"I was looking for you everywhere," Adrian stated as he walked into the kitchen. "I was scared when I didn't find you sleeping next to me."

He comes up to me and pecks my cheeks. "Sorry, I just needed to wake up early so I can start baking the cupcakes for Isma's birthday party."

"Do you think she will like our gifts?" Adrian asks as he wraps his arms around me.

"Which six year old wouldn't want a Cinderella princess dress AND a doll house?" I ask as I mix the batter. "She'll love it."

"When did you learn to bake?" Adrian asks as he takes a seat on the counter.

"In the orphanage," I answer as a smile appears on my face and my mind wonders to my past.

"What are you baking nanny?" I ask.

Her green eyes land on me and she smiles. "Cupcakes for our birthday girl."

"That's me!" I excitedly announce.

She bends down and picks me up before setting me on the counter as she chuckles. "Yes, that is you."

"Chocolate!" I dip my finger into the chocolate batter and lick it. "Yummy."

Nanny Linda chuckled as she sprinkled some confetti sprinkles into the batter.

"Can I help you?" I ask and she nods.

"Since that day I've helped her bake cakes, cupcakes, and cookies for the other kids birthdays." I finish. "Baking with her distracted me from what was going on. I remember she baked me my birthday cake for my eighteenth birthday which was a few days before she passed away. She was like a grandmother to me–to everyone in the orphanage really."

Adrian smiled at me as he gave hugged me. "I'm glad you had someone during your years at the orphanage. I would've love to have met her. She sounds like an amazing person."

"She was." I answer as I sniff back a couple of tears. "If it hadn't been for her cancer she would still be with us now."

"What happened to the orphanage after her death?" Adrian asks.

I scrunch my eyebrows as I shake my head. "I don't know. After you turn eighteen you have to leave the orphanage. I left to grieve Linda's death. Come to think of it I haven't visited the orphanage since I left two years ago."

"If you'd like one of these days I can take you there." Adrian suggests.

"I'd like that." I reply with a smile.

"So what is the flavor?" Adrian asks.

"Strawberry." I answer as I pour the batter into the cupcake mold. "It's Isma's favorite flavor."

Adrian dips his finger into the batter and licks it. "Yum."

My mouth falls open as I playfully slap him. "That's for the cupcakes!"

"I was just making sure it didn't need anything else." Adrian defends.

I place my hands on my hips. "Are you questioning my baking skills?"

"I would never." I move the batter away from where Adrian was seated and pretend to be mad. "I'm sorry babe, I swear I wasn't questioning your baking. I won't dip my finger into the batter anymore, promise."

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth at a pleading Adrian.

"Please don't be mad?" Adrian gets off the counter and wraps his arms around me. "Please?"

Huh, Adrian begging. Never thought I'd see this side of him. I squirm away wanting enjoy this Adrian a little more.

"Yell at me. Punch me. But don't give me the silent treatment." I turn around in his arms.

"You would really let me punch you instead of not talking to you?" I ask with a raised eyebrow and he nods giving me his sad puppy eyes. "I would never hit you no matter how mad I at you."

The corners of his mouth quirk up as I lean in for a kiss. He picks me up and sets me on the counter as his kisses become more demanding.

"I forgot to tell you," Adrian saids through kisses. "That dress looks good on you. But I'm afraid I am going to have to take it off."

"I'm glad you like my dress but I can't let you take it off." I reply. "If you do I am afraid I won't ever finish those cupcakes."

Adrian pouts causing me to smile.

"And now he's pouting." I muse causing a hint of red to appear on his face. "How about you help me instead of distracting me?"

"I'm distracting you, huh?" Adrian asks with a smirk before leaning in again. I smile into the kiss as I wrap my arms around him. He picks me up from the counter causing me to squeal. He reclaims my lips as I wrap my legs around him and he leads us to our bedroom.

* * *

I place the last flag on the cone before gently placing it into the box along with the others. I close the lid and mount it onto the other box.

"Ready?" Adrian asks and I nod. He takes the two boxes and placed them in the back seat of his gray BMW i8.

"I hope Isma will like it." I state as I enter the passenger seat of the car.

"She will." Adrian assured as he starts the car. "What girl wouldn't want a castle made of cupcakes?"

I smile and interlock our hands. I lean back into the leather seat and look out the window.

💋

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