The Vampire's Valentine Surprise: A Nocturne Falls Short by Kristen Painter Page A

you in the kitchen. We’re going to the Poisoned Apple for drinks and dinner. Real dinner. Not cake samples.”
    She crossed her arms, leaned against the counter and seemed to be considering it. “I was going to run more variation on the red velvet.”
    He shook his head. “You’re overthinking it.”
    Stanhill nodded. “I agree. You’re a bleedin’ whiz in the kitchen. At this point, it’s not about whether or not you’re going to win, it’s about how badly the others are going to lose.”
    She grinned at him. “Okay, fine, you win. Hugh, just give me a few minutes to get all of this put away.”
    “No,” Stanhill said. “I’ll worry about the mess. You two go and have fun.”
    “You’re sure?” Delaney asked.
    “Positive.”
    “You’ll give Captain his dinner? And I mean cat food, not bacon.”
    Hugh smirked. Delaney’s cat wasn’t about to miss a meal. Especially not on Stanhill’s watch. The rook spoiled the great black and white beast.
    “I wouldn’t let our boy go hungry.” Stanhill smiled. “You have my word I’ll give him a proper meal.”
    “Thank you.” She untied her apron and lifted it over her head, clearly amused at Hugh. “I’ll go clean up, change and be right back down.”
    He winked at her. “Can’t wait. I’ve forgotten what you look like without flour on your face.”
    She leaned in to kiss his cheek on her way out. “Yes, you’ve made your point. Back in a few.”
    “Take whatever time you need.”
    She left, and Hugh rested his hands on the paper, waiting until he heard the bedroom door close upstairs before he spoke again. “I swear, if I ate another bite of sweet my veins were going to crystallize from all the sugar.”
    Stanhill laughed and took the mixing bowl off the stand mixer to bring it to the sink. “She’s worrying for nothing.”
    “I know that and you know that, but she wants to win this thing. She thinks if she doesn’t, it will hurt the business.”
    Stanhill turned on the tap to fill the sink with hot water and added a hefty shot of dish detergent. After he put the soap down, he went to work rolling up his sleeves. “I don’t think anything could hurt her business. It’s a very popular spot.”
    “It is.” And Delaney had to know that. Why, then, was she so worked up about this silly little bake-off? All right, perhaps it wasn’t silly or little, but it bothered him to see her so stressed about something. “Stanhill, do you think there’s anything else bothering Delaney? She’d tell me if there was, don’t you think?”
    The rook was up to his arms in suds, his back to Hugh. He stayed that way as he spoke. “Of course she would. She has been a bit…wound up lately, but I just figured it was this contest.”
    Hugh nodded. “I’m sure that’s it.”
    “What’s it?” Delaney asked as she came in. She’d changed into the red cashmere sweater he’d given her for Christmas, jeans and heels.
    Hugh’s brows lifted. The last two months of intense baking—and sampling—meant his wife had accomplished something few vampires could manage without incredible effort. She’d gotten curvier. Her figure, which had always been beautiful, had grown even lusher.
    It was enough to make Hugh consider cancelling their dinner out in favor of giving Stanhill the rest of the night off and staying home.
    In bed.
    She waved her hand in front of his face. “Hello? Are you there?”
    He blinked. “Yes, I was just…” Lusting over his wife’s body. He stood, trying to compose himself. “I’ll bring the car around.”
    She laughed. “Were you just checking me out?”
    Caught, he frowned. “I am your husband.”
    She leaned against him, her sweet vanilla scent the only sugar he craved, and nibbled his jaw. “We could stay home.”
    He nodded, heat rising through his bones. His hands found her hips and visions of the night ahead filled his mind. “I suppose we could.”
    She pulled away again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Except now I