Page 68 of The Baby Dragon Bakery
“Right, right, of course.” He grabbed some things out of the fridge and set them onto the counter.
“However, because today was really cold, we are making an exception,” she said. “As long as you have marshmallows.”
“Of course I have marshmallows, what do you take me for? An amateur?” He pulled out the bag from a cabinet and threw it at her. She caught it, taking a mini marshmallow out and popping it into her mouth.
“Perfect.”
Theo got started on pouring milk, water, and heavy cream into the saucepan, and Lavinia pulled her sweatshirt off, feeling warm in the small kitchen. She was wearing a tank top underneath, her hair pulled up in a ponytail, and felt much better once she had discarded the thicker layer.
“Are you going to share your top-secret recipe with me?” she asked, watching as he broke chocolate bars into the simmering milk. He continued to break the chocolate as he glanced at her over his shoulder, wrinkling his nose at her.
“I told you it’s not top secret,” he said, “you just never remember it.”
“So it’s top secret,” she said, eating another marshmallow.
“No, it’s water, milk, heavy cream, dark chocolate, milkchocolate, cocoa powder, and sugar,” he said. “Nothing complicated.”
“That sounds a little complicated.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I don’t need to know how to make it since you’ll always make it for me.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving a hand. After adding in all the ingredients, he turned the heat to low and stirred the pot with a spatula. “How was your exam, by the way? Or should I not ask?”
“It was good, I think?” She made a face. “I kind of blacked out by the end.”
“That’s always a good sign,” Theo deadpanned. She snorted.
“How was your second-to-last Monday at the Rolling Pin?” she asked. “Your last day is next Friday, right?”
“Mhm,” he replied, stirring the pot with the spatula. She inhaled the sweet scent of melting chocolate. “It was good. Suki’s been interviewing candidates to take over for me, and I think she’ll have someone finalized by Thursday? Then I’ll be training them for a week.”
“Ooh.” She listened until her phone beeped next to her. She checked the notification; it was her email.
Oh god. Results for her anatomy midterm were already in. With multiple choice exams, the results were always in on the same day, but it usually took longer than this. There must not have been a curve to account for. Consternation prickled through her.
Eye twitching, she opened up her school’s portal, wanting to rip the bandage off. If she had failed, she’d drown her sorrows in hot chocolate.
Heart beating fast, Lavinia checked her score and . . . she had passed!
Lavinia squealed, her heartbeat racing.
Theo came over, concerned. “What is it?”
“I passed!” Lavinia said, eyes wide. “Ohmygod, I passed!”
“Great!” Theo grinned. “That’s amazing!”
They hugged, eye-level, with her sitting up on the counter. She wound her arms around his neck while his arms enveloped her torso.
She lifted her legs up in exhilaration and he stepped between her knees, coming closer.
Before she could stop herself, she wrapped her legs around his waist to hold onto him tighter, and everything shifted, the moment going from thrilled to tense as he buried his face in her neck.
Her tank top suddenly felt incredibly thin, a paltry barrier between them, and it did nothing to cover the bare skin of her arms, her shoulders, her neck.
She shuddered as his lips brushed against her bare skin, gliding over her collar. She wanted his mouth to go lower, for his body to press closer. He made a strangled sound low in his throat.
Desire hummed through her body, making her feel unsteady, which only made her hold him closer. He fell forward, losing his balance, and gripped the edge of the counter with one hand, while his other hand was on her back, his fingers pressing in, holding onto her as if she was his anchor.
She felt his heart pounding against hers, and she breathed in the scent of him, chocolate and sugar; sweet, so sweet she wanted to lick his skin.
