WAYNE

CHAPTER 4

Kora barely slept that night.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him again.

The way Travis looked standing beneath the city lights.

The roughness in his voice when he said her name.

The intensity in his eyes right before she walked away.

It lingered in her mind far longer than it should have.

And honestly?

That annoyed her more than anything.

By seven in the morning, she finally gave up on sleep completely and got ready for work instead.

The familiar scent of coffee, sugar, and freshly baked bread greeted her the moment she stepped into her bakery, immediately calming her nerves.

This place had always been her escape.

Warm lighting.

Soft music.

Fresh pastries lined neatly behind glass displays.

Simple. Peaceful. Safe. Just the way she loved it.

Completely different from the world Travis Wayne looked like he belonged in.

“Kora!”

She looked up just in time for Mia, one of her employees, to rush toward her dramatically.

“You’re late,” Mia accused immediately.

Kora blinked. “By six minutes.”

“That’s still late.”

Kora laughed softly before tying her apron around her waist. “Good morning to you too.”

Mia narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why do you look happy?”

“I always look happy.”

“No you don’t.” Mia gasped suddenly. “Wait. Was it the man from last night?”

Kora nearly dropped the tray she was holding. “What man?”

“The ridiculously fine one Ivy posted on her story.”

Kora groaned internally.

Of course Ivy posted him.

“She tagged you too,” Mia added helpfully.

Wonderful.

Kora immediately pulled out her phone only to see dozens of notifications already flooding in.

And there it was.

A blurry picture Ivy had secretly taken at dinner.

Travis sat across from her at the restaurant, his attention completely focused on her while she laughed at something he said.

The lighting was soft. Intimate.

Dangerously intimate.

Kora stared at the photo a second too long before reading Ivy’s caption.

"Finally dragged this woman out the house and now look 😭"

Mia looked over her shoulder dramatically. “Oh my God.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“That man looks at you like he wants to ruin your life...respectfully of course.”

Kora failed miserably at hiding her smile.

Before she could reply, her phone buzzed again.

Travis.

Her stomach tightened instantly.

Mia noticed immediately. “THAT’S HIM?”

Kora quickly turned the phone face down. “Go do your job.”

Mia grinned shamelessly before walking away.

Kora inhaled softly before finally opening the message.

Travis: Did you sleep at all?

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Kora: Why would you ask me that?

The reply came almost immediately.

Travis: Because you looked exhausted when I dropped you off.

Kora stared at the message quietly.

He noticed too much.

Kora: I slept fine.

Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Then appeared again.

Travis: Is that so?

Warmth spread subtly across her face.

Ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous how one word from him affected her this much.

She locked her phone before forcing herself to focus on work instead.

The morning rush started not long after.

Customers moved in and out constantly while the smell of cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee filled the bakery. Normally, Kora enjoyed mornings like this. Busy enough to distract her thoughts. Calm enough to feel familiar.

But today?

Her attention kept drifting toward her phone.

Which irritated her badly.

At one point Mia walked past her whispering, “You’re smiling at your phone.”

“No I am not.”

“You literally are.”

Kora rolled her eyes before focusing on decorating a cake in front of her instead.

Unfortunately, her mind betrayed her again moments later when Travis sent another message.

Travis: You ignored me for thirty minutes.

Kora stared at the screen in disbelief.

Kora: Are you timing me?

Travis: Maybe.

Kora shook her head softly, fighting back another smile.

Kora: That’s concerning behavior.

Travis: And yet you’re still replying.

Her fingers paused above the keyboard.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

That was the dangerous thing about Travis.

He always sounded calm, but every sentence somehow felt loaded beneath the surface. Like there was more meaning hidden underneath simple words.

And she hated how much she liked it.

Around noon, the bell above the bakery door chimed softly again.

Kora looked up absentmindedly before freezing immediately.

Travis Wayne walked directly into her bakery.

Every thought in her head disappeared instantly.

The soft chatter inside the bakery quieted almost immediately as people subtly turned toward him.

And honestly? She understood why.

He looked unfairly attractive standing there in black clothes again, expensive watch resting against his wrist while his dark eyes scanned the bakery calmly before landing on her.

Directly on her.

That same intense look from last night returned immediately.

As if nobody else existed once he saw her.

Mia appeared beside Kora whispering aggressively, “OH MY GOD.”

Kora ignored her completely.

Travis walked toward the counter slowly, his expression calm but unreadable.

“You own this place?” he asked once he stopped in front of her.

Kora crossed her arms lightly. "You sound surprised?”

“I didn’t picture you as a bakery owner.”

“And what exactly did you picture me as?”

His eyes traveled over her face carefully before he answered.

“Something softer.”

The response caught her off guard.

Kora tilted her head slightly. “A bakery isn’t soft enough?”

“It is.” His gaze lingered on her forest green eyes briefly. “But not enough for you.”

Her heartbeat stumbled painfully against her ribs again.

God.

The man spoke like every sentence had hidden meaning behind it.

“What are you doing here?” she asked carefully.

“I wanted coffee.”

“You could’ve ordered delivery.”

“I could’ve.” A faint smirk appeared on his lips. “But then I wouldn’t see you.”

Mia physically turned away to hide her reaction.

Traitor.

Kora cleared her throat softly. “What do you want?”

His eyes flickered briefly toward the pastries behind the glass display before returning to her face.

“You choose.”

“That’s risky.”

“I trust your judgment.”

The simple answer affected her more than it should have.

Trying to ignore the warmth spreading through her chest, Kora turned to prepare his order herself.

She could feel his eyes on her the entire time.

Not in the uncomfortable way most men stared.

No.

Travis watched her like he was learning her.

Every movement.

Every expression.

Every small habit.

It should’ve made her nervous but instead, it made her hyperaware of herself.

A man sitting near the window suddenly smiled at Kora as she passed by with a tray.

“You always this pretty while working?” he asked casually.

Kora gave him a polite smile. “Depends on the customer.”

The man laughed softly. “Then maybe I should come here more often.”

Before Kora could respond, she felt it.

That shift in the atmosphere.

Subtle. Dangerous.

Her eyes instinctively flickered toward Travis.

He sat calmly near the counter, coffee untouched in front of him, his expression unreadable.

But his jaw had tightened slightly.

The customer either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“You got a boyfriend?” he asked next.

Kora opened her mouth to answer before Travis spoke first.

“Yes.”

The single word cut through the bakery calmly.

Kora blinked immediately, turning toward him in shock.

The customer frowned slightly. “I wasn’t asking you.”

Travis finally looked at the man directly.

And suddenly the entire atmosphere changed.

There was no aggression in Travis’ expression. No raised voice. No obvious threat.

Which somehow made him even more intimidating.

“She’s busy,” Travis said calmly.

The customer stared at him for a second too long before muttering something under his breath and looking away entirely.

Silence settled briefly afterward.

Kora walked toward Travis slowly, lowering her voice. “What was that?”

He looked completely unbothered. “He was annoying you.”

“I could handle it myself.”

“I know.” His eyes held hers steadily. “I still didn’t like it.”

The honesty in the answer caught her off guard again.

“You can’t just tell random people I’m your girlfriend.”

A faint smirk appeared on his lips. “Would you rather I said wife?”

Kora stared at him in disbelief before letting out a soft sigh despite herself.

Dangerous man.

Actually dangerous.

When she finally placed the coffee and pastry in front of him, their fingers brushed briefly.

The contact lasted less than a second.

Still, heat shot through her instantly.

Travis noticed.

Of course he did.

His eyes darkened slightly as he caught the subtle shift in her expression.

“You react to me more than you try to hide,” he murmured quietly.

Kora narrowed her eyes immediately, refusing to let him see how accurate that was. “You’re very observant.”

“I told you already.” His voice lowered slightly. “I notice everything about you.”

The tension between them thickened dangerously.

For a second, neither of them moved.

Then Travis suddenly asked, “Have dinner with me again tonight.”

Kora blinked. “Again?”

“You sound surprised.”

“We literally just went out yesterday.”

“And?”

“And normal people wait longer before asking again.”

“I’m not interested in acting normal.”

The honesty in his voice sent warmth rushing through her all over again.

Travis leaned slightly against the counter, his eyes holding hers effortlessly.

“Say yes, Kora.”

Her stomach flipped.

Because the scary thing was…

She already wanted to.

And judging by the look in Travis Wayne’s eyes, he already knew that.