Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Maybe today would be that day. She’d been so flustered and adorable while he’d spoken to her. Her hair had been in its usual cute pigtails, and she’d been wearing another pair of cupcake earrings. Purple ones today.
By the time he finally pulled up to her house, he was determined to convince her to go out with him. Somehow.
He stepped out of his SUV, rounded to the back, and grabbed the last package of the day. He’d intentionally left it for last so he wouldn’t be in a hurry to rush away from Valerie’s house. No one else would be waiting on him.
As he picked up the soft package, he glanced down at it, noticing it was in a clear bag. Lately, more and more businesses were using clear packaging for some reason. Grayson thought it was inappropriate.
He grinned as he realized what he was holding. Not only was the package clear, but written right on the side was exactly the item and size. He chuckled for a moment before wincing. Most women would be mortified to know their delivery person knew exactly what they’d purchased.
He suspected Valerie would fall in that group as he read the print again.
Birthday Cake Onesie, Size L
It was perfect for her, and if she wasn’t Little, he would eat his shirt.
As he strode to her front door, he at least felt confident about that one thing. He knocked, but she answered in less than a second. Had she been watching for him?
“Hey,” she murmured. “I wasn’t sure you were coming. It was getting late.” Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink, the same shade they had earlier today.
He smiled warmly at her. “I might have left yours for last.” It was the perfect segue. If she didn’t catch on to his interest from that statement…
Her eyes widened. “Oh.” She gripped the door so hard with her hand that her knuckles were white. She wiped her other palm on her jeans.
Seconds ticked by. Neither of them moved. Grayson hated the idea of handing her the package and turning around to leave without another word, but what choice did he have?
Suddenly, she took a step back and opened the door wider. “Did you want to come in?” she asked in the shakiest voice he’d ever heard. “I could get you a bottle of water or something. You must get thirsty driving around all day.”
Blessed angels.
Grayson took a step forward, not crossing the threshold yet. “I’d like that, Cupcake. Are you sure?”
Her eyes widened further, and he almost kicked himself for calling her Cupcake. The term of endearment had slipped out without him managing to stop it. He’d thought of her as his Little cupcake for a long time, but he hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Not yet anyway. Not the very second she’d finally shown an interest in something more than a customer.
He shrugged, trying to blow off his comment. “I mean, you always wear cupcake earrings, and then there’s this.” He held out the package.
After pushing up her glasses to look at it clearly, Valerie lowered her gaze to the package and gasped before snatching it and tucking it behind her back. Her cheeks went from pink to red. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. “How mortifying.”
Grayson reached out to stroke a hand down one of her pigtails, not touching her skin, but trying to soothe her anyway. “I’m not sure why so many businesses are delivering things in clear packaging lately, and I tried not to look, but the cupcakes caught my attention. I think those are adorable, Valerie. No reason to be embarrassed.”
She was shaking as she brought the package back around front and then groaned. “Do they have to put the size on them too?” She jerked her gaze up to meet his. “I like them baggy,” she announced.
He frowned. “I’m not judging you, Cupcake. Those are perfect for you. They will match all your earrings,” he teased, trying to lighten the tension. “And I don’t care a bit about what size that onesie is or what size you are for that matter. Size is just a number. It means nothing. What matters is what’s in people’s hearts.”
She stared at him and then licked her lips. “Oh. Uh. Well.” She stepped back farther. “Did you still want to come in?”
“I would like to, Cupcake. Can I still call you Cupcake?”
She finally gave him a slight smile. “I guess. I mean, it’s kind of cute.” She quickly tossed the package onto the couch.
As Grayson stepped into the living room, he took in her style. Everything was perfectly tidy. Either she was always a neat freak or she had been planning to invite him in and impress him. He liked to think it was the latter, though he hated the idea of his Little girl spending hours cleaning for him.