Chapter 12
Camilla
“Ihope you brought more of that burnt cheesecake,” Raven says as I hand over the large aluminum pan covered with foil. “Our customers loved it!”
“It’s all gone?”
Raven nods with a mischievous smile.
“I can bring a few tomorrow. Let me show you what’s in this batch. ” I lift the cover to show her my newest selection of goodies. I point to each section, explaining what they are. “Flan, chocolate lasagna.”
“Ohh, those look delicious!”
“They are.” I love that Raven seems almost as excited about my treats as I am.
“I used different textures of chocolate. There’s a fudge base, then a rich chocolate cake.
They’re offset with layers of cream cheese in between.
” I can go on and on, but I don’t want to bore my new friend.
“And I have these,” I say, pointing to another area in the pan. “Mini carrot cakes.”
“They’re so cute! I can’t wait to try them! I love everything I’ve sampled so far. And I’m not the only one.” She says the last part in a sing-song manner. I don’t take the bait.
“Thank you, that means a lot.” I don’t know if she’s waiting for me to ask who else loves them. I’m sure she means Cayden and not Stone. He would’ve said something to me, wouldn’t he?
“The churros are another huge hit. I swear, Cami, you’re going to sell out on a daily basis.
” Raven smiles, and I notice that her canine teeth are significantly longer and sharper than mine.
With my lips closed, I run my tongue over the point of my own teeth.
My imagination is running wild. Leave it to my mother to bring out the cynical side of me.
“You know, if you keep complimenting me, I might push past you into the kitchen and whip up a few cakes right now.”
“Please do. Cayden’s been hoping to hire more people so we can have more freedom to arrange fun events, like the dance-off.
And some extra time to ourselves wouldn’t be a bad thing.
I feel like I get in the way. I’m not much help in the kitchen.
” She shrugs. “That’s not my thing. But I’d love to hang out with you, and we’re glad that we can help you. ”
“Seriously, if you need extra help, I’m happy to do what I can until the bakery opens. You guys are doing me a solid by introducing people to my cakes and pastries.”
“I’ll let Cayden know. He just might take you up on that. At least we’d see more of Stone.”
“Why’s that?”
“Duh, he’d want to be here because you’re here.”
“I doubt that. I think at this point we’ve agreed to tolerate each other.”
“Ooh.” Raven makes a face like she stubbed her toe. “Are you not attracted to him?”
“Attracted to him?” I feel heat rush to my cheeks that I bet are beet red. “Way to put me on the spot.”
“I’m sorry,” she waves it off. “You don’t have to answer that. When he was here earlier, I got the impression that you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That he likes you. Likes you a lot.”
So he is looking for something. Sex. That’s why he’s found an excuse to stop by every day this week.
I release a long sigh. “Stone likes that he’s seen me in something skimpy that I’d never wear in public, and he thinks if he’s nice to me...” I start to explain.
“No, Cami,” Raven’s quick to interrupt. “It’s not like that at all. I know he comes across a bit awkward, but Stone’s a great guy. He likes to pretend he’s a player, but I promise you he’s not.”
“Is that why he wants to help me? I haven’t been very receptive to his ideas or his help,” I admit. “And I can tell that I wear his patience.”
“He’s hoping to change your impression of him.”
Have I read this all wrong? Are my insecurities blurring my vision and convincing me that a good-looking man like Stone can’t possibly have a real, deep interest in me?
“Raven, please,” I reach for her hand, desperate to keep her talking.
“I have no one to talk to about him, and I don’t understand.
He’s right, we didn’t get off to a great start.
He was rude and...and he didn’t stop staring at my boobs.
At one point, I thought he was going to see how they fit in his hands. ”
She giggles, which earns a sharp look from me. “Sorry. Go on.”
“Then, he asked me to come here. Just before opening the door, he made sure I knew it wasn’t a date. He actually said bringing me here was a good deed. Like he was embarrassed to be with me.”
It feels good to let it out and get someone else’s opinion. Someone who’s not trying to marry me off to the first willing man.
“Honey,” she pats my hand with her free one.
“Breathe.” She smiles as I take her advice and calm down.
“I’m putting the pieces together. I’ve never seen the version of Stone that you’re describing.
Usually, he’s gruff, but not rude. I think he might have been so overwhelmed by his attraction to you that he stumbled over his words and thoughts.
But he definitely has it bad for you, Cami.
It’s not just physical. He’s interested in you. ”
I want to believe her, but every time I think maybe...I have flashbacks to the train wreck that is my dating history, and I lose confidence. Guys looking for a quick fling, married men, and finally, Miguel, the ultimate liar and cheater.
“I don’t know.”
“I do. He came here earlier, frantic to find you. He thought you might be in danger.”
“Danger? What gave him that idea? That’s ridiculous.”
“Maybe, maybe not. He saw a man looking in your window, and it worried him. Stone considers himself a protector. I don’t think he’d be as over-the-top worried as he was for no reason.”
“If a man was looking in my window, he was interested in the building, not me,” I assure my new friend.
“Well, now that you know that Stone has a crush, how about you? Would you be averse to dating him?”
I think about his muscular body. His larger-than-Popeye biceps.
And his strong, thick-like-tree-trunk thighs and round, squeezable ass.
Maybe I’m the one objectifying. I take a breath and think of his beautiful eyes and the smile that makes my pulse race.
Yeah, I’ve got a crush. More like I’m infatuated. Seriously infatuated.
I think of last night. How easy it was to be with him.
Even when we were blanketed by silence, it was warm and comfortable.
I don’t want to admit that I feel a connection to Stone, and it terrifies me.
I wonder if I barricaded myself in my apartment to keep safe from him, or to keep him safe from me.
And now that I know he likes me...
“I don’t know why we’re talking about this. I didn’t move here to date. I moved here to start a life for myself.”
“Why can’t you do both?”