Page 20 of Baked

“For the record, you don’t have anything to worry about. I don’t want anyone else.”

Something like hope lit up the deep brown in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

***

What the hell am Igonna wear?

It had been so freaking long since Rachel had been on a date, she hadn’t the first clue what she was doing, let alone what she was supposed to wear. And the contents of her closet, which were now strewn across her bed, were paying the price. None of her outfits were really doing it for her.

Another knock on her bedroom door brought her out of her contemplative stupor.

“You almost ready, honeybun?”

No.“Uh, yeah, I’ll be out in a minute!”

It was time to make a decision. Her gaze went back to the layers of garments piled onto her sheets. Maybe a dress? Yes. A dress would work. It was about time Hunter saw her in an outfit that wasn’t jeans. Or covered in flour.

But there were only really two dresses she liked. Picking them both up, she took her time eyeing them. Black or red?

Fuck it.

Red won. Yes, it was more “in your face” than her normal attire, but that was the point of getting dressed up for a date, right? Plus, it wasn’t like she had men knocking down her door to take her out, so she might as well make the most of tonight. Who knew when it would happen again?

Holding the dress up high, she took a final look at the strapless crimson beauty before untangling it from the hanger. Once it was on, it rested just above her knee. She decided that it was the perfect combination of sexy and sweet, and staring at her reflection in her bejeweled full-length mirror, she couldn’t help but smile to herself.

Wow, I actually look hot.

Slipping into some nude heels, she scrunched her hair in the mirror one last time to try and give it some extra volume. And she was done. It was time.

Don’t be a dork. Don’t be a dork. Don’t be a dork.

Flinging the door open, her heels clicked the wooden panels all the way down the hall and around the corner to the front door.

“Shit,” was the first and only word out of Hunter’s mouth as she warily approached.

“Uh ...” Not sure what to say, her eyes flicked down over her outfit and back up to him. “Is that a goodshit?”

He was moving toward her now. One good thing about her heels was she didn’t have to stretch her neck too far back the closer he got. Once he was in touching distance, a big hand cupped her face, his fingers pushing into her hair, his intense brown eyes holding her hostage.

“Yeah, baby, it was a good one. You look beautiful.”

Heat filled her cheeks as his gaze darkened. “Thanks.” Her own eyes dipped to his outfit. He didn’t look so bad himself. He was wearing a fitted black shirt with the top three buttons undone, flashing her that lickable tanned chest, and a fancy dark brown belt with a shiny buckle holding up his black jeans. “Uh, you look nice too.”

Don’t be a dork.

Her inner voice really needed to be realistic.

“Thanks, honeybun.” His lips tipped to the side. “You ready to go?”

She nodded.

Ready as I’ll ever be.

Thirty minutes into their drive, Hunter’s truck was cruising down Goldacre’s backroads, her stomach flipping with every bump they went over. Goldacre was the next town over. It was much bigger than Woodvalley Pines and just so happened to have the best cake supply shop she’d come across.

The fact they were in Goldacre wasn’t a surprise, but the miles of countryside surrounding them was. Just a hunch, but she was guessing they weren’t going to some fancy restaurant. Not that Hunter was sharing. Every time she had asked, back was that familiar grunt.

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