Her own wholesome smell was more than good enough. As he’d told her one night when he wasn’t thinking, she kind of smelled like cookies. When they’d collided at the kitchen door, he’d wanted to pull her in for a kiss, and more, much more. He’d never had such a driving impulse to be with a female. He felt his heart rate pulse in his cock. Time for a drain party or he’d end up ravaging the houseguest.
When her alarm went off in the other room, he sat straight up thinking the world was coming to an end. It was that loud to hybrid ears. When he heard her get up and start water in the bathroom, he wiped a hand down his face and stumbled toward his own connected bath. He was thinking that he needed to go easy on that clear moonshine stuff in the future. It apparently packed an after-wallop.
Though he was normally militaristic in his approach to housekeeping, he decided the bed could go a day without being made. He pulled the door closed instead.
The conversation on the balcony was followed by another hour of tossing and turning, Ana had slept. When the alarm went off, she felt sure that she’d just drifted off. She groaned, cursed the alarm that didn’t have a snooze feature, and dragged herself out of bed. She wouldn’t really call the result a standing position, more like a Quasimodo hunch, but she managed to get to the bathroom without falling over.
After repeatedly burying her face in cold water, she was beginning to feel conscious. She pulled her hair into a severe ponytail because nobody likes hair in food, rubbed some long lasting salve on her lips that would keep them moist and plump for most of the day and headed for the bakery.
Charming’s door was closed, which didn’t surprise her because he was up as late as she was. Not wanting to disturb him, she tried not to make any noise and didn’t turn on any lights on her way out. When she reached for the front door knob, her hand ended up on something much warmer and slightly softer.
She jumped back with a squeak as Charming laughed.
“You can’t see in the dark at all, can you? It’s like you’re completely blind.”
“No,” she hissed. “I can’t see in the dark.”
“That would be awful.” He was still laughing. “And, forgive me for saying it, but you can’t hear worth a damn either.”
She wished she could see his face, but it was too dark. “Well, not all of us can be X-Men, Charming.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“Super beings.”
He cocked his head, though she couldn’t see well enough to know that. “You think I’m a super being?”
She ignored the question. “What are you doing up? Your door was closed.”
“I’m walking you to the bakery. I told you I would.”
“Yes, but you were up late.”
“You think I’m the kind of male who breaks promises because I’m up late?” He sounded offended.
“Honestly? I don’t know you well enough to be an authority on all things Charming. I mean you have supper with me sometimes and we talk about the weather, the food, the skateboards in the park… you know. But you don’t say much that’s personal.”
“Huh,” he said like that was a revelation. “Well, I’m not the kind of male who breaks promises for any reason, much less missing a little sleep.”
“Good to know. And got to go. I told cookie man I’d be there at four.”
Charming opened the door and the running lights in the hall illuminated the exit. “He doesn’t really go by ‘cookie man’,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she whispered in return. “You should call him that when we get there.”
Charming knew she was being sarcastic. He also knew it was a challenge.
Ana knocked on the bakery door when they arrived. It was locked, but the lights were on inside.
“Nervous?” Charming asked.
“No. Should I be?”
Charlie emerged from the back with keys in his hand. He hesitated when he saw that Ana had brought a celebrity.
Ana smiled. “Hey, Charlie.” She breezed by him like she owned the place.
“Hey,” he answered before looking at Charming.
“Hey, Cookie Man,” said Charming.
Ana grinned at Charming from Charlie’s other side.
Charlie was clearly trying to decide how to react. “Um, hey? So you really did send her.”
Charming’s smile faded. “You thought she’d lie about using my name?”
Ana almost laughed out loud.
“Well, no, I just… didn’t know you concerned yourself with things such as, ah, baked goods.”
“Baked goods make the world go round. Don’t you agree?”
“Well, they make my world go round.” He smiled, getting more comfortable in Charming’s presence. “Certainly.”
“Then there you have it.”
Charming turned to Ana. “See you at supper.”
“Sure,” she said.
“Oatmeal raisin,” he added.
“Will do my best.”
Charlie relocked the door when Charming left. “You promised him oatmeal raisin?”
“Promise is too heavy a word. I told him I’d try.”
“Well,” said Charlie, “I guess we’re making oatmeal raisin this morning.”
“What had you planned to make?”
“Peanut butter. Sugar. Groanoke nut. Vanilladine.”
“Yum. Those all sound great.”
“They are. They are. We’ll substitute oatmeal raisin for sugar. No problem.”
“That would be wonderful. Do you have any tea?”
“Not made. I have what you need to make some.”
“Thank you.”
“Hurry up. We have cookies to bake.” She followed him back to the kitchen in the back of the store where he introduced her to his two helpers. “This is my wife, Camilla and her niece, Sher.”
Ana nodded, smiled, and said hello. Sher seemed to be about her age and she was thinking she wouldn’t mind a few contemporary acquaintances, other than Charming, who wasn’t really friend material. Mostly because he was far too hot to be a friend.
Over the next eight hours Ana learned Charlie’s cookie secrets including the fact that the only time butter isn’t the single most important ingredient in a recipe is when you’re preparing salad. When the shop opened for business at ten o’clock, Ana looked at her cookies in the glass front display case with a pride she’d rarely, if ever, felt before.
“Come on,” said Sher as she removed her apron and pulled away the red checkered kerchief that had been tied over her head like a bandana. She revealed a lot of dark hair that was glossy as well as thick. Her charcoal gray eyes glittered with an inner light that was compelling. “We get a lunch break.”
She linked arms with Ana and guided her out on the street.
“Where are going to find lunch at ten o’clock?” Ana asked.
“Don’t be literal,” she scoffed. “There’s a place on the corner that serves breakfast sandwiches. What makes them ‘breakfast sandwiches’ is that they come on croissants.”
“Oh. Sounds good. I didn’t have breakfast.”
“You didn’t eat? You let my uncle work you to the bone and you haven’t eaten? There should be a law.”
“Well, he didn’t force me. Actually I had a good time.”
“You had a good time?”
She felt Ana’s forehead, pretending to check for fever.
“Stop.” Ana laughed and ducked away.
After they’d walked several blocks talking about what Ana had learned, Sher said, “Here we are.”
Sher pulled the door open and held it for Ana to go in. Her first impression was that the place that looked like a hole in the wall turned chic. The main point of the shop was tea vending and the blends brewing inside smelled like heaven. Most of the customers were around the same age as Ana.
“Are we close to schools?” Ana asked.
“Yeah. Right on top of the cluster of colleges and academies.” She pointed to a blackboard with the day’s offerings. “We
bake the bread for their sandwiches. So you know it’s good.”
“I don’t have any money.”
Sher laughed. “I’ve got to remember that one. Looks like I’m buying. This time.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, what will it be?”
Ana picked out a sandwich that she recognized from the pub and asked Sher to order tea for her. She didn’t know most of the names and wouldn’t know what she was getting.
When their number was called, they picked up their covered mugs and grabbed a table just as three girls were leaving.
“So you know the high and mighty,” said Sher.
Ana looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“Charming.”
“Oh, him.”
“Oh, him?”
“I just live with him.”
Sher almost choked on her tea. “What?”
Ana chuckled. “You sure you’re alright?”
“Yes.” Sher dragged in a ragged breath.
“I don’t live with him like that. He’s letting me stay as a favor to a mutual friend. It’s temporary. I hit a patch of bad luck. You know how it is.”
“So. Maybe you can introduce me to some yummy hybrids?”
Ana laughed and shook her head. “I don’t know. I’m sure you know a lot more of them than I do.”
Sher took a sip then said. “Maybe, but I’m not living with any of them.”
“Really, Sher. I don’t know any.”
Just then Dread appeared next to the table, smiling down at her like he’d won a prize. “Ana,” he said. “Nice to see you here. Charming let you out for good behavior? That’s what humans call it when they’ve been imprisoned and get out early. Right?”
“Dread. Hi. Uh, yes that’s what we call it.”
His smile grew even warmer and his eyes glittered. “You remembered my name.”
“Yes. It’s unusual. Well, where I come from.”
“And where is that?”
Farsuitwailians didn’t talk in terms of where they came from because everybody lived in or around Farsuitwail.
Sher was looking at Ana like she’d won an even bigger prize. She jerked her eyes toward Dread twice. Grasping the opportunity to change the subject, Ana said, “This is Sher. She’s helping me learn how to make cookies.”
His smile grew to a grin. His attractiveness seemed to grow in direct proportion to his amusement. “Cookies? I like cookies.”
“Everybody likes cookies, Dread,” Ana said. “Sher, Dread is Charming’s nephew.”
“Really?” She gave him the smile that she believed was her sexiest look.
He glanced her way. “Hi, Sher,” but brought his attention right back to Ana.
“We’d invite you to sit down, but…” Ana began.
“No. That’s okay. I have to get back to class.”
“What are you studying?” Sher asked.
“Criminal Justice,” he said without looking away from Ana. “So… hope to see you again soon.”
“Same here,” Ana said just to be polite.
“I’m all for justice,” Sher raised her voice so he’d hear her as he walked away. Her eyes didn’t leave him until he was out the door. “I think I hate you.”
“Why?”
“Because that heavenly hunk is completely into you. You’re already living with the sexiest male alive. And now you’ve got number two after you as well.”
Ana laughed. “You think Charming is the sexiest male alive?”
She scoffed. “It’s not just me, girl. Everybody thinks that.”
Ana couldn’t argue. In that case, she had to agree with majority opinion.
As they ate their sandwiches, Sher talked about how she was going back to school at the beginning of the next term. Ana told her she wouldn’t be back to work in the bakery again, but would like to maybe get together.
“I’m new in town and don’t have many friends yet.”
Sher blinked slowly and then laughed. “What do you mean you’re new in town? There isn’t any other town.”
Oops.
She couldn’t believe she’d managed to repeat the same dumb mistake in less than five minutes.
“Just an expression,” she covered. “I was sick for a long time and everybody I knew moved on.”
“Oh. Well, yeah. I wouldn’t want you to be stuck surrounded by hunky hybrids and no girl friends.” She chuckled. “Just kidding. We’d all love to be surrounded by hunky hybrids and would totally give up girl friends if that was the choice.” Ana was looking like she didn’t know how to respond. “Still kidding. I don’t work on Sunday. I’m doing something with friends around here. You should come.”
“Sunday. Okay.”
“Meet me here at nine.”
“Nine at night?”
Sher laughed. “Good one, Ana.”
“Well, it’s just that you work so early.”
“There is that, but I suck it up for fun.”
“Okay. Sunday at nine. At night.”
Ana worked at the bakery until one, thanked Charlie for his help, took a bag full of large and luscious oatmeal raisin cookies, walked back to the apartment and fell asleep. When she woke, there was just enough time to clean up and make it downstairs to the pub for dinner.
She had almost finished eating and was thinking that Charming wasn’t going to show up, when he slid in beside her.
“This seat taken?” he asked.
“Not since you began threatening everybody who tried to sit there.”
That seemed to put a twinkle in his eye. Men. He smiled. “What’s in the sack?”
She grinned. “Guess.”
“It’s not really.”
She nodded. “Oh, yes, it is.”
He started to reach. “Can I?”
“Go on.”
He opened the bag, took a whiff, and said, “You didn’t really make these, did you?”
She chuckled. “Yeah. Take a bite.”
He put half a large cookie in his mouth and made yummy sounds that were so gratifying they filled her up with feelings of delight.
“Like it?” She laughed.
“Yes. You have to marry me now.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Just as soon as I finish these cookies.”
She took the bag away. “You can’t have cookies for dinner, Charming. You have to eat other food first.”
“Why? I want the cookies.”
“And you’ll get them after you have some of the chicken and dumplings or the pork and beans.” He tried pouting. “That won’t work.”
“I could take them from you by force.”
“You could, but then I’d never make you cookies again.”
He gasped. “You’re mean. And you play dirty.”
She gave him a sinister smile. “That’s right and don’t forget it.”
He motioned to Scar. “I want a very small chicken and dumplings.”
Scar smirked. “You on a diet, Leader?”
“Hardly,” Charming laughed. “I’m saving room for cookies.”
“Cookies?” Scar looked interested.
“Yes,” Ana said proudly. “I know how to make cookies.”
“Well give me a sample,” Scar said. “I’ll tell you whether you know how to make cookies or not.”
“No,” said Charming. “You cannot have any of these cookies. These are my cookies. She can make some more for you tomorrow.”
Charming saw Scar eyeing the bag and knew he was going to go for it. They both lunged at the same time and wrestled over the bag of cookies with the bar in between them.
Someone yelled, “Fight!” People jumped up from their tables and rushed to crowd around.
“No! There’s not a fight!” Ana held up her hands to the growing audience. “Go back to your tables.” She glanced behind her at Scar and Charming wrestling over the bag. “Please!”
The sack tearing was inevitable. Five cookies fell to the bar. Miraculously three of them were mostly whole.
The other two were in chunks and crumbles. Scar grabbed two of the ones that were mostly whole and shoved both of them in his mouth.
When Charming saw that, he got so mad he leapt over the bar with ease as if it was only six inches off the ground and put his hands around Scar’s throat. Scar was so huge that even Charming’s big hands couldn’t reach around. He began attempting to strangle Scar, who was laughing while his cheeks were puffed out with unchewed cookies.
“Those were mine!” roared Charming.
Scar freed himself from Charming’s grip and then said, “I paid for them!”
“She gave them to me!”
Charming lunged for Scar again.
“STOP!” Ana screamed. “IT’S COOKIES! I CAN MAKE MORE!”
They both did stop. When they saw her horrified expression, they looked at each other and laughed. For many of the people in the pub, it was the first time they’d seen Scar crack a smile, much less laugh.
Charming returned to the customer side of the bar with the same superhuman grace and said, “We didn’t mean to scare you. We were just having some fun.”
Ana’s eyes were still wide. “Fun?” She looked at Scar. “And you haven’t paid for anything yet.”
He chuckled as he was still chewing.
Onlookers had already returned to what they were doing. Ana looked at the crumbles of cookies left on the bar. Scar followed her gaze.
“Looks like you did it, little girl. I mean, Ana. And it took less time than you thought. Those are damn good cookies. When I told you to make cookies people would fight over, I really wasn’t picturing myself as the sort of fool who’d throw down over a cookie.” He chuckled. “Tomorrow you’ll make me a hundred of these.”
Ana’s heart rate was steadily slowing. “You don’t have the ingredients I need. Or cookie sheets. Or racks. And what about oven time? Aren’t your ovens already busy?”
He shrugged. “I guess you’re going to need to either stay late or come in early. I don’t care which. Work it out with the cooks.” Without waiting for a response he turned his back and moved toward the other end of the bar. He looked over his shoulder at Charming, who was sitting on his stool picking up the bits of cookie still on the bar and stuffing them in his mouth like he was afraid Scar would come back for them. “I should make you sweep up the crumbs.”
Charming (Exiled Book 3) Page 9