Page 8 of Midnight Snack

Gracie: Fair enough. But he’s stupid hot so I'm gonna need details and maybe some pictures

ME: You are not even a little bit helpful.

chapter

five

Damien

It could be said that I’m eager. That could explain why I showed up early to the cabin that I’ll share with Caroline for the next few days. Instead, I’m going to pretend that I’m just prepared.

You can see through my bullshit, can’t you?

When they did my intake interview, I focused on Caroline’s professionalism and her skill because she’s obviously very talented.

Here's what I didn't say. I took one look at Caroline's dark hair, and that scrunched up nose when she was concentrating and the curves in her body. Fuck, all those delicious curves.

Yep, so I'd watched several contestant videos, and Caroline was the only one that gave me a hard on. She's the only one that got my attention.

One look at her and I knew she had to be my partner.

My ragged nerves? Yeah, I’m also going to pretend those are exclusively about the cameras all over this house. Yes, I’m used to being filmed, but my home set up is small and intimate because that’s what my brand is selling.

My brand. Two years ago, I would not have imagined this is where my life would take me. Thanks to my severe dyslexia, I was the stupid kid who barely graduated high school and had no real focus in life except to not be like the rest of the Leblanc men. Deadbeats, drunks and losers, all of them. I just knew I didn’t want to be any of that.

So I’d worked my ass off helping my mom and aunts and my sister in the family bakery. It hadn’t been doing well since the pandemic, and we were on the verge of having to close up shop. Then my sister had had a bit of inspiration one night while scrolling social media. Next thing I knew she was in my kitchen, I was shirtless, and she was filming me bake. Seductively bake.

I never talked in the videos, just used the ingredients in sensual ways as I created a sweet treat. It took three videos for things to go viral and the next thing I knew I’d been dubbed The Bad Boy of Baking and the endorsements and money had started pouring in.

So yeah, I saved my family’s bakery. With my body and looks. I’d rather Aurelia, my sister, get all the credit since it was her idea.

And speak of the she-devil, my phone pings with a text from her.

AURELIA: Soooo what I she like in person?

AURELIA: I am obsessed with her hair.

AURELIA: Probably shouldn’t tell her that unless she’s comfortable with stalkers.

ME: There’s something very wrong with you.

ME: Also, she’s not here yet.

AURELIA: OMG! I bet you’re climbing the walls.

ME: I am fine.

I am not. If the cameras are filming now, they’ve caught me sitting on nearly every surface, then moving to the next one. Pacing, then sitting, then pacing again. I should have gone for a run. Get out some of this pent-up energy.

AURELIA: Y’all are gonna fall in love, and it’s going to be the cutest thing ever.

ME: What are you even talking about?

It’s not a question I should ask my sister. Nor should I pretend I don’t know what she’s inferring. Aurelia can read me like I’m made of glass.

AURELIA: Are you really going to play dumb with me, little brother?

ME: Don’t you have children you should be raising?