Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Why not give this a try? She decided to be brave and took a deep breath. “So, we’re not dating?” she teased.
He shook his head, chuckling. “Nope. We’re past that. We’re in a relationship. The kind where you come to my house, I get you snuggled in the corner of the sectional with a sippy cup of apple juice, a stuffie, and the remote control. The kind of relationship where I make you dinner and carry you to the kitchen and feed you so you don’t have to strain your healing hand or the arm with the PICC line. How does that sound?”
Like heaven. “I could maybe try that,” she joked. Sort of. This wasn’t really a joke.
He beamed. “That’s all I can ask for now.”
She hated when he released her to step back. He glanced at the counter. “Do you think Sunshine will mind if we take a few of the cupcakes? They’re delicious. I bet you’ll want a treat later after dinner.”
She smiled. “I know she won’t mind. She’s always complaining that she can’t stop eating them until they’re gone. There are plenty left today. Ellie from Little Cakes probably brought more than we ordered. She does that. She hates when we run out.”
“Is this a flavor you like?” he asked as he grabbed two of the single boxes from the counter.
“My favorite. Fall is the best season of the year because pumpkin spice is the best flavor of the year. I can never wait until September when it’s finally appropriate to sell pumpkin spice coffee. When the season winds down, I always grab all the remaining pumpkin spice flavored things from the store so I can drag out the goodness another week or two.”
CC stopped talking, realizing she’d been rambling, and she probably sounded silly. She scrunched up her face and looked at him. “Sorry. I talk too much when I get nervous. You must think I’m a crazy cat lady.”
He laughed as he shook his head. “Not at all. In fact, if there was any doubt in the world about you being my Little girl, it got squashed to smithereens because I wholeheartedly agree with you. Best season. Best flavor.”
Her face heated. “Now you’re just humoring me.”
“I’m not humoring you, Little girl. You’ll see when we get to my house. My creamer is pumpkin spice. I even have pumpkin spice tea bags on the counter. And a candle. If you tell anyone though, I’ll deny it.” He winked.
She stared at him, grinning like a loon, heart racing. Was he for real?
Chapter Seven
Hunter was glad his cleaning service had come that day. He wasn’t sure exactly how tidy he’d left the house that morning. He’d been in a rush. He’d been in a rush for three days because he’d wanted to get to work before his shift started so he could spend a few minutes with CC first.
He’d also stayed late every evening to see her one last time. He’d managed to visit her at least once on his break in between. And now she was here.
They’d left her car at her coffee shop. It hadn’t been difficult to convince her to let him drive. After all, her arms were both slightly compromised. It was a stretch of course. She was perfectly capable of driving, but he’d wanted her in his car.
“Home sweet home,” he said as he pulled into the garage and shut the door behind his SUV. “Hold on. I’ll come help you out.” He hopped down from the driver’s side and rounded to her in a flash.
As soon as he opened the door, she said, “I’m not an invalid, you know. I can get in and out of cars and manage a seatbelt.”
He reached across her to unfasten said seatbelt, chuckling inside about the fact that she hadn’t done so. “I know you’re not an invalid, Little girl.” He took her elbow and helped her turn toward him before lifting her by the hips to set her on the garage floor. “But you’re Little, and I’m going to enjoy doing things for you. It’s what Daddies do. I’m going to spoil you with attention even after your hand is fully healed and the PICC line is gone.”
Hunter reached for her satchel and the cupcakes behind the seat, glad that he’d remembered to have her grab her stuffie from her car before they’d left.
She bit her lower lip in a way that told him she was thinking about his words. Processing. He was throwing a lot at her. He couldn’t blame her for needing time to absorb everything.
“Are you really going to feed me?” she blurted out as he led her toward the entrance that led to the kitchen.
He turned, stroked a lock of her soft hair, and nodded. “Yep. And not because you can’t do it yourself, but because it gives me pleasure to take care of you.”