Love in Cupids Cove - Day 10 by Lisa Mondello

 Love in Cupids Cove - Day 10 by Lisa Mondello

             “What? No cupcakes?” he said, sliding into one of the stools ahead the counter as he looked around.

            “Heaven’s no.  I just got here.”

            “None left over from yesterday?”

            She made a face.  “What do you take me for?  I bake fresh daily.  Nothing but the best for my customers.  I donate whatever is left over to a local youth center every day.  They don’t have a lot of money and it’s a great and safe program to keep kids busy after school.  Kids don’t mind if they’re eating a day old cupcake or cookie.  Truth be known, neither do I, but I don’t sell them that way.”

            He smiled at her.  It was that same turned up look he’d given her the day they’d met.  “You’re rambling.”

            “I suppose I am.”

            She glanced at the clock and sighed.  “And if I don’t get started on muffins, there won’t be any in the case for when my customers arrive this morning.”

            “After I pour us some coffees, why don’t we talk while I help you?”

            “You really want to help?”

            “Why not?  I’ve baked cookies before.”

            She gave him a challenging glance.

            “Okay, I’ve watched while someone else baked cookies.  But I ate a lot of batter because, you know, you have to test it to make sure it’s right.  And I’ve watched.  I’ve learned a lot.”

            “You keep your fingers out of my batter bowl and I welcome your help.  How about you start by handing me that stainless steel bowl over on the shelf.”

            “These?” He pointed to the smaller bowls in the middle of the shelf.”

            “Not unless you want me to run out of muffins by eight o’clock.  Here, let me get them.”

            He shook his head and reached on the far end of the shelf for the bigger bowls she’d been after.  “That’s okay, I have them.”

            Their bodies both moved too quickly.  Lacy’s hip grazed a stack of smaller bowls and started to upend them.  Duncan’s muscled arm clipped a container of kitchen spatulas.  He quickly moved to catch them before they fell, knocking against Lacy.  The stainless bowls fell to the floor with a crash as Duncan grabbed the container of spatulas and righted the spatulas on the shelf.

            With adrenaline rushing through her veins, Lacy looked up at Duncan.  He was entirely too close to her.  He wasn’t touching, but she could feel the heat from his skin penetrating her own skin, which was chilled from the morning air.

            Their eyes locked and for a moment she saw a different kind of man staring back at her.  He wasn’t the angry, tortured soul who’d come back to town, wanting to be left alone.  He wanted something else.

            The fallen bowls forgotten, Duncan lowered his head to Lacy’s and placed his hands on her shoulders.  “I’ve been wanting to do this since the moment I peeked through the store window and saw your smiling face.”