Free Brutal Discoveries by Kasey Millstead Page B

perfectly.
    “Hi, Scarlett, I’m Louisa.”  She eyed my uniform and a warm smile flushed over her face.  “I wanted to know if you made birthday cakes?  I’m trying to find a cake for my husband’s sixtieth birthday party, and after seeing your fabulous cupcake creations, I decided to ask.”
    “That’s certainly a possibility,” I stated.  “We’re swamped at the moment, but if you’d like to leave your number, I can give you a call this afternoon sometime and get an idea of what exactly you’re after.”
    “That sounds fantastic!” She smiled broadly, her chestnut lipstick outlining her straight, white teeth.
    “Let me get my notepad.”  I rushed out to my office and grabbed the notepad and pen from my desk before returning to the front counter.  “Just jot down your number, Louisa, and I’ll be sure to call you by this evening.”
    “Thanks so much, Scarlett.  It was lovely to meet you.  Your food here is divine.”
    “My pleasure, Louisa.  I’m glad you enjoy it.”
    After I finished chatting with Louisa, I stashed the notepad below the counter and made a mental note to call her.  Then I went right back to filling the orders that were piling up.  Business was freaking great!
    ***
    “My feet are killing me,” Sammi groaned.
    “Mine, too,” I agreed.
    “I’m starving,” Ella mumbled as she bit into a pastry.
    It was almost closing time, and the display case was entirely bare except for the pastry Ella was eating, and one lone pumpkin spice and walnut cookie.  We were all exhausted, but I was also proud of my little business.  I hadn’t had time to do any paperwork today so I knew I would be staying late to finish that up.  At least I could do that sitting on my butt in my comfortable office chair.
    “I can finish up here, if you guys want to get home,” I offered.
    “No way,” Sammi instantly rebuked.  “We’ll help you clean up and then we’ll go.”
    “We’re not leaving you here to do all the shitty jobs alone, Scar,” Ella put in.
    “I was just offering.” I held my hands up in a faux peace offering.  “No need to bite my head off,” I said through a laugh.
    “Let’s get this started,” Sammi said as she went to the cleaning closet and pulled out a broom and mop.  With the three of us pitching in, it didn’t take but thirty minutes.  Then, the girls left and I closed the doors, locking them.
    I was in the middle of signing off the register when I heard a light tapping on the glass doors.  I looked in that direction and my eyes found Aden.  I grinned and walked that way to let him in.
    “Hey,” I said, still grinning.
    “Hey, beautiful.  Sorry I’m late, we had a meeting.”
    “That’s okay, come on in.  Coffee?”
    “Give me a kiss, Scarlett,” he ordered, his voice gruff.
    I closed the distance between us and touched my hand to his chest.  I went up on my toes and brushed my lips against his.  His arm wrapped around my waist and he tugged me into him, deepening the kiss and stealing my breath from me.  Still crushed to his body when he pulled his lips from mine, I buried my head in his neck and steadied my breathing.  Slowly, I pulled back and looked up at him.
    “Coffee?” I whispered breathily.
    “You’re all cleaned up for the day,” he mentioned as his eyes swept through the bakery before returning to me.
    “It’s okay, it won’t make a mess.  Plus, there’s a pumpkin spice and walnut cookie if you want it?”
    “Sounds great, baby,” he said softly.
    I fixed his coffee and placed the cookie on a plate for him.  He brushed his lips to mine soft and sweet before taking a sip of his hot drink.
    “You still got work to do?”
    “Yeah, just a bit of office work.  It shouldn’t take too long, if you want to stick around?” I felt shy asking, yet I couldn’t stop the words from falling from my lips.
    “You eaten?”
    I shook my head.  “Not since breakfast.  We were so busy today I didn’t stop.”
    His lips pursed