The kitchen was so much smaller with Min Jun and Luke in it; however, Jessie needed the counter space to spread out the selection of samples.
Cake pops shaped and glazed into candied apples were lined up next to glittered disco balls. Miniature petite fours suitable for high tea were displayed in martini glasses. Emoticon sugar cookies, cannoli, tiered trays of fruit tarts, personalized birthday cakes, bachelor party cakes, bridle party cupcakes, and so much more than Jessie had lost track of exactly what was there.
Decadent creations covered almost every flat surface was covered. So many that for the briefest moment, Jessie wondered if this was what it was like to be OCD. She never set out to bake so much, but as each idea came to fruition, she thought up two more she had always wanted to try.
The men stood in the middle of the sugar-fest in awe.
"You did all of this?" Min Jun asked.
Jessie nodded. "Mostly. Of course, Betty helped."
Luke plucked a cherry candied in bourbon sauce from the top of a meringue shell filled with chocolate mousse. With a moan, he nodded his head in appreciation. "I vote for these."
Jessie said, "Please help yourselves. Most are meant to be finger food, but I've set out plates, silverware, napkins.
"Luke nabbed another cherry and turned to feed it to Min Jun. "Taste this."
Min Jun took it as if it were natural to be hand fed by Luke. To Jessie, though, they stood a little too close to be just friends. While they weren't touching, they shared a heated gaze that made Jessie uncomfortable. She wasn't a prude. Jessie believed a person's sexual preference was their choice, but even though she had no plans to date Min Jun, it bothered her to see him here in her grandmother's bakery intimate with someone else. She remembered walking in on her parents making out when she was ten. It wasn't as if her parents weren't usually affectionate, but something about this time made her want to cover her face with her hands and unsee what she had observed.
Now, she wanted to unsee Luke holding the glazed cherry up to Min Jun's lips and the way Min Jun smiled before he opened his mouth. His friend slipped the cherry inside. She wanted to unsee how Min Jun thoughtfully chewed the fruit and moaned in a deep, guttural growl of appreciation while Luke licked the residual juices off his fingers with the tip of his tongue so delicately.
But she could never unsee it, and as uncomfortable as she felt at that moment, goodness help her, but she didn't want to.
Jessie was unaware that she was staring until Min Jun cleared his throat and took a step away from Luke with an apologetic side glance in her direction. That was Jessie's call to action. She turned away from the men under the pretense of putting together a plate of goodies.
"Luke," she said, her voice a little higher than usual, "Why don't you start with these." She handed him the plate and a napkin. She grabbed another plate and headed to the opposite end of the array of confections.
As she gathered a sampling of treats, she felt the heat of Min Jun standing behind her, smelled his cologne. Her spine stiffened, and she froze, her arm still extended to where she intended to pick up a sugar cookie with Tequila spelled out in a guava-flavored frosting. Eyes closed, Jessie fought the urge to lean back into him. The sensation intensified when he reached around her and took the plate she held in his right hand. With his left, he picked up a powder blue Sweetheart cupcake with Be Mine scrolled across the top in bright pink.
He placed the cupcake on the plate, essentially encircling her in his arms. This was heaven. This was hell. Jessie held her breath. She resolved to hold firm against what felt good. If everyone did just what felt good, nothing would be accomplished. Children would suffer from neglect. Disease would run rampant, and Jessie would lose everything important to her for the sake of what? An orgasm? No, not with Min Jun. She had a feeling if she let go for even a little while, they wouldn't stop with just one orgasm.
Jessie counted under her breath. One, two, three, four. She refused to feel his breath warm against her ear or the way his body heat called to her. Five, six, seven, eight. This was her place of business. She was a professional, besides, this was innocent closeness. Nine, ten, eleven, Luke was here and Betty was in the next room.
"What are you thinking about, Jessie?" MJ whispered. "Is it about me?"
"I was thinking I should pour you some milk or coffee." She ducked out of his arms and turned to find herself nose to chin with Luke who had that odd expression again, the one that told her she was unique in his world.
In time, he grinned and tilted his head. "Tea for me. My special blend is in a tin next to the register."
Jessie sighed. "I know where your tea is, Luke. I'm the one who put it there."
"And just a touch of honey," Luke added as she escaped the kitchen and what she now considered the danger zone.