28. Michael

MICHAEL

CHRIST.

I clear my throat and shift closer to the countertop, blocking Alice’s view of the front of my pants and hopefully blocking the cameras from getting a shot of my growing bulge.

I ask her what she’s planning, and she looks at my dick.

Fuck me.

I’m planning that too, Sweetness.

Joey snickers at my side, startling Alice. Her whole body jolts, and the bowl of ingredients she’s nearly overmixed starts to tip.

Reaching out, I steady the bowl.

Alice closes her eyes for a second. “Sorry.”

She takes a breath, and I watch her shoulders visibly relax.

When she opens her eyes, she focuses on Pamela. “Seems I’m still a little rattled.”

“That’s okay, dear. Happens to the best of us.” Pamela pats Alice’s arm. “Why don’t you take a moment and tell us what you’re making today.”

Alice nods, biting her lip for a second, before jumping into her explanation. “I’m making a traditional Norwegian cream cake as the base in honor of my grandmother. And for the filling, I’ll be using a mixture of lingonberries and cloudberries for an added nod to Scandinavia.”

“Ooo.” Pamela’s eyes widen as she looks at the bowls of produce laid out on the counter. “Are the cloudberries fresh?”

Alice gives her first non-forced smile of the day. “I’m using both fresh and preserved to get the right effect. They can be hard to come by, but I know a guy here in Minnesota who grows them indoors.”

My mood darkens. “What—” I stop myself before I get the rest of the question out. Growling what guy on air might be a step too far. “What’s your plan for the decorations?”

Alice’s eyes meet mine. “It’s a bit complicated.” She shifts, then moves her focus back to Pamela. “I’m going to attempt to make a Christmassy snow globe. The cream cake will be the base. I’m using sugar cookies shaped and decorated like ornaments around the sides of the cake. There’ll be a transparent sugar dome over the top, and inside the globe, I’ll have a kransekake.” She glances at the camera and explains, “It’s basically a stack of cookies that get smaller as you go up. And with some colored fondant lights, I’ll hopefully make it look like a Christmas tree.” She sighs. “I might be biting off more than I can chew, but I’ll do my best.”

The look on her face is a mixture of determination and hope, and I find myself smiling. “I have confidence in you.”

Alice’s mouth pops open, clearly not expecting me to say that.

When she continues to just blink at me, I’m forced to bite my tongue to prevent myself from telling her to close her mouth or put it to use.

“Sounds marvelous!” Pamela claps her hands together, breaking the moment. “We’ll let you get to it.”

Reluctantly, I walk away from Alice’s table.