Lila Jameson wiped her flour covered hands on her apron and let out a tired sigh.
The morning rush at Sweet Temptations had been relentless. Yet the smell of fresh pastries and sugar still made the bakery feel like home her small corner of peace in a city that never slept.
She was just setting a tray of chocolate éclairs on the display when the bell above the door jingled.
Expecting Mr Thompson, her usual customers she looked up and froze.
He was impossibly tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a navy-blue suit that looked custom-made. His dark eyes scanned the bakery and then landed on her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"I'll take… everything," he said, his voice calm and commanding, the kind that made people obey without even thinking.
Lila blinked. "Excuse me?"
He leaned casually against the counter, one hand in his pocket, the other tapping lightly. "All of it Your best pastries every last one. I don't want to negotiate."
Her stomach flipped. Who was this man?
"I… um… we can do a large order," she stammered. "But thirty cupcakes, twenty éclairs, and a dozen croissants? That's… a lot."
He smiled slowly like he enjoyed the challenge. "I like challenges. Besides, I have my reasons."
Her pulse raced, but she forced herself to stand tall. "You're… Alexander Kane," she blurted before thinking.
His eyebrows lifted. "Flattered. Most people either don't recognize me or run when they hear my name."
"I'm not most people," Lila said crossing her arms though her hands shook slightly.
"Good," he said a slow smile curling his lips. "I like women who don't swoon at the sight of me."
Heat rose to her cheeks. "I don't swoon," she muttered.
He chuckled a deep warm sound that made her pulse race. "I like your spirit," he said. "But let's get down to business I need these pastries delivered to the top floor of my office by this afternoon."
"Afternoon?" Panic bubbled in her chest. "That's… ambitious."
"I trust you can handle it," he said. "Consider this a test of your talent."
A test? From a billionaire?
"Fine," she said, exhaling. "But I expect full payment up front."
He pulled a sleek black card from his wallet. "Fair enough."
The bakery exploded into organized chaos. Flour dusted the air, chocolate melted, ovens hummed. Lila barked orders, but her mind kept drifting back to Alexander Kane how he looked the way he smiled, the way he seemed to see right through her.
By the time the pastries were ready, she could barely believe it. Thirty cupcakes, twenty éclairs, a dozen croissants, and assorted tarts all carefully packed.
The drive to his office was nerve-wracking. Traffic crawled and she kept glancing at the boxes worried. What am I doing? Delivering pastries to a billionaire?
The lobby of his office building was breathtaking Marble floors,shining elevators, the kind of place that made her bakery feel like a cozy corner of the world compared to a palace.
Security glanced at her delivery forms and waved her through.
She knocked lightly on his office door. "Delivery for Mr. Kane."
"Come in," a voice called.
He stood by the window, gazing at the city skyline. When he turned the air seemed to crackle.
"You made it," he said softly. "I wasn't sure you'd deliver on time."
"I told you we would," she said, setting the boxes down trying to hide the tremor in her hands.
Their fingers brushed for a moment, and she almost melted but quickly stepped back.
He studied her, dark eyes unreadable. "You're… impressive," he said.
"Thanks," she muttered. Impressive? She was a baker not a business mogul.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I have a feeling you're not ordinary Lila There's… fire in you And I like fire."
Her heart raced. "You shouldn't."
"I don't do things I shouldn't," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "And I never ignore sparks when I see them."
She wanted to deny it, but her body betrayed her Why does he make my heart race like this?
The city lights shimmered behind him, but all she could see were his dark eyes.
And deep down, she knew her ordinary life was over.
Alexander Kane had walked into her bakery like a storm… and she wasn't sure she could survive it.
But maybe… she didn't want to.