrapping one of the gingerbread biscuits, and biting the head off a poor unsuspecting firefighter.
He smiled obnoxiously with his mouth full and sauntered out into the beautiful summer day.
I hoped that cocky billionaire returned soon.
Scott was next, off to run a few errands, and that just left Kate and me.
“I am so glad I went to the early session today. That was fun.” She motioned to the door behind her.
“You’re still going?”
“Uh-huh. Popped my Krav Maga cherry and now I can’t stop.”
“Well good for you.”
“I love it.”
She stayed and helped me reset, even though it was her day off and we made a plan to up her hours over the summer. Scott would be pleased I was managing to free myself up a little more.
By midday, the warning signs were blaring as I put the finishing touches to a cupcake box I was sending out in about ten minutes.
Waves of pain had started in my lower abdomen and a headache had broken out behind my eyes. I just needed to make it fifteen more minutes and then I could slink upstairs in search of Midol.
The captain from Scott’s house, Brooks, had wanted his teenage son to learn a little about managing his own money and we’d worked out a deal for him to deliver my smaller orders in and around the city.
He was reliable and speedy, but not careless, and rode a bike with a refrigerated bag on the front. Scott had reinforced the bottom and sides, making it even sturdier.
As this side of the business grew, I’d have to think more about maybe buying a van but for now, this was working fine.
Dylan arrived right on time, with his mint-green Cupcake baseball cap and matching T-shirt, the thing stretched to within an inch of its life.
I smiled, glad to see he was still taking the gig seriously.
“Hey there, Dylan. Nice day for it, huh.”
Light beamed in through Cupcake’s windows and there was no longer a chill in the air.
“Yeah. Hi, Jenna.”
“Just these today?” he asked, pointing to the two sets of boxes totaling sixty cupcakes.
Twenty-six twinkling stars for a one-year-old’s birthday party and thirty-four blue and pink ones for a baby shower.
“The addresses for each delivery are on the order forms, which are . . .” I searched the kitchen. “Here,” I said, retrieving them from the printer and handing them over.
“Okay, thanks.”
“Do you just want to refresh sign away ?”
He had an app on his phone that linked everything together and the customer could sign his phone screen.
“Yeah, actually that’s not a bad idea.”
He whipped it out of his pocket and pawed through his cell. He quickly logged into the app and refreshed everything on there, and his maps, while connected to the bakery’s Wi-Fi and was ready to go in a matter of minutes.
“Careful then, Dylan. Let me know if you run into any problems.”
“I will. Dad’s tracking me,” he said with a roll of his eyes.
He carefully loaded up the boxes from the doorway and then secured his helmet.
I waved him off as I locked up and pulled the shutters down.
The pain and the headache ramped up another notch, but I remembered we were staying over at Scott’s apartment tonight. We’d taken to staying at his place the night before my day off.
I made it the three blocks in record time and set about doing a little tidying and making lunch, but within the hour, I’d given up on being productive and headed for the couch.
My barely used Kindle was sticking out from the shelf under the coffee table, and I reached for it.
Maybe I could start a new book.
The screen lit up, I was surprised the charge had held so well, and I browsed through all the authors I knew I enjoyed but barely ever got the chance to read.
It was no use though. Looking at the screen just worsened the throbbing in my head.
And when I reached for my mug and spilled hot tea all over me, I couldn’t stop the tears from forming in my eyes.
The door slammed and Scott was beside me in a second.
“What’s . . . what’s wrong?” Scott scanned my body from head to foot and I started to cry in earnest.
I sniffed and looked up at him, bleary-eyed. “I got the cramps. And I spilled Jasmine tea on my shirt.”
His face fell, eyes filling with concern, and he rubbed a soothing hand over my back.
“Come on then, I got you,” he coaxed.
He threw his keys onto the sideboard and then moved into the bathroom, bringing me back some tissue, dabbing at my eyes and cheeks. Then he left again and returned a few minutes later in a pair of sweat shorts, clutching a navy T-shirt and a towel.
“Up you get,” he said as he gently lifted me up into a standing position and removed my shirt in one swift tug. He whipped off my bra, dried off the damp patch on my skin, and placed a kiss on my collarbone.
Two seconds later his scent wrapped around me and the familiar feel of one of his worn FDNY t-shirts enveloped me.
“Sit back down a second. You took anything?”
I nodded meekly. “Yeah about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Okay.”
He moved around the kitchen for a while and when he came back with a tray full of all my favorite treats that weren’t baked goods, my eyes snapped to his.
“Where did you get all this?”
His brow pinched and he thumbed over his shoulder. “The kitchen. Did you fall asleep or blackout? I was only gone a minute.”
My lips lifted a little. “I mean, how come you have all this?”
He looked down at the array of candy and the tips of his ears tinged pink.
“This is your go-to stuff on the first day of . . . this. Why wouldn’t I have it here?”
Now I felt like tearing up for a whole different reason.
“Thank you,” I murmured, lifting my hand to his cheek and kissing him softly on the lips.
He placed the tray down, deftly gathered all my hair together in one hand, and then paused. He cocked his head and stared at the pile he’d made on my head.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “I can just?—”
“I got this.” He looked at the hair tie on his other wrist and then back to my head. And then with the concentration of a nuclear physicist, successfully tied my hair into a knot on my head.
“Tight enough but not too tight?”
I nodded. “Perfect, thank you.”
He smiled like he’d just solved one of life’s little mysteries and then settled back against the couch.
“Snuggle in.”
I scrambled into his side. He reached for the throw he had resting over the arm and laid it over my feet. Then he turned the TV on and pulled me in even tighter. Even closer.
He scrolled through his recordings and landed on one of my favorite films ever.
My heart soared at what he’d chosen.
“You don’t have to watch this. Choose something else,” I told him.
Scott touched his lips to mine. “I wanna watch this with you.”
He pressed play and then set the remote down on the coffee table and we spent the afternoon cuddled up on the couch, eating my weight in chocolate while watching Sleepless in Seattle.