“Don’t move,” Mouse ordered, and I craned my neck to watch him as he walked into the kitchen.
I would kill for a kitchen like the one the Howlers’ had in their clubhouse. They had both a giant walk-in pantry and freezer, along with three commercial grade refrigerators, all run on solar. Sundance was working to get the entire property running on solar, and I couldn’t imagine how much money it would cost him. Not that they cared... they were flush with cannabis funds from both their grow-houses and shops around Colorado.
I was currently taking advantage of three of their four ovens to bake cupcakes for the foster kids who would all be at the club tomorrow for a huge holiday party, complete with gifts and a visit from Santa.
It was very similar to the one we threw in Savannah, only on steroids.
I might not know much about one-percent clubs, but these bikers had hearts of gold, and wanted kids to be safe and well cared for not just at Christmas. Violet said her dad donated a ‘shit ton’ of money to various charities, including the arts. I found I was liking Sundance the more I got to know him.
“They’re good, Lace,” Mouse called out.
“You sure?”
“I checked them just the way you showed me.”
I heard metal clanging and deduced he was setting the pans onto the stainless-steel island. These were my last hundred cupcakes. Now, I just had to frost. Luckily, Mouse was always a willing assistant and a quick learner, so frosting should go quite quickly.
Mouse made his way out to me just as I heard a deep voice bellow, “Who the fuck made these goddamn cupcakes?”
“That would be me,” I called back.
Rocky, the club’s VP, appeared in the doorway. He was a gorgeous, long-haired, epic-bearded, badass biker who could make any woman forget their manners. “You’re a fuckin’ genius with sugar, sweetheart.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You shouldn’t know that, Rocky, because they’re for the kids, not you.”
He grinned a chocolatey grin. “Sorry, not sorry.”
“So, if I make a batch and freeze them for the club, you won’t object?”
“You’d seriously do that?”
“Sure, if you want them.”
“Yeah, I fuckin’ want them.”
I chuckled. “Okay, I’ll do that then.”
He gave me a chin lift and turned back toward the kitchen.
“Don’t touch the cupcakes, Rocky!” I snapped.
“Goddammit!” he growled, and I couldn’t stop a laugh.
Mouse leaned down and kissed me. “Aero and I are headin’ out for a bit. Are you good?”
“Where are you going?”
“None ya.”
“None ya?”
“None ya business,” he clarified.
I bit my lip. “Are you shopping for my Christmas present?”
He grinned. “Stay off that leg.”
“Nothing pink.”
“Baby, do you really think I’d ever buy you anything pink?”
“Unless it’s rose gold.”
“I’m well aware of your obsession with rose gold, Kennedy,” he retorted.
“So, it is my Christmas gift.”
He dropped his head back and laughed, then he leaned down to kiss me again. “I’ll see you soon.”
I stroked his beard. “Be safe.”
“I will.”
“I love you.”
His eyes widened, and he kissed my nose. “Love you too, baby.”
I smiled. It was the first time I’d told him first, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
He and Aero walked out the door and Violet set a cup of cocoa in front of me. “Fox wanted you to have extra marshmallows.”
“Oh, my god, he’s so cute.”
‘Fox’ was actually Felix Stonewell, Stoney’s little boy. Stoney was gorgeous and had fallen madly in love with Sabrina when she’d showed up looking for his help. Fox was actually Sabrina’s nephew, and the result of a one-night stand between Stoney and Sabrina’s sister years ago. The little boy had been kidnapped and desperately needed Stoney’s resources to find him.
“When you’re off the meds, we’ll drop some Kahlua in there,” Violet promised.
I chuckled. “I can’t wait.”
For the next two hours, we gabbed like sisters as bikers strolled in and out of the club. By the time Mouse and Aero walked back in, I discovered I was going to have to make another hundred cupcakes because the word was out (by Rocky), so more and more bikers were showing up as the day wore on.
I loved every second.
* * *
Christmas morning dawned with fresh snow and I rolled over, snuggling close to Mouse as the sun peeked through the windows.
“Tell me again why we can’t close the drapes?” Mouse grumbled, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me over his chest.
“Because, snow.”
“Snow’s bright, though, baby,” he argued. “And I like sleep.”
I chuckled. “You can sleep when we get back to Georgia.”
He rolled me and kissed my neck. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, honey.”
“Do you want your present now or later?”
“Um, now,” I sassed. “Duh.”
He chuckled, shifting to reach for something in the nightstand drawer, then rolling back to me, and kissing me gently. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He held up a dark blue, leather box and smiled. “Want you to marry me, Lace.”
I gasped, snagged the box and opening it. “Oh my god, it’s gorgeous.”
He took the box back. “You can have it back when you say yes.”
I grinned. “Yes!”
He kissed me again, then slid the ring on my finger. A cushion cut diamond sat proudly in a halo of smaller diamonds, all in a rose gold setting.
“How did you know what I wanted?”
“Outside of the rose gold... Remington,” he said.
I didn’t try to stop the tears. “You called Rem?”
“Yeah, baby. Also got permission from your dad.”
“Oh my god, you are the best man on the planet.”
“No shit,” he retorted.
I laughed. “I love it, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you going to move in with me when we get home, then?”
“Do you want me to?” he asked.
“Yes. Definitely.”
He grinned. “Hell, yeah, I’m movin’ in with you.”
I stroked his beard. “Thank you for everything, honey. I will never take it for granted.”
“Me neither.”
“Okay, I have something for you,” I said, sliding out of the bed and hopping to the closet.
I started to drag out the giant box and he sat up and knifed off the bed. “Jesus, woman, stop!”
I stopped
