Page 20 of A Heart to Find
He remembered that, too, huh?
“I’ll have you know, I have cut waaaaaay back on the amount of sugar I put in.”
“Good to know. You’re sweet enough as it is.”
False praise or not, his words and the deepening tone he used to deliver them made her blush yet again.
“Oh, it’s right here.” He grabbed the door from a happy couple exiting. She started through the door, but another couple—too caught up in gazing longingly into each other’s eyes to notice her trying to work her way through the space—knocked her into Jared. She fumbled to right herself, grabbing the front of his jacket for balance. His free arm darted up to hold her steady.
He smelled like cinnamon and men’s soap. Nostalgic.
This close, she could see the faint shadows of stubble along his chin. She could feel his breath warming the top of her head, teasing the hairs at the root. Was that his heartbeat thudding against her knuckles?
She wanted more.
So she let go as fast as she could and turned away, suddenly desperate for a chocolate chip scone. And extra sugar in her coffee. Extra, extra, extra sugar.
She felt him watching her as she ordered her caramel latte and cinnamon roll. She asked them to throw in a chocolate chip cookie to top off her order. As she prepared to pay, she remembered her manners and turned to ask if he wanted anything. He smiled and shook his head. Ugh, that smile. He had her flustered, and he knew it.
She turned back to the cashier and sweetly asked for one of those yummy looking pecan braids. For later.
“Hungry? Or just nervous?” He tried to hand his credit card to the cashier, but Keira swatted his hand away and slipped hers into the pay machine.
“Why would I be nervous?” She refused to look his way, instead choosing to reorganize her wallet.
“I have no idea. But I seem to remember you having major cravings for sweets around finals time.” He leaned closer to her shoulder. “And also around the time of our first kiss. I never saw anyone eat so many doughnuts. But I also never viewed powdered sugar the same way after that.”
She stiffened and walked away, telling him over her shoulder that he was ridiculous. Waiting for her order at the other end of the corner, she tried to think of something she could say to change the topic.
He was enjoying her discomfort way too much.
But all she could think about were powdered sugar kisses.
“Maybe you should go ahead without me while I wait for my order. Save us a spot.”
“Oh sure, because walking into a couples’ cooking class alone wouldn’t be awkward at all.”
“Never knew you to be so insecure,” she teased.
“Ooh, those are fighting words.” His eyes twinkled. She looked away.
“Fighting is what we did best, right?” she shot back.
“That’s not how I remember it.”
Keira thanked the coffee gods and the barista for pushing her order across the counter at that very moment. She immediately pulled the cookie from the bag and devoured a large section of it, smiling at him around the mouthful.
The sidewalk was packed with couples venturing off for their scheduled dates. Though she usually didn’t care for crowds, this was a blessing in disguise, because it made conversation difficult for the rest of the walk.
She admired the movie-set quality of the culinary center as they entered, smiling at how cozy the whole thing looked. As if they’d be having a pie bake-off at any moment.
Too bad she really couldn’t cook.
She couldn’t help but smile when Jared slipped into the red and white striped apron. She put hers on, too, reaching behind her to tie it while laughing at him for trying to tie his into a pretty bow.
The instructor announced that they’d be making pasta.
Keira turned toward Jared, determined to let go of the awkwardness she had been carrying since the coffee shop incident.
