He laughed, throwing his head back. Big mistake. Just as his head returned to its natural upright position, clumps of flour landed in his mouth. He sputtered and turned to face the counter, hacking.
Jada laid a hand on his back. “Donovan, are you okay?”
Sugar smacked her on the cheek. She gasped. “Oh, it’s on now.”
Donovan hurried around the island and crouched. If his friends and family could see him now, their jaws would permanently detach from their faces. This was not like him. But he wanted it to be.
What had come over him? Jada. It was all Jada.
He never relaxed. There was always another mountain to climb, another goal to reach for that elusive feeling of security, a feeling that had been all too rare as a kid, but here tonight with Jada, his mind wasn’t racing with thoughts of what was next, of how to make the shop or any of his other ventures more successful. He was being silly with the woman who’d invaded so many of his thoughts over the past few weeks and he’d rather be nowhere else.
Jada. It was all Jada.
Now he had a food fight to win.
The ingredients they’d been using were right above him. All he had to do was reach up and grab them. What was left? Chocolate chips, a couple eggs, sprinkles. Where was Jada? All he could hear was his own ragged breathing.
“Remember to keep my hair out of this, buddy,” she warned. Her voice came from the other side of the island. She was over by the refrigerator.
He laughed. “I grew up with a Black mother and two sisters. I would never dream of committing such heresy. But the rest of you? Yeah, it’s on.” But he had to be stealthy and methodical about his attack. Make sure he attacked at the exact right time. He held his position, not moving a muscle, straining to hear if she moved.
“Donovan, Donovan, come out to play. You started this.”
That’s right. He had. He leapt and grabbed a handful of sprinkles in one smooth action. He launched his missile and watched them cascade down to the ground in a sad, sad spiral, never reaching their target. Jada grabbed some chocolate chips and threw them at him. Donovan sent sugar flying her way, then snuck up behind her when she turned away to keep the white stuff from hitting her in the face. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She yelped, then settled against his chest, covering his hands with hers.
“I think that means I won,” he said.
She harrumphed. “Whatever, dude.”
“Never change, Jada. Never change.” Donovan laughed as he surveyed the damage. Flour, sprinkles, and sugar decorated the floors and countertops in the usually immaculate space. “Wow. We made a mess.” He had no regrets.
“We? That was all you, sir. I got the best shot in though.” Her sparkling laughter filled the room and his spirit.
“Feel better?” he asked, nuzzling the side of her neck. He couldn’t get enough of touching her. Of being with her. The lightness she had brought to his life could not be overstated. He hadn’t even realized something was missing until she came roaring into his world, insulting him at every turn. She smelled so damn good, even through the flour and sugar. Like sunshine and flowers. He was going to be an addict in no time.
“Marginally,” she murmured.
“Marginally? I must not be doing something right. I have to try harder.” He turned her in his arms and covered her mouth with his. Kissing her was a new, better experience every time. He couldn’t believe he’d wasted so much time not doing it at every opportunity. Stubbornness had led him nowhere but feeling deprived of her sweetness.
He willingly drowned in her, in her taste, in her scent, in her essence. Their tongues twined together in a thorough, slow movement. Time ceased to have meaning.
It took him a few seconds to recognize the incessant beeping wasn’t the pounding of his heart. He reluctantly broke away. Jada’s eyes widened.
“The cupcakes!” they yelled simultaneously.
Chapter Twenty-One
“You have a little more pep in your step this morning,” Nicholas said to Donovan the next morning.
“Pep in my step? Okay, boomer.” Donovan poured a cup of coffee, added a packet of sugar, and took a deeply appreciative sip of the hot brew.
Nicholas leaned an elbow on top of the display case and leveled a hard look at him. “Don’t try to distract me. You know it’s true.”
“If you say so.” It wasn’t that Donovan was ashamed of the new turn in his relationship with Jada, and he rarely, if ever, kept things from his best friend. But this thing with Jada was new and he wanted to protect and savor it for all its worth before they let outsiders with their unwanted opinions in.