Crumbling Cakes

Part XXXVIII (38) *POV Bonus*

"New you say."

"Mmmhmmm." He hummed, switching to fold something into the batter. "A new type of brownie I've been meaning to try. Should be light and fluffy like a cake but with all of the flavor punch of a brownie."

I sat down at the breakfast bar. Watching him work. God, I never tired of watching him work.

"Sounds chocolatey," I said with a sigh. My taste buds dancing with anticipation. By this point I have sampled almost every creation he's concocted and my waistline could certainly thank me for it.

"You might consider it chocolate nirvana." His gaze drifted to me and I gobbled it up faster than whatever the hell he was going to make me taste.

"I can totally do chocolate nirvana." Give it to me, Ronaldo... He had three small bowls next to him, they all looked like frosting. "What's in these?"

I lifted myself to lean over the expanse of the countertop to get a better look at the mystery bowls. The gooey deliciousness.

"That is frosting for this possibly failed experiment." He sighed. "Or at least my recipe any way."

I snorted. "Doubt that, but do go on." I readjusted back on my stool, waving a gallant hand. "Please enlighten me."

"I'm trying to see which style would be the most pleasing to the palate. We have a ganache, traditional, and a light fluffy chocolate frosting." He pointed each one out. "One of these will be the winner."

"So confident, Sweets. What if you're wrong?" I eyed the bowls greedily but unable to resist teasing. I was no fool, I knew they tasted like everything I wanted to smother myself in—baker included.

"You wound me with your lack of faith. We both know I'm never wrong." I wanted to snort but was too busy balancing on the last inch of my board has he kept beckoning me to freefall. "Taste test, Short Stack." He smirked. "Here, why don't I." Ronaldo walked over and grabbed a square that was cooling on the rack.

Once it was safely on the plate, I watched him use some fancy slicer to press out three even portions. Sebastian kept glancing at me as he worked. Heated mischief written all over his face. It was making my knees weak. How fortunate that I was sitting...

Now separated with a reasonable space between them, he started to apply a perfect serving of each frosting on the individual pieces.

I was easily amused and impressed. Admiring his ability to apply frosting on delicate bites without tearing them apart. Such were Ronaldo's ways and I'd long ago have ended up with a mess. We all know that this monster could never be trusted with such a task. I'd most likely end up eating them to dispose of the destroyed evidence.

He walked around the counter to stand before me with this plate of gifts. An offering to his very own Eris on earth.

"Now for the most important test." He picked up a slice and handed it over delicately. Letting our fingers brush against each other. Fueling the current in my blood. Oof, I needed a medic. "The traditional."

I nodded sagely, staring at his damn enticing forearms. Mind abandoning its care for the crownie and looking for another kind of treat. A lovely filmstrip opened me up to so many possibilities... I bit into the baked good. "Oh my god." My hand went up to my mouth. I was momentarily distracted from the bangfest reel in my head.

"Promising reaction." Sebastian grinned like the damn Devil. It always came down to those seductive horns.

I finished up the rest in a single bite. Excellent timing as he was handing me slice number two. I couldn't help but notice he'd inched closer. Jumpstarting the film strip back to life. "The ganache."