Chapter 14
Part of me hadn’t expected Grant to show up Saturday morning to help me bake cupcakes. And clearly, he had not expected I would make him participate. He walked into my apartment in more comfortable clothes than usual, light gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt. It was almost hard to recognize him without muddy boots and dark pants.
When he first arrived, he initially sat down at my kitchen island, leaning over the countertop as if he were just there to watch. I quickly shook my head at him, and after a few minutes of convincing and possible bribing, he joined me.
As Grant handed me the big bag of flour, I meticulously added our different ingredients to the mixing bowl. I chuckled at the idea of this big burly man baking cupcakes with me and listening to my music. “I have to say this is not how I expected to spend my Saturday morning. I didn’t exactly think you would show up.”
He looked down at his flour-covered hands. “Believe me, this is probably the last thing I was planning on doing this morning.”
I looked up at the scruff on his chin. “And what were you planning on doing?”
His jaw clicked. “Probably plotting your downfall for making me come help you bake.” His comment made me laugh, and I caught him glancing my way.
Our eyes shifted to each other and then away, both of us smiling. This went on until we were done baking and covered in frosting and powdered sugar.
“Please tell me I can at least take a couple with me.”
I held my chin with my frosting-covered fingers as if I were thinking. “I suppose that’s the right thing to do, huh?”
The corner of his lips curled up to a slight grin.
I smiled hard and spread some pink icing on his nose. “Pink looks good on you; you should wear that more.” I licked the remaining icing off my finger.
“Is that how you want to do this?” He reached into the leftover icing bowl and smeared some across my cheek.
I let out a noise that was a mix of a gasp and a laugh.
“Oh, you’re dead.”
“I dare you, Hart.”
He dug his rough hands in the soft frosting and began to chase me around the kitchen table, attempting to corner me. He caught up to me and wrapped his arms around my stomach, smearing the icing over my exposed arms and neck. We spread the sugary, pink paste on each other till we were both covered in icing and out of breath from laughing so hard. He grabbed a paper towel and wiped it along my cheek and down my jaw to my neck. The thin fabric lightly feathered across my throat and made me giggle and scrunch up. Our eyes locked, and I thought about what could be racing in that mind of his.
“Hey.
“Hi.”
“Can I tell you something?”
I smirk. “Wow, is Grant Dawes about to share something without me having to ask a question?”
He smiled down at me in his arms. “Your oven wasn’t broken.”
I cocked my head to the side, confused. “Yes, it was, I tried using it several times, and it wouldn’t work.”
He looked me straight in the eyes, not holding back. “It just had a loose cord. I fixed it within a couple of minutes. I knew the second I pulled it away from the counter, but I…I didn’t want to leave. I needed an excuse to spend more time with you. I could’ve fixed it in two seconds, but instead, I kept taking off your panel and staring at it, trying to look busy for you.”
My heart fluttered, and I looked up at him, tracing my eyes back between his lush lips and his deep brown eyes, taking note of the light pink icing on his cheek. How was I supposed to not fall for this man? I never stood a chance.
I wrapped my hands up his neck and straightened my back, almost close enough for our lips to touch.
He sighed. “I need to stay away from you. I know it’s confusing and hard right now. But you are all I can think about.”
My chest rested against his and I frowned, “But why does it have to be so hard? It seems simple enough to me.” I tilt my head like a confused puppy dog waiting for a treat.
“I know you, Hart. I know what you want. What you deserve. You deserve a guy who will marry you and give you everything I can’t. But I also hate the idea of you being in anyone else’s arms. I am a damn hypocrite, but I can’t be near you and not touch you.”
I twirled my finger against his neck lightly; maybe we didn’t have to have all the answers today. I didn't need him to confess his undying love for me, I just needed a little give.
“Then touch me.” My fingers trailed down his neck, nails lightly brushing his pulse point. He took in a sharp breath as my hands rested on his chest. He pressed a palm to the back of my neck, under my ponytail. He finally gave in and leaned down to kiss me.
It’s soft and sweet, like our icing. His full lips against mine was better than any cupcake I had ever had. But, it soon became more. Something more profound than that. It was just a gentle press against my lips, and yet it ignited my body on fire. His hands ran through my hair and pulled me closer to get a deeper angle. I leaned into his warm embrace and felt his hard abdomen pressed against me. My hand was placed on his chest, and I felt it thunder as he groaned, clearly as ready for me as I was for him. He pulled me closer as if he were scared for me ever to let go. Pure passion rolled off of his mouth as he took my bottom lip into his teeth, and then separated us.
He smiled against my lips, and I couldn’t help but return it, our foreheads pressed against each other in the most sensual position I had ever been in. I broke our stance by lifting my hand one final time to wipe the rest of the icing on the tip of his nose. I heard what he said before, and I understood clearly—he was not into relationships—but that didn’t stop me from wanting to stay in his arms.
I looked around my kitchen, and pink icing was everywhere. I chuckled at the mess. Grant looked around and joined me in laughing. I felt too good in his arms for this not to be authentic. His gaze came back to mine, and he seemed confused.
“What are you thinking?” I asked, running my hands along his shoulders.
“That I can put off overthinking you and me until tomorrow.” He pulled me back to him, and I leaned up and met him halfway to kiss him again.