Cupcakes & Macaroons: A Cupcakes Series Short Read online

  “Huh?” Cade asked, pulling his shirt over his head.

  I lifted my chin toward the statue and he threw his shirt, which landed perfectly on the Buddha and shielded his eyes.

  When I was naked, Cade took the vibrator from my hand and said, “Face the mirror.”

  With my legs already shaking in anticipation, I did as requested, bracing my hands on the marble counter and widening my stance. My gaze sought his in the mirror and the look on his face had my knees weakening.

  He placed his hand on my shoulder, then ran it down my back and over my hip, before caressing my ass and moving lower.

  “Always so fucking wet for me,” he growled.

  My eyes fluttered shut and when I heard the vibrator start to whirl, I thought, this isn’t going to take long at all.

  “Open ‘em.”

  I did as requested, watching his face as he teased my opening, first with his fingers, then with the tip of the vibrator. I parted my legs wider and arched my back, and the savage look in his eyes turned my blood up to boiling.

  “Cade,” I moaned, tilting my ass back farther, urging him to fill me up.

  “Palm your tit,” he said, leaning down to lick, then bite my shoulder, his gaze intent on my hand as I massaged my breast and pinched the nipple.

  When the vibrating wand slid inside of me, it felt like a reward, so I played with my nipple as I ground my ass against his hard cock.

  “Cade,” I managed again, my breath coming out in pants as I felt the orgasm get closer. “Rub my clit,” I begged, needing the friction.

  “Fuck … I need to taste you,” he said, his lips moving across my skin.

  “Be my guest,” I replied, yelping when I was quickly spun and lifted, my ass hitting the cold marble.

  Cade thrust the vibrator deeper inside me as he dropped to his knees and sucked my clit between his supple lips. I bucked and writhed, and would have been embarrassed about coming so soon if there weren’t fireworks exploding behind my eyes.

  Before I finished riding the wave, the vibrator was gone… a barely registered clink on the floor, and was replaced with Cade’s hot, pulsating cock.

  I was lifted again, and this time my back hit the wall as he fucked me in an animalistic frenzy.

  “Lila, fuck,” he managed, his hands gripping my hips as he plunged deeper and came with a moan.

  His lips worked my neck as we tried to catch our breath.

  I caressed his back absently, still euphoric, and asked, “Ready for the tub?”

  Cade grunted in agreement and said, “Love you, darlin’.”

  “I love you, too, stud muffin.”

  He slapped me on the ass and carried me to the tub as I laughed happily in his arms.

  Chapter 4

  We walked, we ate, we drank, we ate, and we ate again.

  Italian food in Italy was leaps and bounds more delicious than any Italian food I’d ever had before, and I liked to think of myself as a connoisseur.

  Whether it was the ingredients, the recipes passed down for generations, or simply the locale, I didn’t know. Probably all of the above. But, I’d never tasted gnocchi, carbonara, or cannoli that thrilled my taste buds like the delicious dishes in Venice.

  I’d thought Paris was romantic, and yes, of course it was, but there was something about hearing a man singing as we drank wine and looked at the boats on the water that filled me with euphoria and had me gazing at Cade with hearts in my eyes.

  “I love you so much,” I’d told him. “I can never repay you for the gift of this trip. It’s the most amazing experience of my life.”

  “You repay me every second you allow me to be in your life,” was his response.

  I mean … seriously? Was it any wonder I’d voluntarily tied myself to this man for the rest of my life?

  Of course, he’d gotten lucky again after a statement like that.

  It will be a miracle if I can still walk by the time we make it back home.

  Now, we were venturing outside of Venice. Cade was finally getting his day of fun. We’d rented a motorcycle and were going to ride through the countryside until Cade got his fill. Which meant we could be gone for hours … or days.

  I held on tight, enjoying the feel of his back against my front, and the smell of leather from his jacket.

  I’d fallen in love with this part of Cade first, or maybe it had started as lust, but knowing how being on the open road made him feel … free. And, having him want to share that with me, to have me with him as he acquainted himself with Italy in a visceral way, made me love him all the more.

  I watched as we passed lush landscapes and quaint cottages, groves of olives and grapes, and myriad of people going about their daily lives.

  The next day we were taking a flight on Ryanair from Venice to Barcelona, which was the last leg of our trip. On one hand, I couldn’t believe it was almost over. Being here with Cade was a dream and I never wanted it to end. On the other, I missed my kids, and my friends. And, I even missed my business.

  Plus, when we got back Cade would officially be living with us as my husband and Elin and Elena’s stepfather, and I couldn’t wait to see what our lives were going to be like on a normal, day-to-day basis.

  I took a deep breath and told myself to enjoy the ride.

  So I did, and before I knew it we were in Belluno, with its impressive mountainous backdrop and charmingly colorful palazzos and villas.

  We stopped for lunch in the Piazza dei Martiri and then got back on the road.

  By the time we made it back to the loft, which I would miss terribly when we left, we were both exhausted from a day of fresh air, and I was stiff from so much time on the bike. Luckily, we had the hot tub readily available, and I was able to soak some of the pain away.

  The next morning we were up early and on our way to the airport after saying goodbye to the beautiful apartment, and to Venice.

  The flight was less than two hours, so before long, we were landing in Barcelona, Spain.

  “So, what kind of apartment will we be in this time?” I asked as we loaded into a cab.

  “Actually, this one is a house. Matt is still signed with the NFL and his wife is from Barcelona, so they spend quite a bit of time here. It just so happened that he’s gearing up for the season, so they’re at their home in Minnesota.”

  The sign said Las Ramblas and I noticed we’d once again be within walking distance to everything we may need. There was the La Boqueria market, a few restaurants, and what looked like a rooftop bar.

  Cade’s friends knew how to live life right.

  “Oh my gosh, Cade, this is insane,” I said as I took in the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Amy May would die for this kitchen.”

  Once again there was both indoor and outdoor space, along with clean lines and a fresh open concept.

  “I am getting so many ideas,” I told Cade as I walked around touching everything.

  “For what?” he asked.

  “Our next home?” I suggested.

  Cade had a gorgeous cabin in the woods that he used to live in. We’d been planning to keep it for a weekend place, but now it looked like his sister Alani was leaving their family in Hawaii and staying there while she went to school.

  Plus, we had my house, which my old boss Moose had left to me when he died, and we’d renovated.

  “You thinking about moving?” he asked, surprised.

  We’d put a lot of work into it and he knew how much I loved it.

  “Maybe,” I said with what I hoped was a casual shrug. “We’re married now and Elin and Lena are only getting bigger. Plus, if we decide to expand our family, we’ll probably need a bigger place.”

  Cade dropped his bag on the floor and crossed to me.

  “Is that what you want? More kids?” he asked, his hands coming up to cup my face.

  “I don’t know … do you?”

  “Lila, I’ve got Lena and Elin, you, and the dogs, so I’m a happy man. I’ve never thought much about having kids, because, w
ell, you know I never thought I’d settle down … until you. You changed everything. So, if you want babies, let’s have ‘em. And, if you don’t, well, I’m a blessed man already.”

  My eyes filled and I brought my hands up to cover his.

  “I don’t know if I want more kids or not, but figured you might.”

  “Then let’s say it’s open for discussion, and if it happens, it happens.”

  “Cade, I only have so many child-bearing years left,” I told him.

  “And if we decide we want them, there’s more than one way to have them, yeah?”

  I nodded and tip-toed up to press my lips against him.

  “You’re amazing.”

  “Right back at ya, darlin’.”

  Chapter 5

  So much shopping!

  I’d bought so many cool trinkets for everyone over the last few days. Chocolate turrón for Amy May, leather wallets for Jason and Bran, espardenyes for Bea and Shannon, a modernist tile coffee table book for Cynthia, and a Picasso poster for Carmen. Lena and Elin were going to think it was Christmas with all of the gifts I’d bought them. And, I’d even gotten myself beautiful painted pottery and a long flowing sundress.

  Every morning Cade and I went to Zara for coffee and then spent the day doing something new and exciting.

  One night we did a walking food tour, where we spent four hours stopping for tapas and learned about the different regions.

  We spent a couple days at the beach, which was of course my island-born man’s favorite thing to do. This meant we were both bronzed, and I have to say, Cade looked especially yummy with his naturally tanned skin even darker, and his long hair curly and textured from the saltwater.

  My favorite thing so far, though, had been the day we spent going to Casa Milá, Casa Batlló, and Sagrada Familia. The city itself was a work of art, with so many amazing cathedrals and buildings.

  Tonight, for our last night of our honeymoon, we were going to the Colón Hotel, where there was a rooftop bar and restaurant with live music.

  I’d spent the better part of an hour straightening my hair and artfully applying makeup; well, artfully for me. I was wearing my new dress, which, being bright and colorful with pinks and yellows, was something I’d normally never wear. Not with my red hair.

  But, for some reason, today it worked.

  When I walked out of the bathroom, Cade was standing in front of a long mirror buttoning his suit jacket. He looked breathtaking with his long hair down and framing his face and his beard neatly trimmed.

  “You look gorgeous,” he said, his eyes on me in the mirror.

  “So do you,” I replied with a grin.

  “Shall we?” Cade asked, holding out his arm for me.

  I placed my hand on his forearm and said, “Yes, please.”

  “Hmmm,” he murmured, his voice deep in his chest. “You know how in improv they have to say yes, and?”

  “Uh, yeah, but why do you know that?” I joked.

  “I know many, many things,” he replied, bringing his thumb up to caress my full lower lip.

  Luckily I was wearing a lip stain that wouldn’t wipe off.

  “Well, later, when I have you all to myself in that bed, I think we should play yes, please.”

  “What’s that?” I asked, my voice coming out rough.

  “It’s where, no matter what we ask each other to do in bed, the answer will be yes, please.”

  Oh, my, is it hot in here?

  “Sounds fun,” I managed.

  Cade grinned wickedly and said, “We’d better get out of here while it’s still a possibility.”

  Since I didn’t get dressed up for nothing, and didn’t want to miss out on our last night in Barcelona, I nodded, took him by the hand, and started dragging him toward the door.

  When we got to the roof, we were seated on the backside where we could look out over the city with a panoramic view, and were close enough to the band to hear the music, but far enough away that we could still talk.

  I ordered a sangria, Cade got a beer, and we ordered an array of tapas to share.

  “They have a chocolate lava cake on the menu,” Cade said, his lips quirking up. “I know it’s not a cupcake, but maybe it’ll tide you over until you get home.”

  “Mmmm, I’ll have to get it,” I replied.

  Luckily, I’d be at Amy May’s bakery soon, and all of my cupcake cravings will be filled.

  Even though the thought made me happy, I knew the cities we’d visited would always have a piece of my heart.

  “Next time we come to Europe, we have to bring the twins. I think they would be amazed by the history and the cultures,” I said, already planning to come back as soon as we could swing it.

  “I could see Elin falling in love with the museums and Lena with the beaches,” Cade agreed.

  “I can’t believe we have to leave tomorrow,” I said with what I hoped was an adorable pout.

  “It’s been a great trip, but I’m sure you’re ready to get back to your girls, and the twins, of course. Plus, Rufus and CB. And, I need to check in with the MC and make sure things are still copacetic with the Diablos. You know Slade had that meeting set up with Cueball.”

  Cade didn’t usually share club business with me, but since I’d staged an unnecessary rescue of him from the Diablos clubhouse, I needed to make sure there was no blowback on the club.

  “I’m sure it’s all good, or you would have heard something, right?” I asked.

  “Maybe, maybe not, since they know we’re on our honeymoon,” he replied, then took a sip of his beer and looked out at the view. “Anyway, that’s for tomorrow. Tonight, let’s focus on enjoying where we are right now.”

  “And who we’re with,” I agreed, sliding my hand across the table to cover his. “I know I’ve probably said it a million times over the last few weeks, but this has seriously been the most incredible trip of my life. I’m in awe that you took the time to plan it, and that you coordinated our lodging with your friends, and ensured this honeymoon was a magical experience. You went above and beyond, Cade.”

  “There’s no such thing when it comes to you, Lila. You deserve all this and more, and I plan to spend the rest of my life making sure you get it all.”

  “Having you means I already have it all,” I assured him.

  He lifted my hand to kiss it.

  “Dance with me?”

  “Always,” I replied, and spent the rest of the night in my husband’s arms.

  Keep Reading for a look at Lei’d in Paradise featuring Carmen and Bran!

  Lei’d in Paradise - Chapter 1

  “I’m leaving first thing in the morning, so I’ll probably head to my place for the night. I wish you were coming with me,” Bran said, dropping a kiss on my upturned lips.

  I kissed him back and gave him a sad smile.

  “Me, too,” I said, although that wasn’t really true.

  I was a champion worrier, and I thought it was too soon to go away with Bran, even though I’d always wanted to go to Hawaii.

  We were still too new and I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize what we had going. It was really, really good. Plus, Lila and Cade were about to come back from their honeymoon and we’d need to go over everything she’d missed at work.

  The timing just wasn’t right.

  Still, I didn’t want Bran to know I had reservations about going away with him, so I’d used work as an excuse.

  “I’ll be thinking of you as I drift from one boring meeting to another,” Bran murmured in that sexy, deep voice of his.

  I swear, his voice gave me goose bumps every time he spoke, but especially when his words caressed my lips, as they were now.

  “Mmmmm, and when you’re lounging on the beach with a Mai Tai?” I asked softly, hating that I was making him go alone.

  Bran had some sort of lawyers’ convention in Hawaii. The convention itself was only two days, but he was taking a week’s vacation right after. Since he was going to be in Hawaii alread
y, it made sense. That was why he wanted me to go with him, so we could spend a week in paradise together.

  Bran chuckled.

  “Probably not a Mai Tai. Now, if you’d said Maker’s neat, you’d be right on the money. But, yes, I’ll be thinking of you constantly, no matter what I’m doing.”

  I sighed and cuddled into him.

  We were still in the beginning make people sick with our cuteness stage of the relationship and I loved it.

  We said our goodbyes and I took a good long look at him.

  Branson Braswell was out of my league. At least, that’s what that doubting inner voice of mine had been trying to tell me since the first time I saw him. Tall, devastatingly handsome with striking blue eyes, the body of a man who watched what he ate and worked out daily, and the voice of a sex phone operator. Well, a male sex phone operator.

  Add to that a kind soul, giving heart, and ability to overcome a rough past, and you had the perfect package.

  At least, my perfect package.

  Our first date had been a disaster. So much so that I’d given up on the idea of Bran that had been building since the first time he taught Lila and me self-defense moves. When Lila had begged me to give him another shot, saying we’d both been so nervous about the date, and unsure of our own worth, that we’d basically sabotaged ourselves, I’d been hesitant.

  But, Lila being Lila, and having the ability to talk me into pretty much anything, had convinced me to give him another shot, and things had been going great ever since.

  Maybe too great.

  I was confident in every other aspect of my life. I was a good person, loved my jobs, and could find the good in almost everyone. I’d had an almost charmed life … except where men were concerned.

  My luck with men was the worst.

  I always seemed to attract losers. Men who couldn’t hold a job, lived with their parents, or thought joggers and a hoodie were appropriate first date attire. I’d begun to give up on my chances of ever finding an actual man who’d want to date me, and then I’d found Bran.

  Now that I had him, I was terrified I would screw everything up.