Recipe for Love

The bell over the door to the Magic Muffin jangled, causing Megan to curse as the muffin pan she'd just pulled out of the oven burnt her fingers. Damn that Annie Frost for quitting on her to go off with that Army captain anyway. It was awfully tough having to do the baking and watch the front of the shop too.

"Coming! Just a moment," she called, plopping the muffins on the cooling rack and shaking her fingers. She untied the flour covered apron she wore too, heading out to the space behind the glass counters that kept all of her baked goods fresh. Muffins and croissants with chocolate fillings, fruit tarts and Napoleons all sat in gold and silver foil cups. Their colors and textures looked just perfect under the natural lighting she'd had installed.

The smell didn't hurt sales either. Fresh baked pastry always smelled like home to people.

"Hi, may I help you?" she asked the man who stood on the other side of the counter, hands in the pockets of his faded jeans, his shoulders hunched a little as he peered into the displays.

"I hope so," he replied, smiling.

Wow. That made him kinda hot. He wasn't her type at all, with his hard masculine angles and brown hair, but that smile... well. She'd probably just been breathing too many blueberry crumb fumes if some random guy was making her stare.

"Uh," she fumbled a little, trying to get her eyes to do something else. Like maybe blink. "So, what are you looking for?"

"I'm fixing to have a meeting in a few minutes and I need something doughnut-y, but less bad for you."

"Oh." Megan pondered that a minute. "What sort of meeting?"

"Beg pardon?" he asked. His accent was decidedly southern, making the first word sound like at least two syllables.

Megan just grinned. "What's the purpose? Creative brainstorming? Training? Sales?"

"Oh. Uh. Sales." He gave her a look. "Why?"

"Well, if it was for brainstorming, I'd suggest poppy seed muffins or scones. Seeds bring new life, after all, so those would make a great choice. For sales, though, I would go with the carrot cake muffins. Good and good for you."

His eyebrows went up. "What do carrots do?"

"They have a very fertile quality, breeding what you want them to, bringing things to you. Very good for sales." Megan laughed, breaking off a piece of a carrot cake muffin and handing it to him as a sample. "Besides, I make a fabulous cream cheese frosting. Light, not greasy."

His eyes (they were gray, a really light, clear color) widened as he tasted the dense, moist muffin. Then he licked his fingers.

"I'll take six," he said, staring at her.

Like really staring.

"Cool." Ducking her head to hide her suddenly hot cheeks, Megan boxed up the muffins, putting in a lemon poppy seed just because. You never knew when you might need a kernel of an idea. "That'll be eighteen-fifty."

The man handed her a twenty. "You can keep the change," he said, grinning suddenly, that whole face lighting up again. Damn, it was just stunning. "If you tell me your name."

"Megan," she answered without thinking. "Megan Donnelly."

"I'm Jack. Jack Rabin. Nice to meet you, Megan. I hope your muffins really are magic. I need this meeting to go well."

She watched him as he turned and headed out the door, making the bell ring again. When she found herself nibbling on an anise and almond cupcake, she started laughing, feeling the effect anise had on her feminine energy right away.

"You have no idea, Jack Rabin," she said aloud. "No idea at all."

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