Page 93 of Welcome to Fae Cafe

A weak thudding appeared in her chest. “Are you crazy?”

The timer on the oven beeped, sliding through the tension she felt and stealing Cress’s concentration. Cress moved for his oven mitts, but Kate grabbed a handful of his shirt, and he halted.

He turned back, his gaze slowly dragging around with him. He seemed to read a story in her eyes. “What do you think you’re doing, Human?” his voice was low and quiet.

When she didn’t answer, Cress carefully unpeeled her fingers from his shirt. He stepped toward her, forcing her to move back, and he planted his hands flat along the wall on either side of her head, leaning in. Kate’s lips parted, but before she could speak, he gently brought his lips against her mouth.

Time stood still and sped too fast all at once. Kate felt lost in a dream, like she was both sinking to the floor of the sea and shooting up to the stars. She inhaled when his hand drifted into her hair, his thumb pushed her chin up, and he kissed her deeper.

That same twisting in her chest turned into a thousand butterflies. She wanted to speak, but she couldn’t find words. She wanted to think but couldn’t find clear thoughts.

Cress pulled his mouth off gradually. They stayed still for a moment, Kate feeling his chest thudding against hers. After, he leaned around and whispered in her ear, “Wicked human.”

He dropped his hold on her like she’d burned his hands, and he pulled away all at once.

“W…” Kate blinked. “Wicked?” She pressed her palm against the racing pulse in her neck.

“You might as well be a siren-song fairy luring men to their deaths,” he said, heading to the counter. He slid on the hot-pad mitts and opened the oven, letting coils of smoke roll out.

“Seriously?” Kate said as her senses snapped back into place. “Youjust kissedme.”

Cress smiled devilishly and looked back at her like he wanted to do it again. He lifted the pan of cookies onto the stovetop and scowled at the burnt tops. Then he tossed the oven mitts on the counter and put his hands on his hips. “You’re to blame for this.” He nodded to the cookies. Then he said, “And you’re also to blame forthat.” He gestured to her mouth with his eyes.

“Of course.” Kate shook her head. “I’m always to blame for everything, right? A prince couldn’t possibly make a mistake.”

He frowned. “Was it a mistake?”

Kate swallowed her words, the pulse returning to her neck. She brushed her hair out of her face and glanced out the window instead of answering.

Cress pulled a plate from the cupboard. It was frightening that he knew exactly where everything was. “It was a mistake,” he agreed. “I’m leaving. Before I spoil your happy life.” It was like he had to remind himself.

Kate clasped her hands as she watched him get a lifter and place each cookie onto the plate.

“Stay until Christmas. It’s two weeks away. Then you can leave,” she said.

Cress slowed his cookie passing. “It’s a bad idea.”

“Because you’re worried about those Shadow Fairies in the city?” Kate asked, and Cress put down the lifter. He cast her a look.

“Because I won’t want to leave anymore by then.”

“I don’t think you want to leave now.”

A faint growl emerged when he went back to his cookies. “It’s a bad idea, Human,” he repeated. He reached a teaspoon into the bag of icing sugar and sprinkled the spoonful over the plate. He eyed the last few cookies with the worst burns before reluctantly going for them with the lifter again. They were crisped right to the pan. After he chiselled at one and broke it in half, Kate went over and yanked the lifter away. Cress’s gaze followed her as she put the last few cookies on the plate.

“I’ll make you a bargain,” Kate decided.

“You should never make a bargain with a fairy.” His reply was instant.

“Here’s our deal: You’ll stay until Christmas, and you’ll take all the kisses you want from me in that time,” she offered with a weird, bashful grin.

“I don’t accept,” he said right away again, and Kate turned to find him glaring.

“Why?”

“Because you’d be driven to your death if I had to do that to you. You’d never catch your breath if I tookall the kisses I wanted. I don’t think I’d everwantto stop. It’s a dangerous bargain, and you should know better, Kate Kole. Never make a bargain with a fairy.”

Kate was sure she was blushing cherry-red at best, near purple at worst. “Oh,” she rasped out.

---