“I’ve been taking in the changes for hundreds of years,” he said. “I could hear everything that went on around me, and could see a bit of it. That’s what I’m enjoying the most, being able to see again.” He came up to her and placed his fingertips against the sides of her face, shading her eyes with his palms, like horse blinders. “Straight ahead of me, not up or down or left or right. That’s all I could see.
She shuddered and reached up to take his hands. “How awful.” She couldn’t imagine being stuck like that for an hour, let alone as long as he had been. “And I’m keeping you cooped up day and night, only seeing the inside of this place and the grocery store. I wish we had some free time. We could go to the beach.”
“There’s an ocean nearby?” he asked, looking so excited, she wanted to drive him there right then.
“About twenty minutes away,” she answered, realizing she needed a fresh bag of flour, but not wanting to take her eyes off him as he gazed beyond her, lost in his thoughts. “Do you miss it?”
He nodded, shaking himself free of his memories. “Yes, very much. But if it’s still there after five hundred years, it’ll still be there when we get some free time.” He stepped away from her, all business. “Tell me what to do.”
She appreciated his devotion to her shop, even if it was enforced by the curse. His willingness to give up something he so clearly wanted in order to help her, made her heart do that disturbing flutter again. She wanted to show him how grateful she was to him for going along with her without raging or complaining, but there was an order that had to be filled. Her first big corporate order, she couldn’t screw it up.
“I need a new bag of flour.”
She pointed to the pantry and set about measuring out the other ingredients for her half of the cupcakes. A few seconds later Erik swore loudly, then coughed violently, and she turned to see him surrounded by a cloud of flour. It clung to his shirt and arms, and he was surrounded by a halo of it as it floated around him to the floor.
“What did you do?” she asked, barely containing her laughter at the white mask that settled across his face.
“It attacked me when I opened it,” he said indignantly, caught up in a coughing fit again.
She saw the way the bag was torn, and realized he must have roughly pulled it apart or squeezed it, causing it to explode on him. She laughed, wishing she had seen it happen.
“You don’t know your own strength,” she said, unable to stop laughing even after the dark scowl he gave her. He wasn’t the least intimidating with flour streaked all over his face.
“This isn’t funny,” he said, trying to wipe it off, but only making it worse.
“It’s pretty funny,” she said, backing away. “Are you sure you aren’t a ghost?” she asked, doubling over when he sneezed and a cloud of it poofed everywhere.
His face turned deadly serious and she clapped her hand over her mouth to try and stop giggling. He reached his hand toward the ripped bag and she shook her head, racing around the other side of the counter.
“Don’t you even—” before she could get the command out, a huge fistful of flour hit her square in the face.
She coughed, then laughed, which caused her to choke. He ran around and smacked her on the back.
“Are you okay?” he asked, suspiciously concerned. She nodded, and another handful of flour rained down on her from above. “Yes, I see it now,” he said, laughing at her. “It does make you look like a ghost.”
“Oh, you’re going to pay for that,” she promised, racing for the bag.
He beat her to it and shot another spray at her shirt, grabbing her hand to keep her from retaliating. She twisted out of his grip and reached the flour, taking two big scoops and flinging it at him. He sputtered a cough through his laughter, and took a menacing step toward her, making her shriek and try to get away. She pivoted on her heel to grab the bag to keep it from him, and all the flour that ended up on the floor made her feet slip out from under her.
Her laughter got cut off as she felt herself plummeting to the tiles, but Erik grabbed her around the middle and scooped her up, pulling her close to him.
She grabbed his shoulder and coughed when a new puff of flour erupted off his shirt, and he grabbed a dishtowel with his free hand and dusted off her face, still chuckling at her appearance.
“You saved me,” she said breathlessly, before slapping his chest. “But it was your fault I fell.”
She couldn’t help one last giggle at how completely white he was. She must have looked the same or worse. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d been so carefree. Audrey from a week ago would have been irritated by a ripped flour bag, would have fumed over having to clean up such a mess, but all she could think about was what fun she was having with Erik. There was something about him that made her completely forget her troubles, and seeing the boyish side of him, laughing and playing, made her feel positively squishy inside. Her heart beat faster from the laughter and running, and it wasn’t about to slow down as long as he kept holding her like that.
“It was you who started this war,” he said, barely able to keep a straight face. “I merely finished it.”
Even his eyelashes were coated in white and the flour settled in the tiny creases around his eyes as he smiled.
“I don’t think you can announce yourself the winner,” she said. “We’re both covered.”
“That we are,” he agreed, effortlessly swinging her around to cradle her like a baby. “We certainly can’t work like this.”
He marched out of the kitchen and up the stairs, taking her into the bathroom and setting her feet back on the floor, reaching across her to close them both in.
He leaned into the shower and turned it on, then took the hem of her shirt and raised it. This wasn’t necessary, they could just change their clothes and rinse their faces until later. And they could most certainly do that separately. Should do that separately.
She lifted her arms and let him sweep the shirt over her head, closing her eyes as he trailed his fingers down her arms as she lowered them. He took off his own shirt, and the warm steam from the shower and his heavenly muscular chest made her weak at the knees. He kissed along the line of her bra, then popped open the clasp, sliding it off her shoulders. She was so glad he was a quick learner. His jeans were off in a blink and he knelt down in front of her, working free the button of hers. It was so cramped in the tiny bathroom, she found herself pressed against the wall between the sink and the tub, gripping his shoulders as he nuzzled her through her panties.
He continued working her jeans down her legs and on his way back up, he lifted her hips to pick her up again, and she wrapped her legs around him, still leaning against the wall. She pushed his flour sprinkled hair off his face and kissed him, the warm spray of the shower wafting over the curtain onto them making the flour a pasty glue between them. She could feel him pressing hard against her between her legs, and she shivered. Any thought of cupcakes or colored frosting was long gone, chased into oblivion by his magnificent body, his hands as they caressed her breasts, and his tongue as it claimed her mouth.
“The hot water’s going to run out,” she said, gasping at the heat they generated between them.
Keeping a firm hold on her, he stepped into the shower, pulling her under the warm spray. The water ran over them, causing rivulets of skin to show through the white. He opened her body wash and poured a huge glob into his hands, lathering her from her hair down to her waist. She kept her eyes squeezed shut as she rinsed, then lathered him, giggling when she couldn’t reach his hair and he lowered his head for her.
She marveled at the trust she felt toward him after such a short time, letting him do so many intimate things to her and with her. She hadn’t given him a command all day, yet he’d been completely agreeable to everything she asked, doing most of the work in the front without even being directed. They really were a good team, and she had the strangest feeling that he was meant to be here with her. Not just here in the sh
ower, though that was fantastic, but in her life.
Of course, she thought she probably only felt that way because his fingers were made of magic and she was just about to …
“Dear God, you’re good at that,” she said, trying to stay upright on her shaking legs. The water was now lukewarm and she quickly pushed herself against him, wanting more.
He lifted her and pushed her against the slippery tile wall, using one hand to support himself as she tangled her legs around him, waiting breathlessly for him to enter her. Instead of the immediate gratification she craved, he rubbed slowly and tantalizingly against her, nuzzling her neck until she felt as liquid as the water that splashed across his shoulders and streamed between their bodies.
“Shall I take you to bed?”
“Take me everywhere,” she said, not even feeling a hint of embarrassment at her brazen words. “I love this so much.”
She barely sighed out the words when he slid sinuously inside her, supporting as if she weighed hardly more than a cupcake. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder and sank her teeth into his hard flesh, hardly able to contain herself as the ripples of pleasure rocketed through her. Again. And again. Shaking, she leaned back against the shower wall and gasped for breath through the steamy air.
“I can’t,” she said, clinging to him. Could she die from all this goodness? At the moment she didn’t really care.
“Sure you can,” he told her with a wicked grin that sent a new jolt straight down her core.
Hoisting her higher into his strong arms, he stepped out of the shower and grabbed one of the big bath sheets, tossing it over her shoulders. Time seemed to speed up, or stand still, and the next thing she knew, she was on her back on his tiny bed. The invitation to take her to her own double bed where they’d have more room to roll around almost crossed her lips, but then his mouth was on hers and her brain turned into a mushy mass of sparkles, just trying to keep up with all the glorious sensations he introduced to her body.
The size of the bed didn’t hamper his moves at all, he was strong enough to lift her and move her with ease, and she held on, happy to be his submissive ragdoll for this time. With what little thought capacity she had left, she honestly believed she could get addicted to him, his hands, his mouth, his amazing chest, his even more amazing—
“What are you thinking?” he asked, slowing his movements and nudging her chin with his.
Her cheeks exploded with heat, as if he read where her lusty thoughts were heading. The very thing she’d been appreciating was doing its best to make her go crazy. Shivers ran up and down her still damp skin and he pulled her closer to him, wrapping the threadbare quilt around them, wedging his elbows near her body to keep them from tumbling off the narrow bed. She couldn’t have been happier if they were in a five star hotel wrapped in silk and down.
“Nothing,” she said, trapped in his intense blue gaze. “Just enjoying myself.”
He pushed deeply and kissed her. “Me too, Audrey.”
His sweet smile chiseled away at her weakened heart and she had to look away to keep her emotions at bay, reminding herself forcefully that this was physical, nothing more. But it felt like something more. Damn it.
The beginnings of her worries were swept away when he became serious, reaching around to wrap her legs tightly around him and thrusting hard and fast as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.
“Ah, you’re sweet,” he said, licking her neck as he finished.
It took her a minute to come back to the present, and she finally relaxed her muscles one by one, melting into the mattress as he kissed her here and there, finally settling beside her and wrapping his arms around her. His heartbeat pounded near her ear and she smiled to herself that he’d got as worked up as she did. He traced her shoulders and back with his fingertips and she rested quietly for several minutes, regaining her breath and enjoying the warm, sated feeling that settled over her.
She curled up next to him, not as sleepy as the night before, and traced her fingers along his chest. She could get used to this. No, she couldn’t. That would be the worst possible thing. Erik kissed the top of her head, driving every thought from it, leaving only the warm glow of his loving.
There was nothing wrong with enjoying what she had for as long as she had it. If he hadn’t fallen into her life, she’d be royally screwed. She knew her cupcakes were top quality and she’d always been confident the shop would be a success, but she also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sexy beast next to her was the main reason all the moms, high school girls, and grannies kept lining up. She wondered how something so awful as his curse could be such a wonderful blessing to her.
He was on the very edge of the bed and pulled her almost on top of him to keep her from falling off the other side, and she swung her leg over his hip.
“Why did the witch curse you?” she asked curiously. It wasn’t as if she needed an answer. But everything she knew about him showed that he wasn’t someone who deserved cursing. Maybe he was right in his extreme obsession for revenge. She nudged him when he didn’t answer. “Come on, tell me what it was for.” She knew with the way she worded it, he’d have to answer.
He sighed, knowing it as well, and he stiffened, clearly not wanting to tell her. She waited until he finally choked out the words.
“For this,” he said, running his fingers down her back, then waving his hand over her body.
“What?” She didn’t have a clue what he meant, and he closed his eyes as if in an agony of not wanting to tell her. “Tell me the whole story. All the details.”
“You won’t want the details,” he said assuredly.
“Well, give me the abridged version, then.”
He rolled back as much as he could without tumbling off the bed, still keeping a firm grip on her. “It happened the night before I was to leave on a campaign with my men. We were to sail a new trade route, testing the safety of it for the tradesmen to follow us if all went well. That foul witch cursed me for nothing more than showing her the best time of her life. She even admitted it before she sent me into that painting, to suffer more than five hundred years.”
“You slept with the witch?” she said, sitting up and feeling a strange and irrational anger building.
“We didn’t sleep, Audrey,” he said. She thumped him in the shoulder and scrambled off the bed. Her clothes were downstairs again, damn it, so she tore the sheet off and wrapped herself in it. He propped himself on his elbow, looking confused. “Why are you so angry?”
She wasn’t sure herself, and that made her angrier. Had she fooled herself into thinking there was never anyone in his life except her? Just the thought of him touching someone else had her about to throw something.
“So you had amazing sex with a witch and she cursed you for it? You’re not leaving anything else out?” She was positive there had to be more to the story. “Did you break an engagement, did you cheat on her?”
“I’d never seen her before she approached me at the tavern. I didn’t do anything she didn’t want. She begged me for more.”
Audrey’s stomach turned over and she wrenched the pillow out from under his arm and threw it at him. He easily deflected it and it fell to the floor with an unsatisfying plop.
“You only just met her? How long did you know her before you fell into bed with her?” she demanded, going red at the look on his face.
“How long did I know you?” he asked, so reasonably that she kicked the bed frame and stormed out, tripping over the sheet as she stumbled to her room.
Slamming the door didn’t help and she paced furiously, not wanting to break any of her own things because of that lecher. Who was now pounding on her door.
“Audrey, why are you so mad?”
She ignored him, and found a t-shirt and shorts to put on in case he burst into the room. Stupid man, being with other women. She cringed at how irrational her thoughts were, but she couldn’t control them. She wanted to kick him as hard as she could, then find the
witch herself and tear every strand of her hair out, one by one.
“Audrey, come on,” he hollered, pounding on the door.
She sat on her bed and hugged herself. Dear God, she was jealous. That’s what it was and it had to stop.
“Audrey, please,” he yelled again.
She stood up, fists clenched. “Why are you yelling at me through the door?” she yelled through the door. She’d known him three days and she was now insane. He’d made her crazy.
“Because I’m not allowed to come in there,” he yelled back.
That’s right, he wasn’t. She put her face in her hands and laughed, then swung open the door, standing just out of his reach. He’d pulled on his jeans, but the top button hung open and he was shirtless. A small part of her forgave him everything, but the bigger part wanted blood.
“I can’t believe you got cursed for sleeping with someone,” she said.
“We didn’t—”
“Shut up,” she cried, unable to hide her frustrated laughter anymore. “You make me so mad, getting dozens of phone numbers every day—”
“I crumpled them, didn’t I?” he asked. “I won’t accept them anymore. Just stop being so angry.”
She stamped her foot, knowing he had to keep flirting with all the women customers so they would stay customers, but she still had more to get out. “Then I find out your curse is because you showed some jealous witch the best night of her life.”
“I’m still reeling from it myself, believe me. I swear I didn’t do anything wrong. Are you coming out, now?” He looked so hopeful she wanted to step into his arms, but a new wave of anger crashed into her.
“And then you distracted me and we used up all that time.” Even in her fit of temper she couldn’t bring herself to call it a waste. She glanced at the clock on her dresser and wailed. “It’s after eleven and I still have to make all those cupcakes. I’m worn out because of you!”
He held out his hands, just outside her door frame. “Tell me what recipe to follow and I’ll make them all myself. I’ll stand in front of the oven until the timer goes off. I won’t let them cook a second too long.”
Valhalla Cupcakes Page 9
