“That is true,” he admitted. “I’ll see you around.”
“Bye.” I gave him a little wave and watched as he turned and headed down the stairs. I shut the door, and leaned against it, letting out a breath.
It took me a moment to get my bearings and then I pushed off from the door and got ready for bed. As I climbed under the covers, I wondered if I’d wake up tomorrow thinking this was all a dream. Maybe it was. What I hoped was that I didn’t wake up feeling embarrassed by it. I didn’t regret it happening, although I understood Cyrus’ position. But I knew he regretted it and I couldn’t deny that his wish for it to never have happened hurt me. I could see he knew it hurt me and he regretted that too.
I woke with a start the next morning as I realized he hadn’t used a condom. I suppose the booze and sexual haze had robbed me of that realization last night. I shot from bed and checked my calendar to see if our one mistake would lead to another. It was early in my cycle and so I felt relatively safe. I remembered when April and Cyrus decided to have Bertie, she’d mentioned to me the sign of ovulation, and ever since then, I’d always been aware of when it happened to me. Checking the calendar, I knew I was a week away at least from that part of my cycle. Whew!
With that scare out of the way, I showered and dressed, and was at the bakery by five thirty putting in a few batches of cupcakes and frosting the ones I’d made the night before. But the busy work didn’t dull the fact that I could still taste Cyrus’ kiss and feel his steel length moving inside me, and his regret at having touched me. I tried to focus on the wonderful memory instead of the regret and embarrassment. I figured if anything, I had a real-life fantasy to conjure up when I was alone and needing a little self-stimulation.
I opened my shop on time and went through my day as usual. It was almost like Cyrus’ complete and total domination of my body never happened. I supposed it was a good thing that it was the weekend and so I didn’t expect to see him.
I had my usual morning crowd that slowed down as noontime arrived. I was getting ready to take a little break when April and Maya showed up.
I grinned and clapped my hands over my heart. “Look who’s here.”
“Petal, look, I got a ribbon for my science project at school.”
I came around the counter to examine her ribbon. “Wow. That’s fantastic. You’re so smart. If I ever have a daughter, I hope she’s as smart as you.”
“I can help her,” Maya said.
“We thought we’d come by and say hi since the boys are home napping,” April said.
“I’m glad you did. I have some new cupcake flavors I want to share with you.” I pulled out the new flavors from the case. “Here’s a lemon blueberry, and here is a pumpkin cheesecake one.”
“That sounds so decadent,” April said, as I went to pour her some coffee as well.
We sat at a table and April and Maya tried the cupcakes.
“I like the blueberry one,” Maya said. “Can you make one with bananas?”
I thought about it. “Yes.” At first, I thought of something like banana bread, but that would become a muffin. Then I remembered the classic banana pudding with vanilla wafer dessert and wondered if I could concoct something like that.
“You’re a cupcake scientist,” Maya said with a mouth full of frosting.
I grinned. “I am.”
“So, you were
quite popular last night at the party.” April’s comment was a loaded one.
“Was I?”
“Lyle was salivating.”
“He was drunk,” I quipped.
“It’s not good to be drunk,” Maya said, licking her fingers.
“No, it’s not,” April agreed. She looked over at me. “Did Cyrus ever relax?”
My body heated as it remembered the way Cyrus touched it. “Not really.” I stood and went to the counter, hoping she didn’t see the way my face had to be flushing if the heat in my cheeks was any indication. I grabbed a bottle of water so it didn’t look like I was avoiding eye contact.
“Do you suppose he was ever a kid?” April said looking over at me.
“What do you mean?” I drank from the water bottle letting the cool liquid cool my insides.
“He’s so serious and intense all the time.”