by Terra Kelly
“Noah, I–” Cora looked worried.
“Need to keep baking with my brother.” He winked and left.
I kissed her forehead. “You heard him.” She fell against my chest. “We need to bake together more often.”
“I don’t have a pastry background. Is that a problem?”
“Only for you.” I kissed her nose. “You just keep doing everything you’ve been doing and we’ll keep winning competitions.”
“You sound so confident.” She leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed me.
“I’m very confident.” I swayed our bodies side-to-side.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yup.” I started to inch her body forward toward the doorway. “I’m also very confident we need to go to my bedroom.”
“Is there a baking competition going down in there?”
I stepped away and grabbed her hand. “No, even better.” Then I tugged her down the hallway. When we reached the bedroom she stopped in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She smiled and jumped up into my arms. “Thank you.”
“Shouldn’t I be the one to say those words?” I closed the bedroom door and moved closer to the bed.
“Maybe, but I get to say it first.” She quickly kissed me. “Aiden.”
“Yes, Cora?”
“I think I need to start a new collection.”
“And what would you do with all your gingerbread tchotchkes?”
“Sell them.” She fell onto the bed and sat up.
“Even these?” I removed her sweatshirt and ran my hands over each breast covered with small gingerbread men.
“And these,” she said and pulled off her flannel pants to expose her white panties covered in more gingerbread men.
“Nope.” I was standing at the end of the bed. “You can’t get rid of them.”
“You like little gingerbread men staring at you?” Cora let her back fall onto the mattress.
“Maybe.” I pulled her panties off. “Or maybe I just like why you have them on in the first place.”
She rubbed her foot over my cock and smiled. “I like having my very own gingerbread man even more.”
When Cora left all those years ago, I thought I would never see her again. Now we were discussing her lingerie and when she would be competing with me again.
I felt pretty damn lucky at the moment. I pushed her legs wider apart.
I was about to be even luckier in a moment.
Epilogue
Cora
Two years later…
“We have two minutes and you still need to spray paint the trees.” I stepped up beside Aiden. “Can you get it done in time?”
“More than enough time.” He grabbed the airbrush and quickly brushed it back and forth over each tree.
Aiden had definitely planted the baking competition bug in me. We spent every holiday season competing and the rest of the year practicing.
Noah had a new partner and the twins now competed against each other.
There was a wall in their restaurants with the winning trophy. One of the sous chefs made one trophy and at the end of the competition season Aiden or Noah would win the title.
It was all in good spirits of course.
“Done.” Aiden said and grabbed the gold flakes. He topped each tree with a little color and then dropped the small brush. “Now I’m done.”
Right at that moment the host yelled time.
All the other times the competition usually entailed the three competitors standing in front of the judges and one of them winning the final prize. Tonight was different though. The host and two cameras settled right in front of our station.
“Are they awarding the winner here?” I looked at the cameras and then over at Aiden. He was standing by the table behind me. “Aiden?” It was weird. I noticed him move his shoulders up and down and shake his head side-to-side.
The floor director yelled five seconds. Then she did a count down with her fingers and mouthed three, two, one. The host stepped closer to my table, I had no idea what was happening at the moment.
“Cora,” Aiden said from behind me.
I turned around to find him down on one knee holding a small red box in the palm of his hand.
Oh shit, was this really happening? I glanced back toward the cameras and down at Aiden. “Is this live?”
“Only if you say yes.” He winked.
I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “To what?”
“Cora.” His face fell.
“What? You didn’t ask me anything yet?” I shrugged my shoulders.
He closed his eyes for a few seconds. “Right.” Then he cleared his throat. “Cora Lee. Will you make me happier than I am at this very moment and be wife?”
I wrapped my hands around his hand holding the box. Right as I was about to say fuck yeah, I stopped myself. The thought made me laugh and fell into his arms saying yes really loudly. In a whisper beside his ear, “What I really mean is, fuck yes I will be your wife.”
He squeezed his arms tighter around my waist and nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. “I love you so damn much, Cora.”
“I love you more, my gingerbread man.” He slid the gorgeous ring onto my finger and I noticed two gingerbread men etched out perfectly on either side of the diamond. My gingerbread addiction wasn’t so crazy after all.
Maybe wearing gingerbread lingerie is a must to win the man. Aiden and Cora really whipped up some serious recipes. Now it’s time to find out who Noah’s new baking partner will be. Preorder Her Snickerdoodle here.
A note from the author
Aiden and Cora were the perfect baking partners. Heck, they were the perfect everything.
Those gingerbread sweet rolls sounded so good. If you’re curious about the recipe, come on over to Cafe Terra. I plan to create the recipe and share all the fun on the blog.
We have more baking competitions and special recipes to whip up.
Next up, now that Aiden and Cora are baking partners, it’s time for Noah to find someone new. I wonder what will happen at the next baking competition…besides that delicious cookie tower.
If you love fun, easy to read romantic comedies, then the Man Card series is sure to make you laugh out loud.
Preorder Her Snickerdoodle
Sending love, Terra
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About the Author
Terra loves walking her dog, snuggling with her cat, and relaxing with her amazing hubby. A steamy romance book is never far from her grasp, and 2:00 a.m. seems to be the sweet spot to finally put a book down and sleep. She laughs loudly, smiles often, is a bit of a klutz, and tries to always find the positive in everything.
After a few years writing steamy fun, Terra had an urge to write romantic suspense. You can find her grittier stories under T.M. Kelly.
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Also by Terra Kelly
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on her website click here.
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Want Romantic Suspense?
FIGHT IT OUT SERIES
THE FALLING TRILOGY
Check out other books by T.M. Kelly
on her website click here.
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sp; Acknowledgments
Food and baking is a passion of mine. Sharing four Man Card books that revolve around baking competitions makes my heart happy. These books helped me decide to bring my food blog out of retirement. There is a lot more food love in our future. Now it’s time for some wonderful thank you’s.
Thank you to my angel and the best taste tester. He always gives kind and honest feedback.
Thank you The Word Fairy for making the book amazing with your wonderful editing. I appreciate you so much!
Thank you Becky for being on this Man Card journey with me. I really appreciate you.
Thank you to my amazing ARC team. You have all shared so many amazing reviews that show your love for the Man Card series. I love how much you adore the sexy Man Card men just as much as I do. You are truly my rockstars!
Thank you to my fans and readers. Your support makes this adventure so much better.
Thank you to my friends and family for all your support and love.
Copyright 2019 Terra Kelly
My Gingerbread Man
(Man Card Book 13)
Kindle Edition
ASIN: B07ZHP2W6M
Cover Art by Balto Creative Media, LLC.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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