13. Rafe

The Little Blue Bean"s customers buzzed around me with their typical early morning energy while I arranged a batch of my cinnamon rolls in the pastry case. The scent of cinnamon filled the air, and the warm, gooey icing oozed down the sides of the still-warm pastries.

The bell above the door chimed when I finished placing the last roll. One of our regular customers, Mrs. Halverson, walked in. She immediately approached the pastry case.

"Oh, you"re still here. Great to see you, Rafe." Her broad smile caused her eyes to crinkle at the corners. "You"ve been baking up a storm as usual."

I wiped my hands on my apron. "It"s true. I have been doing a lot of work in the kitchen, but it"s hard for me to resist. Is there something I can get you to kick off your day?"

She pulled her glasses down her nose and peered into the display case. "Oh, those cinnamon rolls look divine. I"ll take two of them and a large black coffee."

While I packed up her order, she leaned toward me. "Rafe, these pastries are the talk of the town. Everyone I talk to has something to say about cookies, rolls, or scones. Keep up the great work. You"ve got a real gift for baking pastries."

"Thank you, Mrs. Halverson. I do my best and pour my heart into every item I bake. They say the best food is created with love."

She patted my hand and spoke in a motherly tone. "Your dedication shows, dear. Say hi to sweet Theo for me."

As Mrs. Halverson left, a new group of customers entered the Little Blue Bean. The morning rush had begun, and I became busy taking orders, brewing coffee, and bagging pastries to go.

"Rafe, my man!" Mr. Jameson, head of the Blue Harbor Tourism office, called out as he entered the coffee shop. "Please tell me you"ve got some of those incredible lemon basil blueberry scones today. My office refuses to function without them."

I chuckled, already reaching for the scones to fill a bag. "They"re fresh out of the oven. I know how much you enjoyed them last time."

With the bag full, I handed him one more. He took a bite and closed his eyes. He moaned softly. "Oh, man. Yep, that"s the stuff. You"ve ruined me for any other scones… maybe for any other baked pastry. These must be what heaven tastes like."

I laughed and handed him his coffee along with the bag. "There are plenty more of these to come for you. Please enjoy!"

As the morning wore on, more customers arrived eager to try my latest creations. I greeted regulars, like Ms. Chen, who always ordered green tea and an almond croissant, and I happily welcomed new faces who"d heard rave reviews about Blue Harbor"s new baker.

An unfamiliar woman approached the counter. "A friend told me about your raspberry lavender cupcakes. She said they were the best she"d ever tasted." She left the Little Blue Bean with a box of a dozen cupcakes.

When the morning rush started to ebb, I scanned the nearly empty pastry case, and a sense of accomplishment washed over me. Sarah stepped up behind me. "Now, if we can only sell coffee at the rate you sell those pastries."

I chuckled softly. "I don"t think anyone will forget about your coffee, and we have steady customers for that all day.

I lovingly crafted each baked treat. It was my life passion, and my therapist thought it was a phenomenal way to build confidence and boldly step back into the world. Seeing the smiles on my customers" faces and hearing their gushing comments made all the long hours in the kitchen worthwhile.

A new customer ordered a chocolate croissant and a cheese danish. As I carefully bagged them up, the bell above the door chimed. I glanced up, ready to greet the latest arrival with my friendly smile, but my jaw dropped instead. I handed over the bag of pastries as my heart fell to my knees, and a cold sweat broke out all over my body.

Standing in the doorway like a ghost from my most terrifying nightmares come to life was my ex, Damien. His dark presence brought a chill to the Little Blue Bean. It sucked all of the air from my lungs and suffocated me with a horrible sense of dread.

His appearance hadn"t changed much. He wore his dark hair slicked back, and his eyes were cold and almost black. He smirked when he saw me look his way.

Damien sauntered into the cafe, his movements stealthy like a cat slowly stalking its prey. I always considered the coffee shop to be a light and airy space, but suddenly, it felt claustrophobic, like the walls were slowly closing in. I couldn"t move or breathe as he stepped up to the counter.

He spoke with a sarcastic edge and an evil grin. "Who is it we have here? Is it little Rafe playing house in a quaint little coffee shop? Did you bake all this with your little hands?"

My mouth felt cottony dry, and I swallowed hard, attempting to find my voice. "What are you doing here?" I managed to say at last. My voice was a hoarse whisper. "You can"t stay here—the restraining order…"

He rolled his head back and laughed. "Do you think a little piece of paper can keep me away? You"re mine, Rafe, and you always will be. I"ll find you wherever you try to hide."

He planted his elbows on the counter and leaned forward. His face was only inches from mine, and his smell was a mix of cigarette smoke and cheap cologne. It was familiar. He hadn"t changed his habits. Once upon a time, the scent surrounding Damien made my heart flutter. Now, it made me nauseous.

"Aren"t you going to welcome your old flame? Maybe you could at least ask how I"m doing." He sneered, pulling his lips back against his teeth. "I thought you"d be happy to see me. I imagined you pining away while I was up the creek. We have so much history."

I gripped the edge of the counter, and my knuckles turned white. "I"ve put that history far behind me. I"ve moved on, and I"m happy in Blue Harbor. The law says you need to stay away from me."

Damien slammed his hand on the counter, causing everyone in the coffee shop to jump. "The law? Do you think I"m scared of them? Is that why you"re baking, Rafe? Are you going to open a donut shop for the cops?"

He rolled his head back and laughed. I could hear no joy in it; the sound was harsh and grating. The cheerful conversations around me ended. Everyone watched to see what would unfold between Damien and me.

"Pastries, not donuts." I corrected Damien"s pathetic question. He thought he was funny, but nobody laughed. "Like I said, I"m happy, and you won"t change that.

"Happy?" His eyes narrowed. "Do you for a moment think you can really be happy without me? Is it possible for you to run off and then start over where nobody knows you like nothing ever happened?"

Damien reached out and trailed his fingers down my cheek. It was a twisted parody of affection. I jerked away from him as my skin started to crawl.

"My life is ruined, Rafe, because of you." His words were low and menacing. "You took everything of value when you left. Now, it"s time for me to get my payback."

He grabbed my wrist with a grip tight enough to bruise it. I tried to pull away, but he was stronger than me. The silent customers suddenly started to make noise. Some of them gasped, while others began to ask each other what they should do.

Sarah rushed out from the back office. Her eyes were wide open out of concern for what was unfolding at her front counter.

All I could do was focus on Damien. His face began to contort with rage. I recognized the expression. His eyes practically bored into my head. Seeing him suddenly transported me back to New York City and the endless parade of nights full of yelling, bruises, and buckets of tears. The memories hit me like a tidal wave, threatening to pull me under.

Just when I thought the situation couldn"t get worse, the bell above the door chimed again. It was a bright, cheerful sound that clashed with the tense standoff in the shop. I looked up and felt a sudden sense of relief. My reaction was so intense that I nearly stumbled.

Theo stood in the doorway. He quickly scanned the situation before him. To me, he might as well have been Superman wearing a cape. He looked at me first and then at Damien, followed by a glance at customers huddled together, speaking in whispers. He immediately figured out what was going on.

Theo"s expression morphed from one of confusion to rage. He crossed the room with a few bold strides. He looked like he wanted to pick Damien up and pitch him through one of the plate glass windows.

Theo growled, "Let him go." After pausing for a breath, he added, "Now."

Damien sneered and tightened his grip on my wrist. I tried to peel his fingers off my flesh, but he was too strong.

"Who the hell are you?" Damien spat the words out as he glared at Theo with disdain.

Theo didn"t budge. He didn"t even wince. He met Damien"s gaze, squared his shoulders, and set his jaw. For a moment, I feared they would come to blows, but at least half of the people in the room knew Theo, and I had no doubts they would defend him.

When Theo spoke, it was with a growling, gravelly voice. "I"m someone who won"t stand by and let you hurt Rafe. Not anymore. Never again. I suggest you leave."

A moment of tense silence enveloped the Little Blue Bean. It would have been possible to hear the tiniest of pins drop. Slowly, Damien released his hold on me. He was backing off. I stumbled back into Sarah and rubbed my wrist. She wrapped a steadying arm around my waist.

Theo wasn"t finished. He took a step toward Damien. "I said leave." He left no room for an argument. "Nobody wants you here."

Damien scoffed. It was a mocking sound. "What are you going to do about it, pretty boy? Call the cops?"

Theo smiled and nodded. "They"ve already been called. I used the emergency button on my phone while you were busy trying to appear threatening. I"m sure they"ll be interested to hear all about how you"re violating your restraining order."

Damien"s face went pale. We all saw a crack in his bullying bravado for the first time. He took a step back, and then he started to bolt for the door.

It was too late. The shrill sound of sirens cut through the air as police cruisers screeched to a halt outside the coffee shop.

Two officers burst through the door, hands on their guns, and scanned the scene. "What"s going on here?" One of them barked out the question as he stared at Damien.

Theo stepped forward to assist. "This man has a five-year restraining order. He"s not supposed to be within 500 feet of Rafe Wilder. That"s the man here at the counter. You might want to charge him with assault, too."

The officer turned toward me, narrowing his eyes. "Is that true?"

My throat was tight, but I managed to nod and say, "Yes." Recovering my voice, I added, "He grabbed me and threatened me. He said I was going to pay for ruining his life.

"Okay, Sir." He turned toward Damien. "You"re under arrest, and you"ll come down to the station with us to see if we can sort through what"s going on here."

As the officer read Damien his rights and cuffed his hands behind his back, a wave of relief washed over me. It was over, just like that. A few minutes was all it took. I"d been terrified, but I wasn"t injured. Neither was Theo or anyone else in the Little Blue Bean.

Theo suddenly raced to my side behind the counter while the customers began to chatter again. He wrapped his arms around me and peppered me with questions. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

I smiled softly. "I"m doing fine."

Sarah added her two cents. "Rafe was brave. I think we"re all proud of him."

Theo squeezed tightly. "You"re safe now. Like I"ve always promised, I won"t let anything happen to you."

I dissolved into his hug while the adrenaline slowly left my body. Weariness took over, and all I wanted was a bed and a warm blanket. I asked anyone listening, "Can we go home?"

***

A week later, after our emotions had settled, Theo and I decided on a candlelit dinner at home to celebrate. He cooked a classic pot roast with vegetables, and I provided dessert. With the remains of the dinner scattered around the table, I leaned back and rubbed my belly. "I"m stuffed, but this was amazing food."

Theo reached across the table to find my hand and wove his fingers together with mine. "How are you feeling these days? Is life a little more relaxing?"

"So much better," I answered. I took a deep breath. "Everything is lighter somehow. I think it was all weighing more heavily on me than I understood."

Theo nodded. "I agree. It"s like we have this new breathing space, and the shadows are gone. The days might be shorter, but our hours of sunlight feel brighter."

My voice cracked when I added, "I didn"t know how much fear I was carrying. "It wasn"t only Damien. I worried about how my past might impact the future and that I could somehow lose you. The thoughts were constantly in my mind, dragging me down."

"I know it was awful." Theo squeezed my hand. "But Damien is behind bars, and Mom is coming around. I spotted her smiling at us the other day when we were four aisles away at the grocery store."

"She did? Why didn"t you tell me? I"m sorry I missed that."

Theo didn"t answer. Instead, he rose from his chair and moved around the table to stand by me. He held out a hand with a playful smile on his face. "Dance with me?"

I laughed as I placed my hand in his. "There"s no music." He pulled me to my feet and into his arms anyway.

"We don"t need music to dance." He kissed my lips and then added, "We have each other. We"re in perfect harmony. We don"t need anything else."

As the candles flickered on the kitchen table, we swayed in unison. Our bodies fit together like two halves of a whole. I rested my head against Theo"s chest and listened to the steady thump of his heartbeat.

Theo"s hands slid lower down my back until he pushed his fingers into the back pockets of my jeans. I pushed up tighter against him and touched the light hairs on the exposed part of his chest.

"Rafe," Theo breathed in a voice husky with desire, "I want you. I want to show you paradise and go there with you. We can do that right here in our bedroom."

I pulled my head back and stared into his smoldering eyes. I saw the need there. "Show me. Make me yours."

Theo gripped my ass cheeks and began to back me out of the kitchen. When I laughed, he let go, and we both raced up the staircase to the bedroom. As soon as we entered, Theo claimed my mouth with a searing kiss. He started to stroke and caress my body while our tongues danced. I clung to him, dizzy with want.

Our hands roamed over each other"s flesh, opening buttons, tugging at belt buckles, our breathing ragged and uneven. Theo pushed me backward onto the bed and lowered his body on top of mine. The pressure of his weight felt like home.

He began to worship my body with his hands and his mouth. After he opened each shirt button, he kissed my exposed flesh. With my chest laid bare, Theo traced the lines of my body, mapping every curve and smooth line.

After peeling off my jeans, he moved up until his lips found my neck, his warm breath raising goosebumps as he nuzzled me. I arched beneath him, wanting more, needing his desire.

He stood, and in the dim light of the bedroom, I watched as Theo stripped. He slowly revealed his body with each item removed. My mouth went dry, and my cock stiffened in my shorts.

Finally, he was naked before me. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of my briefs and tugged them down my thighs and off my body. I saw the hunger in his eyes as he looked me over from head to toe.

"You"re mine, Rafe," he whispered. "Now and always."

Following those words, he physically claimed me. Before climbing back onto the bed, he rolled a condom down the length of his cock, and then he slid up between my legs and captured my mouth in a fiery kiss. I tasted the passionate desire coursing through Theo"s body like wildfire.

Our bodies moved together while he grew harder against me. The pleasurable sensations continued to build. It was a fire that threatened to consume both of us.

With his breath hot against my skin, Theo"s lips trailed down along my neck, chest, and upper abs. He caressed my hips with his fingers and whispered, "You"re so handsome. I want to take you and make you mine in every way possible."

He pushed himself further up between my legs and rocked my body backward on my hips. With his cock head pressed firmly against me, I wrapped my legs around his torso, anticipating him inside me.

I reached down and guided his cock while he thrust forward. When he finally pushed inside, a wave of ecstasy washed over me.

We moved in perfect sync, our breathing ragged and shallow. Time seemed to slow down or even stop as we lost ourselves in the moment"s passion. Every touch, kiss, and whispered word was a testament to our love.

Theo drove deeper inside me as he held onto my hips and moved forward and back, each thrust more intense than the last. Sweat coated our bodies, and I panted to catch my breath.

When our eyes locked together, I knew we wouldn"t last much longer—the tension built inside each of us. Theo leaned down and kissed the side of my neck. "Rafe, I"m almost there."

Hearing him and anticipating his explosive climax, I felt a new wave of pleasure build even higher inside me. I was close, too.

Suddenly, Theo cried out. His body arched like a bow as his orgasm took over. His hips jerked, and he gripped my body even tighter, riding out the climactic waves that rushed through his body.

I felt him throbbing inside me, and it sent me over the edge. My body shook, and I could barely breathe. It was the most intense orgasm of my life and nearly knocked me unconscious.

A minute later, as we lay in bed together, spent and breathless, I knew we"d crossed a line in our relationship. There was no turning back. Although we"d had sex before, this was the first time I felt that I"d given myself to Theo completely. I was his, and I would never look back.

In that moment, with our bodies shiny with sweat, and our hearts pounding out a rhythm together, I knew I"d found the most precious thing in life. I"d found a love that could last a lifetime.

***

The following morning was bright and sunny. As the fall"s rays streamed through the front windows of the Little Blue Bean, I embarked on a new day in multiple ways.

I"d spent the previous evening in Theo"s arms, letting his love and support wash over me. We talked for hours about our hopes, fears, and dreams for the future. Somewhere along the way in the conversation, an idea came to me.

I wanted to celebrate. It felt like I was at a turning point. The future would not be simple and uncomplicated, but I knew it would be better than anything that came before. My ex was behind bars, and I had a new love in my life. I also had a new community and a new conviction about what I wanted to do with my work life. I was like a baby chick hatching out of his shell to experience a new reality.

And what better way to celebrate than with a cake?

I"d gotten up early and kissed Theo"s forehead, letting him continue to sleep. I arrived at the Little Blue Bean even before Sarah.

I"d decided to bake a three-layer, rich and decadent chocolate fudge cake. It would have a smooth ganache filling and a glossy chocolate glaze on the outside.

Using a delicate piping bag, I drew intricate swirls and flourishes around the outside with white icing. I created a border of delicate, lacy patterns, and finally, on top, in the center, I crafted a single sugar rose tinted pink.

The cake was my pièce de résistance, an exclamation point on all I"d created so far in my baking adventures. I carried it to the front of the coffee shop and gently set it on the counter.

Arriving before the rest of the staff, Sarah was the first to notice. "Rafe, what"s this?" she asked.

I grinned. "It"s a thank you." Emotions started growing in the back of my throat, but I kept my voice steady. "It"s for everything you and everyone connected with the Little Blue Bean has done for me. You"ve all come through for me when I needed you most and welcomed me into the community like part of the family.

Sarah"s eyes misted over, and she held her hand up to her mouth. "Oh, wow. You didn"t have to do this."

"I wanted to do it. You"ve been more than a boss to me. You"ve played many other roles: friend, confidant, business advisor. This is just a small way of showing my appreciation."

She pulled me into a hug. "Thank you. You"re an inspiration to all of us."