Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“That’s interesting. I’ve never seen that,” Riley commented as she took notes on her phone.
“Her hair is dark black and she has light blue eyes.” Tatiana stared at her. “This character could be you. Maybe you do know him.”
“No one would think of me as a princess in a tower,” Riley retorted, shaking her head before getting back to business. “Is there anything else on his chest?”
“The back of a knight in shining armor. She’s letting down a silken rope to allow him to climb up to her.”
“Got it. Like a Rapunzel but with a rope.” A shiver ran up her spine. This was too close for comfort.
To distract herself, she asked quickly. “What’s the placement of the tattoo?”
Using one photo as a reference point, Tatiana drew guidelines on it. As her pen marred the beauty of the male’s body, Riley jolted forward without thinking, barely stopping herself from grabbing the writing implement.
“You okay?” Tatiana asked, looking at her with a concerned expression.
“Sorry, I was trying to see over your hand,” Riley covered for herself.
“Oh. I was blocking it, wasn’t I. Sorry.”
“No problem. I see it now.”
Returning to the picture, Tatiana added, “It’s up to you how far across his chest the design goes. He’d like something to wrap over his shoulder—like the pennants on the tower or whatever you come up with.”
“This is a huge tattoo for a newbie. Do you think he’ll get it all finished?”
“He’s definitely not going to wimp out. He hasn’t gotten a tattoo because he didn’t have something special to celebrate.”
“And he thinks he does now?” Riley probed.
“He knows he does.”
Tatiana looked up at the sound of an elderly man’s voice. “There’s my appointment. Do you have what you need?” she asked, tucking the pictures into an envelope and handing it to Riley.
“Got it. Give me a week. I’ll have it to you next Saturday. Not tomorrow, of course, but next week on Saturday,” Riley promised.
“Thanks. Got any designs you’d like for us to add to the wall?” Tatiana asked as they walked to the front.
“I have a few. Butterflies and swords.”
“Those will go fast.”
“I hope so,” Riley said as she paused by the receptionist. “See you next Saturday.”
Tatiana waved and greeted her customer. Riley rushed out of the store. She might look tough, but she ugly cried at a sad story. A dedication tattoo followed a loss of a precious someone or a loveable pet. Tatiana could listen and keep her composure. Riley would lose it.
Her fingers tightened on the envelope. Better to keep her eyes on the paying customer. The corners of her mouth tilted up at that thought. She really didn’t want to keep her eyes on that handsome man. He’d require much more than her eyeballs touching him—maybe her tongue following the grooves in his muscular torso. Yeah, that’s exactly what he needs.
Her fingers itched to get started on the tattoo. She had a few hours before she needed to be at Blaze to open the bar. She would let herself work on the tattoo for the afternoon. But after she got off work, she’d have to force herself to go to bed instead of working on the design some more. She already knew it would be tempting.
She loved a new project, and even if she was wrong about that body belonging to Milo, just the thought of his shoulder and chest being her canvas made her salivate.
Chapter Seven
“Did you have an all-nighter last night?” Ellie commented with a laugh as Riley walked through the back door of the bakery yawning widely.
“Yeah, but not like the fun kind,” Riley amended. “I’ll get some coffee and I’ll be good to go.”
“Blaze was open last night,” Ellie speculated before probing further, “Did a certain Knot Master have you tied up?”
“Milo didn’t do a demonstration last night,” Riley hedged. He’d sat at the bar all night, keeping her company.
“So all the fun continued after hours?”
“For the love of caffeine, can the third degree wait until I’ve had some coffee?” Riley asked, trying to wake up and defuse her boss’s interest in her love life.
“Go get a cup.” Ellie said with a twinkle in her eye that warned Riley she hadn’t dropped the subject.
“Coffee,” Riley moaned and walked in her best zombie form through the swinging door to the shop floor.
Without asking a question, Tori turned and poured Riley a large coffee, adding two creamers and a packet of raw sugar as the finishing touch. She handed it to Riley before turning back to loading fresh trays of cupcakes into the display case.
“Thanks, Tori. I owe you one.” Immediately, she took a large sip before chanting, “Hot, hot, hot!”
“Oops, sorry. I should have warned you. And you’re welcome.”
“Coffee’s supposed to be steamy. My brain hasn’t engaged yet. What can I do to help?” Riley asked after taking a second, more cautious, sip of the hot brew.