Valhalla Cupcakes (15 page)

Erik looked at her questioningly. Now that he was firmly addicted to sugar, she thought he’d probably greatly enjoy a roasted marshmallow. But they’d been out for hours already and tension started creeping up her neck.

As if reading her troubled thoughts, he reached around and kneaded the back of her neck with his strong magical fingers. The stressful worries disappeared, and she almost melted off the log she sat on, as he continued his massage. She glanced shyly at him, wondering how he made her rather large cares seem nonexistent.

“My wife is a workaholic,” he said. “Comes from owning a business, I suppose.”

“It must be great, though,” Lily said. “I’m an eight to five office slave.”

“Eight to five sounds like heaven,” she sighed, suppressing a yawn. Erik bumped her with his elbow, giving her a mock accusing face. “Oh, all right, but I do love it.”

They roasted and ate marshmallows until she thought she would burst, chatting comfortably with the couple. When they looked knowingly at one another and suggested calling it a night, Audrey couldn’t believe she wasn’t the one suggesting they leave. She was always the first to leave a party.

“Yes, newlywed business to attend to,” Erik said in the most ludicrous smarmy voice, cracking up Lily and Devon, who promised to visit the shop before they went home to Ohio.

The sweet couple waved as they headed up the dune toward their hotel, and Erik poked at the fire with his marshmallow stick.

“Are you warm enough?” he asked, his lips finding their way to the spot just below her ear that immediately turned her into a blob of jelly.

He pulled her closer to him, his hands slipping under her shirt. The sound of the waves behind them and the cozy crackle of the fire, along with his roaming fingers and mouth made her close her eyes and lean against him languidly. She wasn’t only warm enough, he was making her feel like she was burning up.

“I’m fine,” she murmured, snuggling in closer to him.

She didn’t know how he managed to make it seem like there were more hours in a day than there actually were, but she liked how time slowed down for them. Everything drifted into the background— dirty dishes, money woes— none of it mattered when he kissed her. She tossed the blanket onto the sand in front of the fire and pulled him down with her.

He held her close, breathing her in along with the salty air. “Thank you for bringing me here,” he said huskily. He pressed a row of kisses down the side of her neck. “I like the way the sea air makes you taste.”

Yes, she wanted him to keep tasting, and wriggled out of her shirt and jeans, hurriedly covering up with half of the blanket. He smiled and pulled his clothes off as well, settling himself on top of her and brushing the blanket aside. She shivered and he leaned closer to shield her from the brisk ocean breezes with his arms, but it wasn’t a chill that raised goosebumps all over her skin. It was purely from wanting him. She didn’t have to say anything, he must have sensed her need and pulled her legs around him. Nestling his forehead in the crook of her neck, he sighed against shoulder.

“You and the ocean,” he said almost imperceptibly. “It could be enough.”

She was sure she imagined the last part, conjured it from the fevered pleasure he gave her, something wishful blown in on the wind. He took his time, and had her gasping, finally resting against her, his cheek pressed close to her heart. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, marveling at all the stars that had filled the sky at some point.

“Look how beautiful,” she sighed, tugging at him to share it with her.

He got up on his elbows and looked down at her for a long time, before nodding. She blushed and turned away, even though he couldn’t possibly tell in the shadowy fire light.

“Not, me, the stars,” she said, trying and failing to interpret what she felt at that moment. Delight, confusion, a strange but wonderful calm. Whatever it was, she could get used to it.

“Them too,” he said.

He pulled his shirt back on, much to her dismay, until she realized he was the one being responsible for once. If it had been left up to her she would have curled up in the blanket next to him and slept on the beach all night. Ugh, sleep. Something she sorely needed. Erik was right. It was time to go.

“This is worse in the dark,” Erik said as they drove home.

“Wait until you try flying,” she said. “Talk about scary.”

“Who flies?” he demanded.

“You never heard anyone talk about airplanes while you were in the painting? I’ll show you pictures when we get home. But if you want to get back to Norway, you’ll have to take one.”

“There are no more ships?” he asked, sounding brokenhearted.

“I guess you could take a cruise ship. Expensive and slow, though. But you might like it for the food.”

She let herself have a five second fantasy of going on a leisurely cruise with him, and by the time she sadly shook herself out of it, they were back at the shop.

“Go to sleep, Audrey. I’ll clean up,” he said, waving her toward the stairs.

“You were exhausted a few hours ago,” she said, every muscle in her body wanting to splat into bed.

“Being with you by the ocean restored my vigor,” he said. “Go up to bed.” He gave her an intent look that told her his vigor was restored for more than just washing dishes, and she toyed with removing the ban on her room. As tempting as it was, she badly needed a good night’s rest. “I wouldn’t be displeased if it was my bed you were in when I’m finished,” he said, pulling her close for a kiss that sealed her fate for her.

Another night without sleep surely wouldn’t kill her.

“You’re running on fumes,” Seda said, sipping her to-go coffee in the kitchen while she looked Audrey over disapprovingly. “You’re like a hollow shell. What’s that Viking sex monster doing to you?” She glanced at the front and leaned closer. “Seriously, I want to know. Is it amazing?”

“Stop,” Audrey said. “Erik’s the only thing keeping me standing during all this.”

“Do you actually have feelings for him?” she asked, sounding not just curious, but as if she had an active stake in the matters of her best friend’s heart. “How does he feel about you?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t know.”

“Is he possessive of you?” Seda asked. “I mean, I’m sure he is, because he’s from a time when women were considered property, but is he overly, strangely possessive?”

Audrey was taken aback by all the questions, and that one in particular. As much as she knew it shouldn’t, she got a thrill that Erik might think of her as his. She’d certainly struggled with feelings like that. At first she’d thought it was the fact that she controlled him because of the curse, but now she just liked thinking he was hers. She felt like he was hers. She mentally slapped herself.

“I don’t think so,” she answered honestly. “I mean, ninety-nine percent of the customers are women, so he’s never had a reason to act possessive. He acted overly protective when we went to sell my car, and when the pizza boy came to the house, but that was it.” She paused, feeling a little disappointed, then shoved it away. “I’ve told you before this is a business arrangement. I mean, besides the other stuff.”

Seda frowned. “Yes, the other stuff. Is he like a machine, or what? Do either of you get any sleep?”

 “Enough, you nosy perv. We’re working like dogs here. I never expected the place to be so busy. I wish I could hire some more help, but there’s no extra money.”

“Okay,” Seda said, backing down. “Just don’t wear yourself out. Your dark circles are no joke.”

Audrey groaned and tried to see her reflection in a large metal spoon. “That’s anxiety. The mob guys are supposed to come back today and my heart won’t stop racing.”

“Already?” she asked incredulously.

“It’s been a week.” Audrey shrugged. “I have no idea when they’ll show up, since they don’t exactly schedule appointments.”

“You have the money? Listen, I have a couple grand in savings. I know it’s a drop in the bucket, but it’s yours if you need it.”

Audrey wiped away her nervous tears. “I have enough this week, and hopefully they’ll see how well the shop’s doing, give me more time on the next installment.”

“Well, I’m serious. You need your thumbs to stir batter.”

With a wail, Audrey shoved her from the kitchen. “Don’t you have some fancy client to coddle?”

After making her promise to call after the thugs showed up, Seda flitted from the store, her brief visit inexplicably putting Audrey in a better mood. It was short lived, though. Every time it got crowded, she half wished the mobsters would arrive to see how business was booming, but was half terrified they would and make a scene in front of everyone. The little bell attached to the door made her jump every time it jingled, and at lunch time, Erik reached up and yanked it down.

“I’ll put it back tomorrow,” he said. “Don’t you trust me to protect you?”

She nodded, stress cramming a key lime cupcake back to back with a mint frosted chocolate, grimacing at the combination.

“I do. But what if they break things like in the movies? It’s not like I can afford to replace anything.”

“If they dare to break something, they’ll leave with something of theirs broken, rest assured, Audrey.”

“I’d like that,” she said, soothed by the grisly image of her Viking snapping the bones of the thugs. She was so upset at the turn her stress addled mind had taken, she downed another cupcake, grabbing her stomach and moaning. “I think I’m going to hide out in the kitchen for a while.”

He assured her he would let her know when they arrived, and that nothing bad would happen as long as he was there. She tried to tell herself he was right. As creepy as they were, they were businessmen after a fashion. Surely they wouldn’t bring guns into her bakery? Maybe she ought to close up the place, for the safety of the customers. But then she’d lose an entire day’s income, which she couldn’t afford to do.

She poured herself a big glass of water, and stayed in the kitchen, knowing Erik could handle the front no matter how busy it got. Thinking about how capable he was helped her calm down. He was a ruthless Viking from another time but he could charm the support stockings off the most crotchety grandma, innocently tease the high school girls without being gross about it, and make the moms with toddlers feel like they still had it going on when he flirted with them. If the customers hadn’t been giving her positive feedback about her cupcakes, she might have thought the success of the place was solely because of Erik.

The thugs didn’t end up coming until after closing time, and she had finally given up on them shortly after she locked the door, when someone pounded on it. Her heart plummeted and she ran around the counter while Erik calmly opened the door.

The one who secretly came in for cupcakes must have not said anything about him, because the other two looked shocked, raising their eyes to take in his height, then assessing his muscles. One of them patted his side as if to reassure himself, and Audrey grabbed Erik’s hand, trying to keep him from being too alarming in case there was a gun under his jacket. Erik was impressive by anyone’s standards, but certainly not bulletproof.

“It’s good to see you again, Miss Allen,” the thug in charge said.

She wondered if she’d ever end up knowing their names, and wondered yet again why she cared. For her Christmas card list? She could see the one with the sweet toothed girlfriend surreptitiously seeing what she had left over, and she smirked at him, having purposely not made the strawberry banana.

“I’m sorry if I can’t say the same,” she said.

Was she supposed to offer them the money now? She would be damned, and they stood there staring at one another for an uncomfortable minute.

“How’s business?” the boss asked. “Do you have the first payment ready?” He looked at her pityingly, which turned to surprised admiration when she pulled the fat envelope out from under the cash register.

“Business is great,” she said. “And it’s all there.”

“I’m sure it is,” he said, showily counting it anyway.

Erik grumbled and took a step forward, making him glance up, but not falter in his counting. He must be so secure because that other one has a gun, she thought. What kind of firearms did they have in Erik’s time? Would he even recognize a modern gun as a threat? She prayed they wouldn’t find out.

“Good job,” the thug said, sounding sincerely pleased for her. “I have to admit I didn’t think you were going to make it. I didn’t want to put the screws to you, and I’m glad I don’t have to.”

She gripped Erik’s arm with such force, anyone else would have yelped in pain, but it took all her effort to keep him from advancing on the man again.

“Yes, like I said, the shop’s doing great, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down. This is really a solid business,” Audrey said in a rush when it looked like they would leave without further negotiating. “It’s definitely a sound investment.”

“I’m really glad for you, Miss Allen,” he said, making for the door, his cronies following. “See you in another week.”

Her vision faltered for a second and she grabbed the counter to stay upright. “Wait. Can’t I have some more time for the second payment? A month, at least? I need to pay other bills.”