Page 33 of When the Baker Met the Dragon
Sio meets my gaze. “You should ask Betilda about the kissing booth at the May Day Festival. Get yourself some experience kissing other upright walkers.”
I blink and nearly drop my reins. “Sorry. I, I don’t think I’m used to you speaking yet, Sio.”
He purrs and touches my wrist with his cold nose like he’s saying,That’s all right. I understand.
“I had forgotten about that booth. I don’t think they did it last year, did they?”
Sio meows what feels like ano.
“That’s why I didn’t think of it. It’s a great idea!” I shake the reins to encourage Tamar gently and get her moving more quickly. “I can kiss the whole town if they’re up for it. The coin the committee collects usually funds a charity, so this would be good for more than just my selfish purposes. Maybe if I kiss enough people, I will stop thinking about my moment with Cyrus.”
Like I summoned him with a word, Cyrus drops through the tree canopy high above and lands in the back of the cart. My heart careens up my throat. The wagon lurches, and Tamar whinnies though she eyes Cyrus with raised ears so I don’t think she was as surprised at his appearance as I was.
“What are you doing here?” My heart beats like a crazed drummer has been released inside my chest.
Behind the bench where I sit, Cyrus kneels. He eases one arm over the back of the bench.
“I found out you decided to go alone, and I thought you might need company. Besides, it’s an unnecessary risk going alone like this,” Cyrus says.
“Have you turned into a granny overnight? Why are you so worried about everything now?”
A chuckle rumbles from him and I see the tip of a wing over my shoulder. He is shielding my head from the inconsistent sunlight through the trees.
“I guess I have become rather granny-like when it comes to you.”
“You’re a good friend,” I say, quickly. My hands are sweating and the reins feel slippery between my fingers.
“Aye.”
I wish I could see his expression right now. Does that fact make him feel content or is he frustrated about it like I am? No, I don’t care. I refuse to consider it.
“We’re nearly to Kingstown now,” I say. “I would have been fine.”
“You still have the ride back.”
I give him a look. Secretly, I’m glad he is here. But I also know that concentrating on my delivery will be so much harder now.
He grins. “Look, let’s forget about everything and simply enjoy ourselves in Kingstown.”
My heart races and my palms grow even stickier. Tamar seems to notice my mood and slows down.
Cyrus moves his hand back and forth as if to dispel whatever dark look I’ve given him. “Just shopping and seeing the city,” he says. “Doing whatever you want to do. You never take time off, Kaya.”
I snap the reins lightly over Tamar’s back and she trots faster. “I went climbing with Renen a few weeks ago.”
“You hated every second of that.”
I purse my lips. “Not every second.”
He tilts his head and raises an eyebrow.
Shrugging, I say, “The last part when we returned home was really nice.
A chuckle comes from Cyrus, and then we are turning off the main road and onto the lane that leads to Kingstown’s mighty walls.
I wonder how this is all going to go. I have a friend I wish was my lover and a ridiculous amount of baked goods to deliver to the queen’s tea.
“I have to admit that I am nervous the nobles won’t like my pastries.”