Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 124005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Mom gives Wills a rundown of what to expect.
“I’m sweaty already,” Willy gripes as the ten-second countdown begins.
“You’ve got this. We’re a team,” I assure her.
The buzzer sounds, and Mom starts peeling and slicing peaches.
While Willy carefully measures the flour and salt, I stand behind her, chest pressed to her back as I drop in the cubed butter and lard.
“What are you doing?” she mutters, nudging me with her elbow.
“Showing you the ropes, my future Mrs. Bright.” I kiss her cheek and slide two butter knives into her hands. There are no electric mixers or even pastry cutters allowed for this event. I cover her hands with mine and start cutting in the butter.
“Your forearm porn is ridiculous,” Willy mutters.
“You need them for stress relief, you just let me know,” I whisper.
“The entire town is watching us, Dallas.”
“I know. Just imagine what I’d do with these hands if we were alone right now.”
She glances over her shoulder, glaring at me. “Seriously, your mom is right there.”
I can’t help it. I kiss the end of her nose. “Focus, honey.”
She rolls her eyes but returns her attention to the bowl.
But she doesn’t try to nudge me out of the way again. Instead, she lets me stay close. Once the ingredients are mixed, I split the dough into two pieces and show her how to form a ball.
“Do not say anything about my ability to handle balls, Dallas.”
“Careful, gorgeous. My dick is listening and getting ideas.”
She starts laughing, her ass rubbing against my cock. I step to the right to grab more flour, and she shuffles with me. “Only you could turn a community competition into foreplay.”
“It’s a skill.” I groan as I kiss her neck.
Mom snaps her fingers. “Hey, you two, less flirting and more pastry making!” But she’s smiling.
Wills doubles down, and we finish rolling out the dough just as Mom finishes the peach mixture. I flip the crust into the plate and pinch the edges.
“I feel like I should be doing something other than shielding your hard-on from the eyes of the public,” Wills whispers.
“I’ll need those beautiful hands of yours in just a minute.” I kiss her cheek and pass the empty pie crust to my mom so she can fill it with the peach-custard mixture. I crack an egg into a bowl and press a whisk into Wills’s hand. She takes over, and I step to the side so I can work on weaving the lattice top. Willy brushes on the egg wash, and I finish with a generous sprinkle of coarse sugar before we slide the pie into the oven.
I turn to Wills. “You get a gold star, honey.”
Her apron is dotted with flour, and so is her face and hair. I brush some away and kiss the end of her nose, again. “And I meant what I said.” I wink and wiggle my fingers.
She rolls her eyes, but the flush in her cheeks gives me hope.
CHAPTER 28
HEMI
Istare at the dresses laid out on the bed. Dallas is in the shower. We both needed one after the freaking bake-off. It makes perfect sense that he and his mom are uber competitive when it comes to baking the best pie. He was all smiles and excitement when they won. And he forced me to be in the pictures for tomorrow’s paper. I was sweaty and disheveled and felt like I’d been more of a liability than an asset, but he insisted.
I should not have found pie making sexy, but now I can’t stop thinking about the way Dallas kneaded dough like an expert along with the other things he can do with those ridiculously talented hands. “Get your head out of the gutter, Hemi.” I roll my eyes to the ceiling. “Great, now I’m referring to myself in the third person.”
I shake my head and refocus on my dress options. Mine is pretty, but the one Dallas laid out on the bed for me before he disappeared into the bathroom is stunning.
I try them both on and send pictures to the girls—still wearing the one from Dallas—asking for their opinion.
Rix
The second one.
Hammer
I concur. Your curves are banging.
Rix
Option two is the winner.
Tally
You look great in both, but the second one makes you look like royalty. QUEEN HEMI.
Shilps
^^^Agreed.
A message in my private chat with Shilpa follows.
Shilps
Dallas bought the royal blue dress, didn’t he?
Hemi
Yes.
Shilps
It’s gorgeous. He has great taste for someone who wears so much plaid.
Hemi
He does.
Shilps
How are you feeling about tonight?
Hemi
Do you have time for a quick call?
Shilps
Of course.
I hit video call, and her beautiful, comforting face appears a few seconds later.
“You freaking out?” she asks.
“I’m so nervous, Shilps. So, so nervous. All these people…it’s hard. And Dallas—we are sleeping in the tiniest bed, and we made pie today, and it should not have been sexy, but it was, and I’m so conflicted.”