Page 7 of Hyde and Seek

I moved to take the cake boxes from Jake, but he just jerked his head and walked away. I took this to mean that I was supposed to follow. Which I did, partially because my brain was mush and partially because I had no clue where to go otherwise.

Mostly, though, it was because he had areallynice ass.

We went down a long hallway, giving me plenty of time to enjoy the view. The guys followed me, or, more likely, the cupcakes.

Jake set the boxes down on a table in their break room. “Babe, there are six men that work here. How much did you bring?”

I liked to bake. Really liked it. Which meant I occasionally went overboard.

Just sometimes.

Rarely, really.

It almost never happened.

It totally happened all the friggin’ time.

“Uhh, only twenty-four cupcakes.” Which wasn’t that much. Not really. “And twenty-four cookies.” Big cookies. Delicious, chewy, gooey long after they’d cooled, cookies. “I like to bake,” I stated, as if it needed to be said.

“Yeah, I kinda figured that one out.”

“Hell, Doll Face. Seriously. You made this?” Z asked, cupcake in hand, frosting on his lips.

“Yeah.”

“It’s good.”

The fact he ate a whole thing in two bites had tipped me off.

To be fair, it was a strawberry cupcake with whipped cream cheese frosting. They were my specialty for a reason.

“Yo, Pipe,” Kase said from across the table.

“Yeah?”

Kase held up a cookie and winked. “It’s fuckin’ delicious.”

“Thanks, Kase.”

“Gotta ask, you cook?”

“Like savory food?”

“Shit, I dunno. Like cook. You know meals. Dinner and shit.”

“Yeah, Kase. Not as good as I can bake, but I can cook.”

“Run away with me?”

“Christ.” Jake shook his head. “Keep it in your pants, Kase. The rest of you, finish what you got and get your asses back to work. Now.” After barking out those orders, Jake’s voice softened as he looked down at me and said, “Piper, this shit is amazing.”

Helloooooo, jello knees.

“Thanks. I’m gonna head out to the waiting room.” As long as my knees could carry me, that is.

“No.” His tone was back to bossy. Surprise, surprise.

Oh, I like bossy voice.

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