Sugar (Harry Styles)

9.

HELLO CUPCAKES !! <3 HERE IS CHAP NUMBER 9 ENJOY!

Harry didn’t have the courage to kiss Daphne after their day together. He wanted to, God he wanted to. He imagined how the kiss would go as he walked Daphne home, their fingers now laced together. He thought about her plump lips against his own, soft, gentle, sweet. He wanted to taste her, his fingers tracing over her jaw as they kissed. 

As the pair stood in front of Daphne’s house he smiled down at her as she thanked him for a wonderful day and for listening to her stories. He smiled and nodded at her before he felt his throat knot at the sudden rush of fear that hit him. He was thankful that Daphne leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek, allowing him to do the same.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, darling.” Daphne sweetly cooed before she let her fingers drop from his, leaving him standing dumbfounded at the front gate as she moved along the path towards the front door and turned one last time to wave at him before disappearing completely.

Harry cursed quietly to himself on the walk home, angry with himself with being unable to kiss her. He knew that trying to get involved with her romantically was a risk. She was working with him at the bakery, suppose she didn’t like him like that? What if they didn’t work out? Would she quit, leave him?

He couldn’t understand why she was so irresistible. Even after today he was more in love with her than ever. It wasn’t love of course, that was what Harry kept telling himself. He had known her 4 days… there was no way it could be love.

Harry wasn’t alone in his feeling. Daphne too was falling for the curly-haired baker. He was sweet and tender. He looked at her in a way that was different from all other men who had tried to woo her before. He was patient and didn’t rush himself or her to make any moves. They were playful and kind to one another. Daphne sighed deeply to herself as she climbed the stairs to her room. As wonderful as falling in love was she was worried what life would be when she actually hit that wall, that point when she was in love with him and he may not be in love with her.

—

Harry had never seen a busier week in the bakery; maybe during the holidays, but never in the dead of October. Cakes and pies were being ordered by the handful, cupcakes by the dozen. Harry and Daphne had to make a double batch of pastries in the morning to adjust for the demand from the town. Word spread about the bakery, how good the food was, how delicious the sweets tasted. The biggest compliment was how they made people feel after they ate the treats.

Harry wasn’t quite sure what came over the town but he had a hunch. It came in the small package that busily scurried along the kitchen floor. She moved from the oven to the island in the kitchen and back to the sink before starting the dance all over again. Her ponytail swung back and forth over her shoulders and her bangs highlighted the concentrated look in her eye.

He realized then that she had caught him staring and she smiled, her own cheeks flushing pink. She couldn’t hide behind her hair this time. Instead she flicked her fingers at him, watching as the flour from her fingertips fell from her skin and wafted in the air like snowflakes before landing on the floor.

“Cheeky boy,” She told him with a laugh, “Stop staring and help me!” She told him as she leaned over the counter, finding herself with several baking sheets of peanut butter cookies in front of her.

“What do you need me to do?” He asked as he looked at the baked goods as he moved towards the island, being drawn to her side even though there were 3 other sides of the island he could’ve stood on.

“Take them off the sheets. Tammy Ingridson is picking them up for her dinner party tonight and they need to be in boxes.” Daphne told him as she gently bumped her hip against his causing him to smile and lean into her.