Page 26 of Tempting the Tiger

CHAPTER FIVE

Grace was still floating on air a week later. Despite her misgivings, Keair seemed to be the real deal. He hadn’t dropped her like a hot potato as soon as he’d gotten in her pants. In fact, his desire and need for her seemed to be growing each day. He’d brought her flowers for breakfast one day which ended in a quickie in her office, her bent over her desk. Then, he’d taken her to a movie which had ended with a very thorough make out session in Keair’s SUV. On the days when they couldn’t physically be together, he called her and they ended up having phone sex. The tiger could talk downright dirty when he wanted to. Tonight, he said he had something special to show her.

She giggled—she was pretty sure she’d seen everything ‘special’ about him.

She hummed as she put the finishing touches on a special order of cupcakes. They were for a young girl’s twelfth birthday party and she’d wanted Disney princesses. Stepping back, Grace wiped the rivulet of sweat from her temple with her forearm surveying her creations. Technically, she wasn’t supposed to use any character on her cakes, cookies or cupcakes that were copyright, unless she bought pre-made plastic cakes toppers or edible pictures. That just didn’t cut it with Grace. So she was giving the little girl her own version of princesses.

She’s used molding chocolate to mold the top half of each princess—which, she was proud to say were much more beautiful than any Disney princess. She decorated the cupcakes using different pastry tips to make extravagant ball gowns. She put the finishing touches on the last one and breathed a sigh of relief. Even though it wasn’t that hot in the small back room of the bakery she’d dubbed the frosting room, it was still stifling to Grace because there were no fans. The last thing she needed was flour and sugar flying all over the place. She put the cupcakes in the cooler and moved on to the next thing on her to-do list.

Which was making rolls. After eating the delicious offering at the hotel that first night, she’d decided to bake some to sell. The idea had taken off like wildfire and now she found herself spending an extra hour baking rolls and loaves of bread. Luckily, she could finish everything up after the shop opened since the dough needed time to rise. Between the time at the bakery and her time with Keair, there was little time for anything else. Not that she minded.

She contemplated what she was going to wear this evening on her date with Keair. Her face broke out into a huge smile just thinking that thought. Her date. With Keair. How had she gotten so lucky? She blushed thinking of the times they had already spent together.

And she was still astonished at herself at having taken the step to become his lover. For a moment she wondered how she could possibly compete with the women who had no doubt thrown themselves at the man his entire adult life. And then she thought of the heartache of the past and the struggle her life had been for so long. The longing to be with someone because they wanted to be with her.

Keair was that man. She had nothing to offer him but the pleasure of her body and he seemed to want that. A lot, she thought. The plain and simple truth was that she wanted him. Oh, who was she trying to fool? She needed him. She ached for his companionship. His embraces. His sweet—and sometimes downright naughty—kisses. She needed his strength. His understanding.

She needed him.

And, for the sake of honesty, she admitted to herself, she was falling in love with him. But she had allowed herself to go into this with her eyes wide open. Yes, her heart would break, but women got over broken hearts all the time. Didn’t they? She knew this moment in her life would never come again. And she had to seize it, grab it, and to hell with the consequences.

For what could possibly be the consequences? She had no delusions about being his mate. For whatever reason, the big tiger had decided he wanted her. She knew it was a temporary affair, but hell, it was a thousand, no a million times better than the other ‘relationship’ she’d had with her last boyfriend. If she could even call him that. More like a leech.

She gave the dough in front of her a hard punch. That man had been an ass. She wondered with a laugh if there were ass shifters. Sprinkling more flour on the table, she continued to knead the dough.

Maybe these doubts were returning because she hadn’t seen Keair in a few days. Some sort of big shots in the shifter world were coming to the Lion’s Pride for an important meeting and Keair was helping Bachar prepare. Or at least that’s what Sally had told her when she had tried oh so covertly to find out what was taking up so much of Keair’s time. Sally, bless her heart, had seen right through her ploy and had been quick to reassure Grace that Keair was indeed tied up with pride business.

That didn’t make missing him any easier though, Grace thought, as she turned on the ovens before gathering ingredients to make some orange scones. It was a new recipe she was trying for the hotels. Daniel had convinced her to start bringing items for their breakfast service as well as desserts for lunch and dinner. She knew Sally wanted to hire her as the pastry chef for the Lion’s Pride but Grace was still hesitant.

What if she and Keair didn’t last? What would she do then? There was no way she could be in the same place as he was, day after day, knowing he had rejected her. Because she knew she would never reject him. She’d be a fool if she did. But, because she wasn’t a fool, she knew the day would come when he no longer wanted her. Men like him did not want to spend a lifetime with a woman like her.

Besides, she knew he was someday destined to meet his mate.

“Grace, delivery!”

She covered the scones with a tea towel and wiped her hands free of the sticky dough with another one, wondering what was being delivered at this time of day. Her food order usually came after lunch. She couldn’t remember ordering anything special, but then she barely remembered what day of the week it was, she was so tired. She wondered if Steve Jobs or Bill Gates had ever felt so drained when starting their business in their garage.

“Are you Grace McKenzie?” A man wearing dark pants, a dark shirt and an even darker coat stood in front of the display counters. He was tall and super well-built, letting Grace know instantly he must be a shifter.

“Yes, can I help you?”

“I was told to deliver this to you.” He bent down to retrieve a large shopping bag from the floor. Grace immediately recognized the name of the store. It was a fancy boutique in the next town over. And expensive as hell.

She looked at the man who stood there calmly waiting for her take it from his hand. She had a terrible inkling about this. The man looked nothing like a delivery boy. “I think there’s been some mistake. I didn’t order anything.”

“No, ma’am. You didn’t.” He continued to hold the bag out. His eyes were hidden beneath a pair of dark sunglasses so she had no way of knowing what he was thinking. She frowned and continued to stare at him. Finally, the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Please, ma’am, my arm is getting awfully tired.”

Grace almost snorted. The man looked like he could hold that pose all day and not break a sweat. “I—”

Before she could speak the man stepped forward and placed the bag at her feet. “Keair will pick you up at seven o’clock.”

As soon as he said the words, he was turning on his heel and exiting the store as quickly as possible.

“Well, that was interesting.” Mary had finished with the customer she’d been serving and walked over to where Grace stood, glued to the spot.

What had just happened?

“That’s one way to put it.” She didn't know whether to feel outraged at Keair’s high-handed behavior or giddy with excitement.