HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my gorgeous @themikaelsoncupcake Rachel! I hope you have a wonderful day full of cake, wine, fun, friends and most importantly Football (Go Doggies)!
I thought you might like a drabble combining your favourite trope and cupcakes (what else). Hope you enjoy this short but sweet, sugary treat!
The corner store was busy this time of the evening. Busy professionals picking up a few items after work, families on their way home after school, their baskets filled to the brim with dinner ingredients and Caroline wandering the aisles amongst the activity.
The bakery section loomed ahead and her eyes landed excitedly on the decadent looking dessert selection, her attention immediately caught by the pink, strawberry cupcake looking rather delicious but lonely all by itself. She smiled knowingly, turning to grab one of the brown paper bags so she could place it inside.
When she turned back, however, there was a curly haired blonde hovering dangerously close to her cupcake. She watched carefully, trying to manoeuvre around so she could see exactly what he was taking but he was obscuring her view.
“Uh excuse me?” She asked, not expecting those hypnotising, crimson lips and that sexy stubble when he turned around to face her.
“Yes?” Caroline was fairly certain he said something but wasn’t quite sure what it was in her haze. “Is there something you were after?”
“I noticed you eyeing off that last strawberry cupcake and I just can’t let you have it.”
“Excuse me?” He baulked. Looking back, it probably was a little rude for an opening line but she knew what was at stake. “You don’t have any rights to this cupcake because last time I checked you’re over there and I’m standing here.”
“What are you five years-old?” He teased, flashing her some very disarming dimples that she didn’t see coming. Why did this arrogant ass have to be so cute and have the sexiest English accent at the same time?
“Why do I have the distinct feeling that you’re going to tell me anyway,” he smirked, frustrating her even further.
“You don’t even want it; you’re just playing with me.”
“Well, I could definitely think of more fun ways of playing with you, love.”
“You wish,” she spluttered, hoping that the heat spreading through her body wasn’t outwardly obvious to him. It didn’t help that the navy Henley he was wearing fitted tightly across his chest, three necklaces peeking teasingly out from underneath. An untoward thought of pulling on them flashing through her mind before she could stop it .
“Trust me when I say there is no ulterior motive for my actions, love. I just want this cupcake, it’s as simple as that.”
“Come on,” she pleaded, trying to reason with this stubborn idiot. “Why don’t you consider one of the other flavours? The vanilla with whipped buttercream is delicious.”
“I’ve always considered vanilla to be a little boring.”
“Well, how about the red velvet? Nothing says exciting and decadent like that flavour.”
“I’m curious. If those are supposedly so good, why don’t you have them instead?”
“You don’t understand,” Caroline explained, thinking maybe she could try and appeal to his softer side which she hoped actually existed. “Strawberry is my favourite flavour. In fact, I’ve been thinking about eating this all day. You have no idea how much I want this cupcake; how much I need it.”
“I see what’s happening here,” he surmised, raising his eyebrows in her direction. “You’re obsessed with sugar and this erratic behaviour is a symptom of your addiction.”
“I am not,” she argued. Although, it probably wasn’t altogether untrue either, not that she’d give him the satisfaction of admitting that
“Well, why are your hands shaking then?” She looked down immediately, realising that they were perfectly still, something she knew all along but this guy had to go and throw her off.
“You’re getting enjoyment out of this, aren’t you?”
“Hey, all I wanted was a strawberry cupcake, this little conversation is just an added bonus,” he grinned.
“Fine,” she grumbled. “I’ve told you why I want the cupcake, how about you tell me your reasons?”
“I don’t need to give you any reasons, sweetheart, given I’m the one standing closer to it.”
“Well, if you’re going to take it from me, the least you could do is tell me why?”
“So, my liking strawberry cupcakes isn’t enough?” He asked, his unconvincing expression giving him away immediately.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a little demanding?”
“This is the part where I could say that you’re a little arrogant but that would be changing the subject, funnily enough.”
“Okay you got me,” he admitted. “It’s actually for my daughter Stella. I think her addiction to these particular cupcakes might rival yours.”
“You do not have a daughter,” she shot back.
“I’m sorry? Why would I say it if it weren’t true?”
“To get me to relinquish this cupcake.”
“Didn’t we cover this earlier? The cupcake is already mine.”
“Yet, you’re still talking to me.”
“Obviously that’s your desperate ploy to try and get your way but it’s not going to work, love.”
“Oh, like your ploy to create an imaginary daughter so I’ll feel guilty about taking candy from a poor, defenceless child?”
“Oh, here’s the poor, defenceless girl in question now,” he grinned, looking past her. She closed her eyes dreading the fact that he had been telling the truth.
“Dad, what did I tell you about talking to strangers?”
“She started it, I promise,” he chuckled. “Thanks for getting the milk, darling.”
“What have I told you about calling me that in public? It is so embarrassing and I am almost ten, after all.” Caroline was trying to resist the urge to laugh. She was blonde, blue eyed and a little feisty by the sounds of it.
“But it’s fun,” he complained. “I’m sorry, Stella this is...” She faltered slightly, wondering how the conversation had turned so suddenly.
“Caroline.” She replied, simply. “It’s nice to meet a fellow strawberry cupcake lover.”
“Dad,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I said I wanted you to get me chocolate. You know I don’t like strawberry.” Caroline was stunned, her initial instincts were right. He was playing her, bastard.
“I could have sworn you liked strawberry,” he said, but she couldn’t miss the knowing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Looks like it’s all yours, Caroline.”
“How kind of you,” she answered, unable to hide her sarcasm.
“We’re going to the park to have our cupcakes,” she told Caroline helping herself to the chocolate cupcake and placing another in a separate bag. “Dad likes red velvet best.”
“Yes, someone told me once that it’s exciting and decadent.”
“Sounds like someone smart who knows their desserts,” Caroline murmured.
“They certainly do, can I get that strawberry cupcake for you?”
“Well, if you two weren’t so busy having some weird conversation you’d notice that I got this for you,” Stella interrupted, handing Caroline the brown, paper bag.
“Thank you, Stella,” she smiled, her sugar fix the last thing on her mind right now.
“Maybe you could come to the park with us?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to...”
“I think that’s a great idea, Stella,” the frustrating but gorgeous stranger agreed.
“Well, I’m not sure I should go somewhere with a stranger, what kind of example would I be setting,” she joked, thinking back to Stella’s comment.
“I’m Klaus,” he replied, taking her hand and shaking it slowly, Caroline not expecting the warm sensations it caused. “It’s nice to meet you, love.”
Looking back on their first meeting years later, Caroline and Klaus would claim it was the strawberry cupcake that brought them together. So much so that it was the chosen dessert at their wedding, but Stella always said it was her doing and liked to take the credit.
