Read Love for Dessert (Contemporary Romance) for Free Online Page B

felt lucky to have caught him.
     
    There was an email waiting for Anastasia in her inbox from the baking contest coordinators. It informed her of the venue, a quaint park, and how the contestants were to make the goods. They were to meet at two in the afternoon, and all the utensils, ovens, and basic ingredients would be prepared. All they had to bring were any special ingredients they needed. There would be a news station covering the entire event. It was a yearly tradition after all, and was a big deal.
     
    Anastasia had lots of time to kill before her date, and she was determined to find the perfect recipe. She had already decided on making a sweet dish, but nothing she currently knew tasted or looked correct. It had to be perfect, for winning this contest could bring her a lot of success. She really needed the cash reward and having a news story done would definitely bring more customers in. Anastasia sighed as her fingers flew across her laptop’s keyboard, searching for the perfect dessert.
     
    Half an hour later, Anastasia still couldn’t find a cake that fit exactly what she was looking for. She sighed as she sat back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling, wracking her brain for some obscure recipe she might have tucked into the very corners of her mind. She came up empty. But then, just as she was about to give up, inspiration struck. She could mix two recipes together, and create something new entirely!
     
    Anastasia knew her best two cakes were the angel food cake, and the devil’s food cake. The last time she had made them, Ariana had eaten half of both even though she had been on a diet. If she layered the cakes and put a thick layer of icing in between… Oh, it would be delicious. Her mouth watered just thinking about it. She couldn’t wait any longer. Anastasia leapt up from her seat and into the shower as she prepared to go to the grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients.
     
    Anastasia was out on the town in half an hour, ready to go. She had texted Ariana, letting her know that she was baking Ariana’s favorite tonight. Ariana texted back with six happy faces, obviously extremely excited. As Anastasia surveyed the vegetable aisle, she noticed a man at the end checking her out. She grinned as she watched him take in her long, tanned legs that were shown off by her tight shorts and her nice ample chest. Ever since she had quit her job, she didn’t have to be confined by the office dressing rules.
     
    As soon as Anastasia got back to her apartment, she began to bake, mixing all sorts of things together and creating amazing smells. “God damn, that smells good!” she exclaimed as she dipped a finger into the light colored batter, tasting the sweetness. “Yum.” She smiled as she stuck the pan into her oven. She was in a fantastic mood, having just found the recipe of her dreams. She would win, for sure.
     
    A knock came at the door and Anastasia opened it gleefully. Ariana stood in the doorway with Peter, their hands entwined lovingly. “Hey, girl, I’m here for the taste testing! And I hope you don’t mind, I brought the fiancé.” They both smiled brightly. Peter Gold was an older-looking man, though he was only twenty-seven. He wasn’t incredibly attractive, though Ariana had always found there was a certain kind of charm about him.
     
    Peter ran a hand through his jet-black hair. “Thanks for inviting us, Ana.” He was always very polite, even though they knew each other so well. “Ari tells me that you’re quite the excellent baker, but you’re very shy about it.” He winked at her as they both stepped into the apartment.
     
    This was the first time Peter had been to the apartment since Aaron left, and it looked so different. It would be rude of him to point it out, but he could see how deeply Aaron had affected her. Anastasia happily took out half of the finished cake, beautifully placed on an intricately decorated silver cake plate.
     
    “Damn, Ana, that looks