Layla sighed. “I hope they don’t finish all the snacks before they reach their next fuel stop.” She missed her aunts already.
“They finished the dumplings already,” Dean said with a laugh. “I’m thinking...we can go visit them. At Springlake.”
When Layla widened her eyes at him, Dean continued, “You can close the bakery for a few days and we’ll drive up to Springlake to visit your aunts. I’d like to look at some good locations at Springlake. It’s a nice town with quite a big population. It’s pretty promising.”
“Huh?”
“Dean’s Kitchen may be opening a branch there.”
“Oh. So you’re the cook and the business manager. Is this an assignment from your boss? From the Big Dean himself?” Layla asked, arching a brow.
Dean paused. “I...um, I am the Big Dean himself.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Layla stared at him. “You own Dean’s Kitchen? You are the Dean of Dean’s Kitchen?” she said slowly. “Dean Howell,” she said, recalling the owner’s name. She’d read about the owner of Dean’s Kitchen in an article somewhere. “You...are Dean Howell?”
“Yeah.”
“You...” She punched his arm again. “You told me you’re the cook there!”
“I am,” he said earnestly. “I am the cook.”
“And the owner!”
“Yeah. Just like you’re the baker and the owner of The Magic Oven.”
Layla snorted. “The Magic Oven is just a small, humble little bakery.”
“That’s how Dean’s Kitchen started. As a tiny, struggling restaurant. I couldn’t even cover the overheads initially. If not for my brother, Zack, I would have folded within the first year. Zack pumped capital into the restaurant and stuck with me.”
Layla nodded thoughtfully and gave him a lopsided smile. “You’ve certainly come a long way.” She turned and saw some customers walking into her bakery.
“I gotta go,” she said, jogging backwards. “I think I might actually finish selling everything on the shelves today,” she said excitedly. “Woohoo!”
Dean grinned. “I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.” She blew him a kiss and ran into the shop. She was happy to be busy, and she was glad to have Dean around. He had come to see her aunts off and had specially made dumplings for them. The guy was attentive, caring and thoughtful. And he was the owner of Dean’s Kitchen. She’d slept with the Big Dean himself!
Layla blushed and fanned herself quickly. They’d had a scorching time between the sheets. But Dean hadn’t done a Wham-Bam-ThankYouMa’am on her. It certainly looked like he was keen to stick around.
Layla tried to wipe the grin off her face and failed. She still couldn’t believe that her aunts had made him a member of their coven.
Dean was the whole package. He was good-looking, smart, sweet and sexy as hell.
“And he can cook,” Layla murmured as she stepped into her bakery.
As she finished attending to the customers in her shop, she saw that her phone was vibrating on the counter.
He was calling already? They’d just parted not two minutes ago.
She did a happy jig as she answered the call. “Hi, Dean,” she said breathlessly.
“Hey, I was wondering if you’d be free for dinner tonight,” Dean said.
“Tonight?”
“Yeah. At my place.” He gave her his address. “I’m cooking.”
She laughed. “Okay. What time should I be there?”
“Around seven-thirty?”
“Okay. What should I bring?”
“Do you happen to have any chocolate chip cookies left?”
Layla peered at the tray. “Yeah. I have some left. I think they’ll fill a small bag.”
“Great! Noah will be thrilled. I promised him chocolate chip cookies and ice-cream after dinner.”
Layla sucked in a breath. “Who’s Noah?”
“My nephew. My brother and his family are coming over. See you later.”
Layla blinked at her phone. She put her phone down slowly and wiped her clammy hands on her apron.
She was going to meet Dean’s family tonight. That was a big deal, right?
Dean was close to his brother, and it was clear that he adored his little nephew. She glanced at the clock and ran to the back. She would close up early so she could go home and change into something nice.
“The cookies.” She gasped and skidded out to the front again. “Mustn’t forget the cookies for Noah!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Dean threw his door wide open and scooped his nephew up. “Uncle Dean!” Noah cried. “For you!” The boy thrust a bunch of flowers at him.
“For me?” Dean said in surprise and amusement. “You brought me flowers?”
“They’re for Uncle Dean’s friend,” Zack said, stepping through the door and peering around the house. “Where is she?” Zack asked in a mock whisper. “Where are you hiding her?”
“Zack, behave yourself,” Renee tut-tutted. She smiled at Dean and said, “Girls love flowers. And Noah wants to impress your girl.”
“She’s bringing me chocolate chip cookies, right?” Noah said with a cheeky grin.
Dean laughed. “Ah, so that’s why you’re giving her flowers. To get the biggest cookie.”
Noah nodded eagerly. “Where are the cookies?”
“Noah, where are your manners?” Renee admonished. “And dessert will have to wait. You have to finish your dinner first.”
Dean looked out the window and saw Layla’s car pull up in front of his house. “Layla’s here.”
“That’s Aunt Layla,” Renee told her son. “Go give her the flowers.”
Noah wriggled out of Dean’s arms and jumped up and down. “Aunt Layla!” he shrieked. “Aunt Layla, these are for you!” He waved the flowers wildly, scattering a few petals.
Dean chuckled and asked Renee, “Where did he get the flowers?”
His sister-in-law shook her head. “I just bought a few pots of flowers for the living room. Noah helped himself to the flowers, so now the pots are all bare.”
Dean stifled a laugh. He knew how much Renee liked her plants. His brother’s penthouse used to have only stark, modern furniture, but now the place was decorated with pots of lush, beautiful plants. His wife had green fingers, while his son had quick fingers.
Layla came towards the house, wearing a pretty floral dress and a shy smile. She saw the whole family waiting for her at the front door and blushed. “Hi, am I late? I had to go back because I forgot the cookies...”
“You forgot the cookies?” Noah said, his small shoulders slumping. He almost dropped all the flowers on the ground.
“Oh no,” Layla said quickly, seeing the boy’s disappointment. “I went back and got them. Here they are!” She held out a bag and smiled. “I hope you like chocolate chip.”
Noah grinned. “Your flowers, Aunt Layla,” he said, holding them out to her.
Layla gasped. “Thank you so much, they’re beautiful!”
“I plucked them from Mommy’s pots.”
Layla looked up at Renee and the two women laughed softly. Dean stepped forward and introduced Layla to his family. Renee hugged her immediately, and Zack shook her hand with a wide smile. “We’ve been dying to meet you, Layla,” he said.
Layla looked from Zack to Dean. The two men had identical grins. All the Howell men were blond and blue-eyed, including Noah.
“Come on, let’s eat,” Dean said. “Make yourselves comfortable while I get the food.”
“I’ll help. So, what’s on the menu tonight?” Zack asked, following his brother into the kitchen while Renee steered her rambunctious son and Layla to the dining room.
“Spaghetti, and dumplings!” Dean announced.
“Dumplings? You’ve never made dumplings before.” Zack peered suspiciously into the pan. “Are we your guinea pigs tonight? Hmm, I must say these are some oddly shaped dumplings. Are you sure...”
Dean smirked. “Don’t k
nock them until you’ve tried them.”
Zack stuffed a dumpling into his mouth and shouted, “Ow, hot, hot, hot!” His eyes watered as he chewed in a frenzy. “Oh my, this is fantastic. I think I’ll have another one. I don’t even mind burning the inside of my mouth again.”
Dean slapped his brother’s hand away. “Get them out of the pan and onto the plate. Stop eating, Zack!”
Zack chortled as he popped two dumplings into his mouth before carrying the plates out to the dining table.
“Hey, Renee, Noah,” Zack called out. “You’ve got to try these. Come get them before they’re all gone!”
Turning to Layla, Zack grinned and said, “Nobody can cook like Dean. My brother is the best chef in the universe! I’ll eat anything he cooks, but...” He lowered his voice. “Don’t tell him that.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Layla helped clear the table and carry the plates to the kitchen. She couldn’t remember the last time she had enjoyed a meal so much. Dinner was great. Layla suspected that the food tasted so much better because she was sharing it with family.
Dean’s family was warm and close-knit. The brothers talked about everything over dinner. Zack rattled off some financial news to Dean and talked about some of their old friends and neighbors. Dean told his brother about how his restaurants were doing and mentioned that he might be looking to open branches in some of the nearby towns.
They included Layla in their conversation, asking her about her bakery and her family. When Layla told them that she was a competent baker but a clumsy witch, Zack and Renee both encouraged her and urged her not to give up.
“I’m not a witch so I don’t know how magic works,” Renee said, squeezing Layla’s hand over the table. “But I have faith in you. I just know that you can do it.”
Layla liked Renee a lot. The woman was smart, sensitive and she seemed to be able to read her husband like a book. Renee was Zack’s PA. That was how they met. At work. After their son was born, Renee cut back on her working hours and worked part-time in Zack’s company, so she could devote more time to their little boy.
As the family helped wipe down the table, load the dishwasher and got the spoons and bowls out for dessert, Layla smiled wistfully at the warm scene in the kitchen. She and her mom used to cook and clean together. But now, she cooked and ate alone in that little rented house. She missed these small, precious moments. Moments that created the most beautiful, heartwarming memories.
Zack was at the fridge. He grabbed the tubs of ice-cream and hollered, “Get the spoons, buddy!”
“I got them, Daddy!” Noah raised the spoons triumphantly in his small fists and whooped.
The boy squirmed impatiently as he watched his mom scoop the ice-cream into his bowl. With a large cookie in his hand, Noah dug into his ice-cream with gusto.
Layla beamed when she saw how much the kid was enjoying himself. No wonder Dean said that he absolutely loved cooking for family. It really was the greatest joy to feed your loved ones.
With a start, Layla stared at the people sitting around the table. This was Dean’s family, but they felt like her family too. The affection she felt towards them was strong and genuine. She liked Zack and Renee, and it was hard not to love their precocious little boy. Noah was adorable, and he clearly had his Daddy and Uncle Dean wrapped around his little finger.
“I have to be the bad cop,” Renee told Layla in mock exasperation. “These big bears are real softies. They’ll spoil Noah rotten.”
Noah licked his spoon and flashed Layla a wide, impish smile. “Thank you for the cookies, Aunt Layla,” Noah said. There were cookie crumbs and ice-cream all over his face. “They’re delicious!”
“You’re welcome,” she said, giving the boy a big hug. “I’ll bring more next time.”
“Really?” His face shone with pure joy. “Pinky promise?”
“Pinky promise.”
The family sat around and chatted for a bit more before Noah began to yawn and fidget. “It’s his bedtime. We have to get him to bed,” Renee said, tapping her husband’s arm.
At the door, Zack, Renee and Noah hugged Layla and said they would see her again next week. They drove over to Dean’s place for dinner almost every weekend.
“Because Noah loves his Uncle Dean’s cooking,” Renee said. “We all do.”
Zack tooted the horn as he drove off. Dean and Layla waved until the silver Jaguar was out of sight.
“Noah will be asleep long before they reach home,” Dean said. “It’s about an hour’s drive for them.”
“You never wanted to move to the heart of the big city to be nearer your brother and his family?” Layla asked, turning to him.
“I like the suburbs,” Dean answered. “There’s less noise and more space.”
“Yeah.” Layla agreed. “You have a really nice place,” she said, indicating his spacious bungalow.
“Thanks. It was an old house, a real fixer-upper,” he said. “I bought it and redid everything. I knocked down the walls to create an open kitchen and enlarge the dining area. It’s pretty comfortable now.” He shrugged.
Layla turned and glanced at her car. She should go. They’d both had a long day.
She started to thank him for the lovely dinner but Dean silenced her with a soft kiss.
“Stay, Layla,” he whispered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Dean tugged Layla towards him. She didn’t resist. Willingly, she went into his arms and leaned against him.
Dean breathed in her scent deeply. It felt so good to have her here in his arms, in his home.
Home wasn’t just a place. It was a feeling, a feeling of love, belonging and security.
Layla was all that, and more. After so long, he had finally found his home, his forever.
Dean had been working since he was a teenager, struggling to raise his younger brother all by himself. He was eighteen when their dad died, and he had unhesitatingly stepped up to become both brother and parent to Zack. He made sure that his baby brother never went hungry, and he tried his best to be a good role model for Zack.
Seeing the man Zack had become, Dean felt so proud and gratified. Obviously, he had done something right.
Dean had been so happy for Zack when Zack found his mate. But it made him wonder if he would ever find his own fated female. Dean was already in his late thirties, and he had been through quite a few short-lived relationships. Frankly, he had grown weary of the dating scene. He didn’t want to get on that same old merry-go-round again, spinning on the spot and going nowhere.
Work was so much more satisfying. He would rather be in the kitchen than be out partying.
As fate would have it, if he hadn’t been working in the kitchen that night, he wouldn’t have bumped into Layla.
It was meant to be.
Layla was his, and it was time to claim what was his.
Layla sighed, melting against him. Her body was soft, relaxed and pliant. She had met his family, and it was clear that she liked them very much. It made him so happy to see Layla enjoying the company and the food. Family was everything to him.
And Layla was his family.
Dean locked the front door softly behind him as he tilted Layla’s beautiful face up. Her deep brown eyes gazed back at him, and Dean saw the yearning and desire in them.
“Layla,” he whispered against her lips.
Layla moaned as he kissed her deeply, passionately. Dean could scent her growing desire and want. She wrapped her arms around his neck and speared her fingers through his short, blond hair. Unconsciously, Layla began to rub her body against his, driving him wild.
Dean grabbed her and began to undress her. He couldn’t wait any longer. His bear was going crazy.
There was no way they were going to make it to his bedroom. Layla was gasping and clawing at his clothes as he unhooked her bra and fondled her heavy breasts. Their hunger for each other burned like wildfire, growing and spiraling out of control.
He was going to have her on
his living room floor. All the doors were locked and the curtains drawn. He could make love to his mate in every room in the house. No one would see or interrupt them.
The scent of her lust maddened him. He needed to take her and make her his now.
With his claws, Dean shredded Layla’s bra and panties, and stared at her beautiful naked body.
Layla was spread out like a feast for him on his carpet. Dean’s mouth watered as he spread her legs and stared at her glistening sex.
He was going to make her come so hard against his mouth. And he was going to swallow every drop of her delicious sticky juices.
Growling, Dean covered her sex with his mouth and worked his tongue hungrily over her soft, wet folds. His eyes almost rolled back in his head at the taste of his mate. He was never, ever going to get enough of her. He was going to have her, every single night for the rest of his life.
Dean moved his lips over her pussy, kissing, licking and tasting her thoroughly. His growl deepened as he took her swollen little nub into his mouth. The vibrations in his throat heightened her pleasure, and Layla let out a groan as she thrashed her head from side to side.
Circling Layla’s erect clit with his tongue, Dean increased the pace and pressure until she panted and pleaded. “Dean...don’t stop...” she begged. “Don’t stop...please...”
A smirk curved his lips. He loved hearing his mate beg for more as he tormented her into a quivering mess with his mouth and hands.
But she didn’t have to beg.
He was the one on his knees, worshiping every inch of her delectable, curvaceous body.
She owned him, completely and eternally.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Dean groaned as he slipped a finger into Layla’s tight heat. She was so deliciously wet and tight. She looked so incredibly beautiful, lying beneath him, looking up at him with her sultry, trusting eyes.
Dean pushed another finger into her body. Layla pulled her legs up to spread herself wider for him. Her skin was flushed and her breaths were coming hard and fast. Dean could feel her walls rippling as he thrust into her.
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