Page 22 of Hungry As Her Python

People—and by that I meant supes from around the world—wanted my goodies.

But enough about all that.

Where was I?

Oh, right—Ryan packing up the firetruck, and Conrad stowing his gear before walking toward me.

Cue instant panic.

Chapter Six-Bella

I was still glued to the cold concrete curb outside my bakery, clutching the splintered remains of my favorite rolling pin.

The one Petyr had salvaged from beneath the charred wreckage of the ruined display rack.

I wasn’t supposed to be sitting there answering questions about another mystery arson attack.

But my legs didn’t feel like working, and my heart? Well, it was still somewhere between the shock of seeing flames in my bakery again and the way Conrad’s jaw clenched every time he looked my way.

And neither of those things was making it easy to breathe.

I squared my shoulders and bit the inside of my cheek. Time to put on my big girl pants and ignore the sexy Shifter while pretending my whole life wasn’t in shambles.

I could do that.

Maybe. Kinda.

Oh, who was I forking kidding?

“I have to ask you some more questions, Bella.”

I nodded for him to continue.

“So, you arrived here at 4:30 this morning?” Conrad asked, his voice that smooth, low rumble that made my insides do inconvenient things.

His expression was all business—grim, intent, those chiseled features sharpened by focus.

Which, frankly, was rude, because the man had no right to look that good while parts of my shop were still smoldering.

I tried not to admire him.

Really, I did.

But it was like telling myself not to breathe—it just wasn’t happening.

He was damned gorgeous no matter what face he was making.

Ridiculous Witch.

Drooling over a man when your store is literally a crime scene.

Priorities, Bella.

“Yes, I got here about then,” I mumbled, tucking a stray curl behind my ear and hoping I didn’t look like I’d just rolled out of bed—which, in my defense, I had.

I still could not believe some jerk had started a fire in my bakery.

For. The. Second. Time.