Page 3 of Hyde and Seek

Kase’s smile turned sheepish before I was distracted by a throat being cleared. The throat of a very tall, very hot, impatient man.

“Kase, if you’re done, you got work to do,” Jake said, glaring at Kase.

Kase grinned at me, unfazed by Jake’s look. “Nice to meet you, Piper. Let me know if you need anything.”

I returned his smile. “Thanks.”

As Kase left, Jake turned back to me and began tapping his pen to a fast beat. “So, coolin’ in the back, got it. Anythin’ else?”

“Yeah, uh, Z is installing some new speakers.” I congratulated myself again on being able to actually form words while looking him in the eyes.

In an attempt to not blurt out something embarrassing or start drooling at his hotness, I distracted myself by thinking about Z. Since I doubted his real name was Z, I started forming ideas about what it stood for.

Jake finished writing something and looked amused. “Your work need louder speakers?”

“Well, yeah, kinda.” Maybe not my work, but I definitely did.

Leaning down, he placed his forearms to the counter. His head tilted to the side as he looked at me. “How so?”

“I drive a lot, for deliveries.”

“What stuff you deliverin’, since I’m doubtin’ it’s pizza?”

“Desserts. Mostly cakes and cupcakes.”

“Really? Awesome. What bakery you work at?” Kase startled me by asking.

I belatedly noticed him and three other hot guys standing in the doorway.

Apparently name guessing is a good distraction technique.

“No bakery. Not yet, anyway.”

“Hey. Eli,” one of the other hotties said as he stuck his hand out. He was shorter than the rest, around five foot ten or so. With his short brown hair and warm, brown eyes, he looked wholesome, boy next door. He almost seemed out of place at the shop, until you took in his ink. It was good ink. He must have agreed as there was a lot of it.

I took his hand. “Piper.”

“Xavier,” another introduced himself with a nod. This yummilicious man was all dark eyes and overgrown dark hair. It was hot, and worked for him. “Your desserts any good?”

“Well, people order. A lot, actually. So… yeah.” I knew my desserts were good. Based on the swell of my chest, hips, and ass, I knew this fact well. I had to sample stuff though. Quality control and whatnot.

You’re so good at lying to yourself.

The popularity of my desserts was what had brought me to the bank that morning. When I’d started making cakes for friends, I did one or two a month. Those one or two turned into three or four referrals, which then turned into three or four more referrals.

Before I knew it, my side hobby became a business, a Piper’s Cakes was born.

Up until last semester, I attended college but hadn’t picked a major. Since Piper’s Cakes was quickly growing, thereby solving the dilemma of what I wanted to do with my life, I cut back my classes and switched to a business major.

It was a scary decision, but in a good way.

In order to do all I wanted to do, I needed money for better equipment, more space, and maybe even some help. I was turning away a lot of orders because I didn’t have time. I couldn’t make money turning away orders. It was a cycle I was trying to break.

“Key,” a quieter voice said with a nod, the last of the hotties. He was a leaner and lankier hot, more Steven Tyler or Mick Jagger rock ‘n’ roll. He had slightly shaggy, light brown hair with moody looking brown eyes. “You got any dessert on you?”

I shook my head. “Nope, sorry. Maybe if I come back.”

I was rewarded with a half-smile from Mr. Brooding. As I was pretty sure that was as close to happy as he got, I was cool with it.

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