A Taste of Trouble (24 page)

Epilogue

Liv turned off the lights of her bakery. Holding tight a box of leftover cupcakes, she walked to the front door where Jake waited for her. Dressed in a black shirt and gray dress pants, he looked scrumptious. His strong upper body filled out his leather jacket, giving her the urge to run her hands up and down his pecs.

“This was the best grand opening I've ever been to,” he said.

“It's probably the only grand opening you've been to.”

The bakery looked exactly as it had before the fire. Blush pink paint covered the walls, new furniture sat in front of the store window, and a new awning bearing the name
Cupcake!
hung outside. The only difference was the addition of a second hook in the kitchen, where Jake hung his custom “I'm sweet on the owner” apron when he fulfilled his duties as Chief Stirrer.

“I couldn't have done this without you.” She snuggled into his side. “I think you had every food critic in the GTA show up today.”

“And the ones that couldn't make it—a box of cupcakes was sent to their door.”

“How did you—” Liv's head spun trying to think of an answer to her unfinished question. “The lady who came in a few days ago and bought six boxes?”

“She was my assistant at Weston.”

She smacked his arm.

“Ow! That's what I get for being your publicist? Abuse?”

She lifted onto her toes and laid a soft kiss on his lips.

“Thank you. That's much better.”

She let out a hard breath. No matter how nerve-racking the day had been, tonight was going to be even worse.

“Do you think I should bring these?” She lifted the box toward him.

“He'll love them.”

“Should I go home and change?”

“Liv, you look beautiful.” He grabbed her around the hips and bent his knees to look at her at eye level. “You're glowing, actually, and I'm a little jealous that it wasn't me who gave you that glow.”

Heat spiraled in her belly. “We could always step in the back and make it come true.” She'd postpone evacuating for a tornado if it meant she could have Jake's hard body pressed against, and inside, her own.

“No way! Nice try. We've got to go.”

Her shoulders slumped. “All right.”

After weeks of contemplation, she had finally decided to meet with her father. She couldn't do it alone. She didn't want to do it alone.

“I'm proud of you.”

“Don't be so proud just yet. I'm still capable of throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the restaurant if he says something I don't like.”

He gave her a stern look as he pulled the door open. The happy jingle filled her ears, a final calming sound before she ventured on a life-changing dinner meeting.

She slid the key into the lock and hesitated before she finally turned it and heard the soft click.

“Are you ready?” He held her tight.

As they walked in the night air, Liv settled into the warmth and security of Jake's body.

She had everything she needed. After tonight, maybe even something she'd thought she never wanted.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to my fabulous editors at Entangled Publishing for giving me the chance to make my dream come true.

About the Author

When her dream of becoming a mafia princess didn't pan out, Gina Gordon went after her second dream…becoming a writer. And she hasn't looked back.

Gina, a self-proclaimed happily-ever-after junkie and cupcake
connoisseuse
, loves spinning contemporary tales of knee-bending first kisses, unconditional love, and super-hot sex. She broke out onto the romance scene with her #1 Amazon Bestselling erotic short story
Her Five Favorite Words
, that's been called a “deliciously naughty tale” by Joyfully Reviewed.

When not chained to her computer, you can find Gina sipping Starbucks, making cupcakes, or feeding her addiction to celebrity gossip. She lives in Milton, Ontario with her husband and lovable dog.

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