Cake

by Carmen Jenner

  “Mmm,” I say, but it comes out more like a moan.

  “Fuck, Pop Tart, you know I can’t resist that sexy whimper.” He sets the cake down and pulls me closer, then he turns me and kisses my neck as he unfastens the zip on my black velvet gown. Leo pushes me forward on the table and rubs his hard cock against my ass. “I fucking love this dress.”

  “You love taking this dress off. I’ve never worn it for more than five minutes at a time because you’re always trying to get me out of it.”

  “Isn’t that the same thing?”

  “Not even remotely.” I straighten and turn to face him, my straps falling from my shoulders. Leo slips his fingers behind the fabric covering my breasts and peels it from my body. His hands circle my waist, and he lifts me onto the table. I open the box beside me. Lavender buttercream with confetti sprinkles. I dip my finger in the frosting and bring it to my mouth, but Leo grabs my hand and sucks my finger clean.

  “You know I almost feel bad every time I pick up one of these?”

  “Why?”

  “Because they go to so much trouble to make these look amazing and we just mess it all up,” he says.

  “I’m okay with mess.”

  “Really?” He taunts me with that gorgeous smile.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Now you say that, but are you going to nag me if I get frosting all over the apartment?” Leo’s eyes twinkle with mischief as he dips a finger into the frosting. I try to sneak another taste, but he shakes his head. “No. No more cheating.”

  I pout but close my eyes and open my mouth. He places his fingers inside and I suck hard, eliciting a groan from him as the sweetness of buttercream dances over my tongue. “Jesus, Poppy.”

  “Nope, not Jesus, though it would be a handy trick turning water into wine.”

  Leo smiles and shoves his hand inside the box, grabbing a fistful of cake and frosting, and smearing it on my leg. I giggle and squeeze my eyes tightly shut. He trails his fingers up my thigh toward my panties, and then he lowers his head and cleans up the mess with his tongue. I drive my hands into his hair, bite my lip, and moan.

  My phone rings. No, no, no. Not now.

  “Ignore it,” Leo says.

  “I can’t,” I pant. “It’s probably Jacinta. She wants to discuss us bringing in a freelance event planner to help with wedding season.” We’re swamped since I made partner and Katherine quit. Reluctantly, I pull my phone from my clutch and answer it, “Poppy speaking.”

  “Poppy,” Claire says. She sounds as if she’s been crying. “I just received your invite.”

  “Oh, um, are you okay?”

  Leo’s phone rings, and he rolls his eyes and pulls it from his pocket getting frosting all over the front of his suit pants. “Hey Chase, what’s up?”

  “Chase cheated on me. We’re getting divorced,” Claire wails.

  My jaw drops. I glance at Leo, who’s shaking his head. While Leo and Chase are still relatively close, Claire and I have drifted even further apart since the wedding. In fact, I can’t remember the last time she returned my calls.

  “Chase, I’m gonna have to call you back,” Leo says, hanging up the phone. He takes my cell from me and speaks into the microphone. “Hey, Claire. I’m really sorry but Poppy’s unavailable tonight.”

  My eyes go wide, and I grab for the phone, but he makes a show of hanging it up and holding it high above my head.

  I scowl. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “Babe, Claire was never any kind of friend to you. She doesn’t even know how lucky she is to have you in her life. She fucked your fiancé, got knocked up, and married him. She married your ex.”

  “Well, now you’re marrying his ex.”

  Leo frowns. “Why do we still talk to these people?”

  I laugh. “I have no idea.”

  “We need to find some new friends,” he says, wrapping me in his arms, and bowing his head to kiss my neck and collarbone.

  I nod and tilt my head to give him better access. “Uh-huh.”

  “But first, we have a cake to destroy.”

  Yes, we do.

  Epilogue

  Life is short. Eat the cake

  One year later

  Poppy

  In all the times I’ve dreamed about my wedding, I never saw it happening in Central Park. Sure, it is beautiful, and I have had a thousand brides dream up fall, winter, spring, and even summer weddings here that I’ve helped bring to life, but it has never been for me. Until Leo made me see the beauty in it.

  A little more than a year ago, he pulled me into the water conservatory, and the two of us found ourselves soaking wet in Central Park in the middle of winter. That was the day he realized he loved me. Of course, Leo decided to keep that little tidbit under wraps for a lot longer.

  So, in front of thirty of our closest friends and family, today we said “I do” under a gorgeous spring sky surrounded by the Cherry Blossoms east of the Boathouse. Leo had suggested the conservatory water, where we both fell in, but I vetoed it on account of not wanting a repeat, especially in my wedding dress.

  Now, I stare at my husband as he picks up a small piece of the cake we just cut. His grin has mischief written all over it, and I know exactly what he’s about to attempt to do because ruining cake is as much a part of our weekly lives as it is on our wedding day. I know exactly what he intends to do, because I’m right there with him.

  Several flashes go off as I lift my hand to his face and pose for a picture. He does the same. All at once, we smash it into one another’s faces. We’re both in hysterics, as are our wedding guests. With an arm wrapped around my waist, Leo draws me near and kisses the frosting from my mouth. “We’re taking some of this home tonight, right?”

  I laugh. “There’s already a special treat in our room at the Waldorf.”

  He growls and kisses me again. “This is why I love you, Mrs. Nass.”

  “Because I feed your fetish for cake?”

  “Because you let me feed yours.” He winks. “Well, that and your grumpy cat, and this very fine ass I can’t wait to get a hold of after the reception.”

  “Seems like you’ve got a pretty good grip on it already.” I chuckle and draw him in again for another kiss. “And I love you too.”

  “Even when you hate me?”

  “Especially when I hate you.”

  “I knew it.” He grins, slides his hand behind my back, and dips me. I squeal, feeling the ground race toward me, but Leo has me. He always did. He leans in and kisses me beneath a shower of falling cherry blossoms. I feel the passion in his kiss, taste the frosting on his lips, and wonder how life could possibly get any sweeter.

  More from the Author

  Welcome to Sugartown (Sugartown Series #1)

  Enjoy Your Stay (Sugartown Series #2)

  Greetings from Sugartown (Sugartown Series #3)

  Now Leaving Sugartown (Sugartown Series #4)

  KICK (Savage Saints MC #1)

  TANK (Savage Saints MC #2)

  REVELRY (Taint #1)

  Finding North

  Toward the Sound of Chaos

  Harley & Rose

  The Way Back Home

  PUCK LOVE

  Acknowledgements

  To my darling non-husband Ben, you are my everything! You finally read my damn books!!!

  Ava Rose and Ari Danger, I love you more than the sun, and more than the stars, and more than the moon, and more than Mars, and way more than ... chickens!

  To my gorgeous family, I love you!

  To my beautiful beta readers: Kristina Zolnar, Ali Hymer, and Anne Dawson. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’d be lost without all of you. Thanks for being the first to read my books before they’ve been prettied up, and for having faith in me when I sometimes don’t.

  Lauren from Lauren Clarke Editing, thank you for always pushing me to give a little more, for loving my work, and your innate ability to see the things that I can’t. I’m forever grateful. Also, you’re a freakin
g awesome friend, and I still want to steal your baby.

  To the ridiculously talented Yehuda Devir. Working with you was a dream come true. It’s ridiculous how talented you are. Thank you for making this cover stand out from all the rest.

  Ben from Be Designs, these teasers! *dies* Your talents should be illegal. Thanks for putting the cover together like only you can, and thanks for putting up with me.

  And finally, a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to the readers! I never expected to be able to explore so many worlds with my writing, to meet so many amazing people—both real and fictional—nor did I expect that six years after beginning my writing career I’d have people reading my books and waiting in lines at signings to say hello. I’m blown away every day by your love and support.

  About the Author

  Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

  A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict, cake fanatic, and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives in sunny Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

  A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

  Read more at Carmen Jenner’s site.