Fake It Till You Bake It(4)

“So what’s your poison? Cherry chocolate? Cotton candy? Apple crumb?” Donovan was inordinately proud of the display. Variety abounded. The cupcakes were fresh, appetizing, and colorful. And most importantly, big. Sugar Blitz scrimped nowhere.

She tapped her index finger on her gloss-coated lips as she contemplated the choices.

“I get the cookies ’n cream flavor,” her friend said.

That’s right. They weren’t alone. He’d almost forgotten.

Donovan flashed the friend a smile, grateful that someone appreciated the cupcakery’s offerings. “Thanks for your repeat business. What’s your name?”

“Olivia.”

“Well, Olivia, I happen to know a fresh batch of cookies ’n cream cupcakes came out of the oven less than an hour ago. I’d be happy to buy you one.”

He opened the case and carefully extricated a cupcake, making sure not to smudge the swirl of cream frosting or the Oreo crumbles adorning the top of the dessert. He handed it to Olivia, who immediately took a big bite. Her moan of appreciation made him do a Tiger Woods fist pump. He turned his attention back to her friend.

She was watching Olivia, but she still didn’t look convinced. If he’d been in a more charitable mood, he would appreciate her stubbornness. He’d been labeled that more than once in his life. He owned it. Lots of people dreamed of becoming a pro football player. Few people made it happen. “My favorite is the chocolate chip chocolate swirl.”

“Good for you. I’ll take the strawberry shortcake,” she replied with no hesitation.

A woman who knew her own mind, something he always appreciated. Maybe he could be charitable after all.

“Hard to mess that up,” she muttered under her breath. Unfortunately, he heard every word.

Just like that, his appreciation disappeared like water from evaporated milk. But he could not, would not let her get to him. He consciously relaxed his jaw, then withdrew the dessert from the case and offered it up. “Good, safe choice.”

Her brown eyes narrowed. But she reached for the treat without saying a word. Their fingers brushed. A spark of something electric, definitely pleasurable, zipped up his arm. What the…? He could not be attracted to the customer from hell. A quick flaring of her eyes was the only indication she’d felt it, too.

“I hope you like it,” he said. If his voice sounded huskier than normal, well, no need to overanalyze things. Even though that was the exact opposite of how he usually handled situations. Which he would not think about right now.

“What if I don’t?” she challenged.

He blinked. He hadn’t considered that possibility because it made no sense, and everything he did made sense. “You will.”

She arched one of those perfect eyebrows. “But if I don’t?”

He rounded the counter, drawn to her despite himself. This close, her scent drifted toward him. Soft, floral, more alluring than his favorite smells from Sugar Blitz. “Then I will publicly admit my cupcakes are stale.”

Her nose wrinkled. “That’s it? I’m gonna need more if I’m going to set aside my doubts and give your cupcakes an honest try.”

He sighed. “Fine. I will also beg your forgiveness.”

A grin played across her lips. “Beg, you say? I like the sound of that.”

He ignored the way his blood thickened at the blatant flirtation. She was trying to distract him. And doing a damn good job of it. He couldn’t let her. “Too bad it’s not going to happen.”

“We’ll see.” Her raspy chuckle sounded way too sexy to his sex-deprived self. A condition that was completely his own fault, as he’d put training for and playing football and then opening the cupcakery at the top of his priority list over the last six months.

She raised the dessert to her perfect lips. He watched intently, and if he was honest with himself, it wasn’t just because he wanted to see how she would react to the cupcake. Her eyes drifted shut as she chewed slowly, like she was savoring all the dessert’s flavors. At least she didn’t spit it out. She went for another bite but got too close to the frosting. A streak of it ended up on her chin. And her nose. Her eyes flew open. “Crap!”

“Careful,” he said. He didn’t mask the laughter in his voice. The frosting in no way marred the perfection of her face, even if she did now look the tiniest bit like a clown.

She glared at him while swiping at the offending spot on her nose with her free hand.

He grabbed a napkin off the counter. “Here.”

“I’m fine.” She swiped again, spreading a trail of red cream across her chin.

“You missed a spot.” Or two. “Take the napkin.”

She snatched the napkin out of his hand and wiped her face. “Are you always this bossy?”

“Yes.” He saw no reason to deny the truth.

Humor sparked in her eyes. “Did I get it all?”

After he nodded, she went back to delicately eating the cupcake. He should not be noticing how lush her lips were as she nibbled on the dessert. All he should care about, all he would care about, was her reaction to the cupcake. Her poker face gave nothing away.

“So do you say ‘yes’ to the cupcake?” he asked when she was halfway done. He couldn’t wait any longer. “Do you want to marry it?”