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)
She drew in a deep breath. “You caught me.”
He chuckled as he looked at the display case. “Let’s see. I’ve narrowed it down to red. You don’t like strawberry. So… Today I think I’ll try the cherry vanilla.” He beamed, proud of his selection.
She reached into the display case and slid his choice into a small box. As she handed it to him, she grinned. “Nope.”
He sighed as he pulled his checklist out of his back pocket and scratched out his latest attempt. “There are only so many cupcakes that are red.”
She giggled. “I never said my favorite cupcake was red. You just assumed that.”
He sighed. “But it’s your favorite color.”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t mean it’s my favorite flavor. Maybe I like banana.”
He lifted a brow. “Banana, huh?”
“Nope.” She laughed now.
He smiled, staring at her. “I love that sound.”
Her face heated as she blushed.
“Come here, panda bear,” he ordered, turning to meet her as she came around the counter.
Thank goodness there were no other customers in the shop right now because Milo pulled her into his arms, held her cheeks, and gave her a deep kiss. The kind that made her knees buckle, her tummy flutter, and her panties wet.
He slid his hands to her shoulders and tugged the edge of her work T-shirt to the side. “Hot pink bra today. Hmmm. Sexy. Does my Little girl have on panties that match this bra?”
She flushed deeper. “Maybe.”
He lifted both brows. “You gonna tell me or do I need to take you to the bathroom and look for myself?”
She glanced around to make sure they were still alone. “My panties always match, Daddy,” she whispered.
He snickered. “I love it when you get all flustered.” His expression switched to serious next. “Listen, I came by to tell you that I have to work this evening. I don’t get off until past your bedtime.”
“That’s okay, Daddy. I have a lot of things to do at my apartment anyway.”
“Ah, your apartment. When are you going to invite me into your apartment, panda girl?”
She shrugged. “I dunno.” Not this week. This week she needed to spend every extra moment she had getting his tattoo perfected before he came into the tattoo parlor on Saturday to approve it.
God, what if he hated it? Her nerves were through the roof now that she knew it was for him. How was she going to sleep between now and Saturday?
“How about if I pick you up tomorrow night, you can show me your studio, and then we’ll go out to dinner?”
She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to think up a reason why that wouldn’t work. “I have to work here until five. You can pick me up from here.” She was proud of her quick thinking.
He frowned. “Okay, but you’re starting to make me nervous with all the secrecy about your place. If it’s not messy…” He tapped his lips. “I hope you’re not worried about me seeing your belongings, Riley. You can’t think I care about material things.”
She shook her head. “I know you don’t, Daddy.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a pass for tomorrow night, but Wednesday night, I’m picking you up from your apartment to take you to Blaze. No arguments. I’m going to come inside and see your place. You’re going to give me a tour. Understood?”
“Yes, Daddy. It won’t be very interesting. It’s one room.”
He smiled and kissed her lips one more time before releasing her. “Everything of yours is interesting to me, panda. No matter how small.”
With a wink, he turned toward the counter, slapped a bill on the glass, picked up his cupcake, and headed for the door.
She stared at him, smiling until he was gone. She certainly hoped her design for his tattoo was going to be interesting too or she just might need the Earth to swallow her whole.
Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. She would drop the sketches off with Tatiana by Friday. That way she would be sure not to run into Milo at the tattoo parlor. If he came in Saturday and didn’t like what she’d drawn, no harm, no foul. He never needed to know she’d been the artist.
She sighed as she turned to check on things in the back room. Her plan was a horrible one. She would forever be sad if he hated her work. What a quandary.
She had no choice. She had to make sure the sketches were the best ones she’d ever made. There were no other options.
Chapter Fifteen
“You seem extra tired tonight, panda mine. Did you not get enough sleep last night?”
Riley sat up straighter in her seat and pulled her shoulders back, meeting his gaze with a fake smile. “I’m fine, Daddy.”
He narrowed his gaze at her. Something was off. He couldn’t put his finger on it. She was definitely exhausted. There were bags under her eyes and she kept rubbing them.