Can I walk you home?

As Lyra attended to the new customer, Stephen continued to gaze at her, his eyes never leaving hers. He was intrigued by her sudden change in behavior, and his mind raced with questions. Who was this beautiful woman, and what was she hiding behind her charming smile?

As he finished his cupcake, he left the money on the table, just as she had instructed. But instead of leaving, he lingered, his eyes still fixed on Lyra. He noticed the way she expertly handled the customers, her grace and poise captivating him.

When the last customer finally left, Lyra began to clean up, her movements swift and efficient. Stephen watched, mesmerized, as she locked the doors and began to count the day's earnings.

"Lyra," he said, his voice low and husky, "can I walk you home?"

Lyra's head snapped up, her eyes meeting his. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable.

Lyra's heart raced on hearing Stephen's voice, she was surprised that Stephen haven't left, "are you still here?", she asked surprised

Stephen had no intention of answering her, he stood up, walked towards her and smiled, "can I walk you home?", not sure how she would feel if she decline this time, she accepted, "give me some minutes, I will be through and while you are at it, can you wait outside please?", with a devilish smile, Stephen turned and walked out of bakery, pacing up and down outside waiting for Lyra to come out.Lyra watched him leave, her heart still racing from the sudden proximity. She quickly finished closing up the bakery, her hands shaking slightly as she locked the doors and turned off the lights. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, and stepped out into the evening air.

Stephen was pacing outside, his eyes gleaming in the fading light. He turned to her, his smile still devilish, and offered his arm. "Shall we?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

Lyra hesitated for a moment, then took his arm, feeling a spark of electricity as their skin touched. They walked in silence, the only sound being the clicking of their shoes on the pavement.

As they turned the corner, Stephen spoke up, "So, Lyra, tell me about yourself. What makes you tick?"

Lyra looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. "I'm just a simple baker," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have any grand adventures or exciting stories to tell."

Stephen chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I think you're selling yourself short, Lyra. I think there's more to you than you're letting on."

Stephen chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I think you have more to say about yourself and it would be more than any adventure story ever told", Lyra laughed, "well I am not all that, I started my business not too long ago, like few years now and I bake because I have passion for it",

"No wonder you're so gracious at it", Stephen replied with charming eyes.

Soon enough, they were already at Lyra's street, "thank you for walking me home, this is my neighborhood, I will have to go by myself from here... By the way, what are you going to do now? Trek back? I can't believe I allowed you walk me here leaving your car outside the shop", Lyra said , almost frowning.

Stephen smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I didn't drive, Lyra. I walked to your shop today. I wanted to clear my head, and I stumbled upon your bakery. Best decision I ever made." He paused, looking around the quiet neighborhood. "And I'm not trekking back. I'll walk you to your door, and then I'll head home. It's not far from here."

Lyra's frown deepened, but she couldn't hide the hint of a smile. "You're quite the mysterious one, aren't you?" She led him to her door, feeling a sense of comfort with him by her side.

As they reached the door, Stephen turned to her, his eyes serious. "Lyra, can I ask you something?" He paused, his gaze intense. "Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? Not just cupcakes and coffee, but a real dinner date?"

Lyra's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected this, but she found herself wanting to say yes.

"Well I don't intend to eat out with a stranger, I am sorry but then, thank you and goodnight", Lyra said as she quickly went inside and lock her door, her heart racing, she was excited not sure why but she loved the feeling

Stephen standing at the door, not sure if he wasted his time or not had to walk back and called his driver to pick him up. He was a play boy but had always been a lonely child, ever since his parents died, he was left to himself to survive, it was hard on him, at that young age, he wasn't ready to manage a company yet so he left the company in the hands of his uncle to mange, he studied and got a degree first and ever since his return from the United States, he had been womanizing, not really because he was addicted to it, but because his heart was searching for comfort and sex with different women didn't provide it, but something about Lyra, she made him feel sure and safe and if she doesn't intended to date him, it's pointless then, Stephen had flashes of the past and the fear of losing Lyra made tears to drop from his eyes while sitting in his Lexus 350 white model car.

His driver seeing how he looked asked him, "are you okay, sir?"

Stephen wiped away the tears, his voice cracking as he spoke, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nostalgic, that's all." He gazed out the window, his mind still on Lyra. He couldn't believe how much she had affected him in such a short time. He felt a connection with her, something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

As the car drove on, Stephen's thoughts lingered on Lyra's smile, her laughter, and her kindness. He realized that he wanted to see her again, to know her better, and to make her happy. But he also knew that he couldn't force her into a relationship. He had to respect her boundaries.

With a newfound determination, Stephen made a decision. He would give Lyra space, but he wouldn't give up. He would find a way to show her that he was genuine, that he cared for her, and that he wanted to be a part of her life.

The car stopped at his mansion, and Stephen stepped out, his eyes fixed on the stars above. He knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in his life, one that would hopefully lead him to true love and happiness.