Being(s) In Love 03 - A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate by R. Cooper Page B

of your baked goods, and even with what the firehouse must pay you, and what you get here, you must use a lot of materials. Ingredients for any spell—recipe—are expensive. You can afford to donate that much?”
    “Sometimes they pay for the ingredients and I volunteer my time.” No one except Theo’s parents had ever expressed concern for the cost of what he did. “I bake for… well, you know why I bake.”
    Zeki pushed the cup at him. “I know.” His smile softened at the edges, and his eyes dipped down again. Theo wanted to touch his eyelashes but kept motionless as Zeki finally gestured at the tray in his hands. “Those smell fantastic. Is that chocolate?” He hummed and made a show of drawing a deep breath over the tray. He surprised Theo by meeting his eyes. “Did you…?”
    The delicacy was unexpected after his directness the other day. Theo couldn’t tell what Zeki was asking—if Theo had made them for him or if he’d once again buried his feelings instead of addressing them. Both were sadly, undeniably true.
    Theo had thought… he didn’t know what he’d thought in the last few minutes, but he couldn’t stay to see if Zeki liked what he’d done. One bite and Zeki would know everything Theo wanted, things Theo shouldn’t ask for. Maria was wrong. Theo clutched the tray tighter, but that was stupid. He’d clearly brought them here for someone to taste them.
    He thrust the tray out until Zeki took it. “They’re new. Have Mr. Elliot sample them if you want. They’re brownies, or cake, I don’t know. They might be too much.” He took a shuddering breath.
    “You had to invent something new?” Zeki was too smart, but his attention was on the brownies. He tore off the foil and stared at the caramel swirling over the top, caramel swirls, Theo abruptly remembered, in familiar shapes and symbols. He shot a look at the backs of Zeki’s hands and then glanced up in terror. Zeki was staring at him, his lips slightly parted.
    “It doesn’t have to mean anything,” Theo blurted. “It doesn’t. I know where we are. But they’re for you.” He should never have tried to pretend otherwise to his mate. “I should get back to my shift,” he added loudly, over his thundering heart.
    He got as far as the door before Zeki stopped him. “Wait. Your latte.” He lowered his voice, but the whole coffee shop could still hear every word. The sounds echoed through Theo’s chest. “I made it especially for you.”
    Theo turned. Shock and Zeki’s serious expression held him to the spot for a moment longer, and then he jerked into motion and went to the counter to take the drink.
    “Let me know what you think,” Zeki added, apparently blind to Theo’s anxious confusion, “when you come back.”
    Then he winked.
    Theo walked into the door and spilled half the latte over his hand.

Chapter 5

     
    T HE BROWNIES , if they were brownies and not dense little orgasmic squares, were amazing. Zeki left one for Mr. Elliot to sample and took the rest with him when his shift was over. Brownies were always good, but Zeki felt as if “brownies” was not an adequate description for the rich, fudgy cake Theo had brought him.
    Zeki popped another piece in his mouth as he walked home, trying not to giggle maniacally at the people in the street. Theo Greenleaf had made these for him. Theo had invented something new for him. Zeki didn’t know the particulars, he’d never even attempted a cake from a premade mix, but he knew Theo had been surprised by his own creation and that he had made it with Zeki in mind.
    Theo’s expression when he’d pulled away the foil to reveal the caramel patterns across the top had been all shock and mortification, at least until Zeki had accepted the tray. Zeki should have eaten one while Theo had still been in the coffee shop so Theo could have heard Zeki’s moans for himself.
    Cocoa left the strongest impression, but it was not the only one melting on his tongue. There were so many