Cupid Get's Struck

By Alexa Riley

Astrid is finally back home after finishing culinary school and ready for her first job interview. There's something familiar about her new boss, and it's pulling at her heartstrings. 

 

Cupid has been biding his time until Astrid graduated and returned to her hometown. Armed with an empire he built just for her, he'll finally confess that's he's been there all along. 

 

Warning: This Valentines quickie is sugary sweet and ready for you to take a bite. Find out what happens when Cupid finally claims his love. 

 

BONUS - This book gives you THREE Valentines Romances in ONE click! Grab this bundle with our previously released favorites - Locked Up Love & Be Mine Or Else - for a limited time! Valentine's Day was never so satisfying! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alexa Riley
• Release date: Jan 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201935320

Alexa Riley

New York Times bestselling author Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes. They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you! www.AlexaRiley.com

Book preview

Cupid Gets Struck

Cupid Gets Struck

ALEXA RILEY

Contents

Cupid Gets Struck

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Epilogue

Epilogue

Locked Up Love

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Epilogue

Epilogue

Be Mine… Or Else

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

Epilogue

Epilogue

Ps You’re Mine

Chapter 1

Read Me Romance

Stalk the Author

Copyright © 2022 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to [e-mail]

http://alexariley.com/

Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Edited by Aquila Editing

New Year… same dirty books.

Welcome to 2022

---

XOXO

AR

Cupid Gets Struck

Astrid is finally back home after finishing culinary school and ready for her first job interview. There’s something familiar about her new boss, and it’s pulling at her heartstrings. 

Cupid has been biding his time until Astrid graduated and returned to her hometown. Armed with an empire he built just for her, he’ll finally confess that’s he’s been there all along. 

Warning: This Valentines quickie is sugary sweet and ready for you to take a bite. Find out what happens when Cupid finally claims his love. 

BONUS - This book gives you THREE Valentines Romances! Grab this bundle with our previously released favorites - Locked Up Love & Be Mine Or Else - for a limited time! Valentine's Day was never so satisfying! 

One

ASTRID

"A re you sure Nicky can’t just hire you permanently?" Star asks, taking another bite of the lemon meringue pie I made. She is a hundred percent not kidding, and I adore her. She is my second-biggest fan behind my brother, and I love them both to pieces. They make me believe I might have a fighting chance out there in the world. Them and my best friend Cupid. Though he’s never actually tried my sweets before. 

A lot of people think lemon meringue pie is a hard dessert to make, but it isn’t. Not to me, at least. I find one of the most valuable traits as a pastry chef is patience. You can’t rush perfection, and you can’t take your eyes off it either. 

I’ve appreciated the temp work, but finance really isn’t my passion. I laugh. You want my brother to hire me as his own personal pastry chef?

I mean, I’m sure I’ll be pregnant soon. I’ll need lots of sweets. She goes for one of my eclairs next. She really does love everything I make. So much so that she had me make their wedding cake.

This is how I pay my rent at the moment. I'm already kind of hired here, I point out, motioning around the kitchen. The place looks like a dessert bomb exploded in it. I might be able to bake, but I always leave a messy trail behind me. 

There isn't much counter space, which is ridiculous because while this kitchen might be a personal home one, it’s bigger than some people's apartments. I’ve completely taken over the kitchen at this point, and my brother has never minded before. Now I’m thinking that’s going to start to change. Not only has Star moved in with him, but they also got married a few weeks ago. 

They’d only recently gotten back from their honeymoon, and I’m really starting to feel out of place. I don’t want to be their third wheel. I also don’t want them to have to sit me down and talk to me about finding my own space. That rejection would burn, and even knowing they would be right to ask for it, I don’t want it to get to that point.

When my brother Nick told me I could stay with him after I graduated culinary school, he’d been a workaholic that was never home. Things have most definitely changed in the short time since he found his Star. I love them together, but I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit I was a bit jealous of what they have. 

Nick isn’t my blood brother. We grew up in the foster system together, and he always kept a close eye on me even when he’d aged out. He’s the only real family I have, and it’s scary to think it could slip through my fingers because he’s starting one of his own now. 

I’m sure Star’s right, and in no time she’ll be pregnant because they can’t keep their hands off of each other. I want that so much for them, and they both deserve it, but I’m not sure where my place is anymore. I do know it’s not inside their home and I need to find a place of my own, along with a job. 

You don’t pay rent, Nick says, entering the kitchen. 

He goes straight for Star and kisses her long and hard on her mouth. I turn away from them, not wanting to intrude more than I already am. 

You taste delicious, I hear him say. I start to slip from the kitchen, but my brother calls me back. You don’t need to go. He smiles my way, which is something he does more often now. 

I actually do. I need to get ready for my interview. I promise I’ll clean up when I get back. 

It’s fine, you know that, Nick tries to reassure me. 

I’ll see you guys later. I give them a little wave before I head back toward my bedroom to get ready for my interview—my very first interview. I still haven't told my brother who the interview is with. I danced around the question when he asked once before. 

I don’t know why because I’m sure he’ll find out soon enough. I think part of me doesn’t want him to try and pull strings to help me get the job. I want to get it because I’m good at what I do and not because Q is one of my brother’s friends. In fact, I had no idea who he was until recently when I’d formally met him at my brother's wedding. 

He sought me out when he found out I made the cake that night, though I’d felt his eyes on me before that. I don’t know how I ended up with an interview. I’d been a babbling mess when he sat down next to me and complimented my cake. 

He invited me to his restaurant, saying they needed help with their desserts, something they are in dire need of with Valentine's Day around the corner. I bet he regretted the invitation a few seconds after he gave it to me. I went and spilled my drink right in his lap when his eyes locked with mine. 

I’d been thrust back in time to when I was a thirteen-year-old girl. His dark blue eyes were the same as Austin’s, my first crush. He was the boy I could never forget even all these years later. It was like he was right there again, stealing the air out of my lungs like he always did when I was a little girl. 

It’s crazy because Q looks nothing like my Austin except for his eyes. Although Austin’s were usually hidden behind glasses more often than not. He was a bit dorky and the only boy that didn’t tower over me. He was different from all the others, and I think that’s why I crushed so hard on him.

Now Q Hart is bigger than life. The man is probably two feet taller than me and is known for his beautiful restaurants. He’s also known for being one of the hottest and most eligible bachelors in the city. Or so I read online after I did a bit of stalking. He might not be Austin, but even I couldn’t deny the man was dang hot. I was surprised by my attraction to him, but it was there. 

Q shot up from his seat after I spilled my drink and went to clean himself up. I all but fled the wedding, thankful that my brother couldn’t keep his hands off his new bride and left his own party early. I was surprised when he reached out to me to lock down when I’d be coming in. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing, but my plan is to take a handful of desserts with me for him to try. I might be a bit of a mess at times, but I know how to bake. It’s the one thing I’m good at. 

When I was little and got the chance to use the kitchen, I’d pretend I was baking for my husband and children and spoiling them all with my treats. It was my way of playing make believe. In those rare moments, I got to fall into a fantasy of having a family of my own. I’d always take my extras and give them to Austin. Until he went and moved away. 

I pause in the mirror when I’m done getting ready, realizing I might have let myself fall into the fantasy once more. In my little pink cardigan and long skirt, I look like I've dropped out of the nineteen fifties. 

I pull out my phone, planning to take a picture to send to Cupid when I see I already have a text from him. 

Cupid: Good luck, sweets. 

I love when he calls me sweets. He’s been doing that since we bumped into each other on an online cooking website years ago. We started talking in the comments on the website Cupid’s Love of Sweets, which was his blog. 

Soon it turned to emails then texts, and I’ve been crushing on him from the start. He flirts but never takes things further. I even sent him a few pictures lately, hoping he’d send one back, but no luck. How am I half in love with a man who I’ve never actually seen? But that doesn’t matter to me. No one knows me better than Cupid. Years of texts and emails have made us more than friends, or at least that’s how I feel. 

I know Cupid lives here in the city, and I thought when I got back from California he’d ask to meet up in person, but he hasn’t. Each day he doesn’t ask, my heart breaks a bit more. He’s the first person I’ve let in since my silly crush on Austin when I was little.

Me: Thank you

Checking the time, I skip the picture, not wanting to come off too needy. The outfit will have to do since I have no time to change now. I leave it be and rush to the kitchen to pack up my treats. I might not get my fantasy of having a family, but maybe I can at least land myself a job. 

One I earned on my very own.

Two

CUPID

I’m pacing the restaurant and counting down until Astrid arrives. When I check my watch, I see she’s still got seven minutes and eleven seconds until she’s due to be here, but I can’t stand the wait. 

Seeing her at the wedding and her not recognizing me was a blow, but I won’t let it screw up my plan. It was the first time I’d seen her in years, and of course she didn’t recognize me. I’ve changed so much since the last time she saw me when I was only fifteen and she was thirteen. 

My parents decided it was a great idea for us to move my sophomore year of high school, and back then, I didn’t have a cellphone or a way to get in touch with her. Plus, I would have been too damn shy to say anything anyway. 

I was a chubby kid that hit puberty late and was still shorter than most of the guys in school. Bad acne, glasses, and a squeaky voice made me keep my chin down and stay silent most days, but when I got to see Astrid, it was like the sun came out just for me. 

Sure, she was my best friend's little sister, but later on, when I got back in touch with Nick, I found out she was going to culinary school out west. She talked about that when we were kids, and I knew it was her dream. I just never considered what it would mean for her to move across the country and away from me. Well, maybe not away from me, but that’s what it felt like. I couldn’t chase after her and tell her to come home, but what I could do was build an empire for her to return to. So that’s what I did. 

I’ve been in love with Astrid since I knew what love was, but she has no idea I exist. She proved that at the wedding. If she ever felt anything for me when we were young, she didn’t show it, or at least feel that same spark I did. Maybe it’s because I’ve grown about four feet and gained close to one hundred pounds in muscle since the last time she saw me. My hair got darker and I grew a beard, but part of me thought deep down she would still see me somewhere inside. 

There was a lot going on that night, and we only spoke for a brief second before she spilled the drink on me, but it was still like being in the bright sunlight and surrounded by warmth being next to her. 

When we were kids, I never went by my first name. My parents named me Cupid Austin Smith, so I went by my middle name in school and made sure no one knew my first name. It was embarrassing having the name Cupid, but eventually I didn’t hate it, and now everyone calls me Q. I use my mom’s maiden name Hart for business because it’s easier to separate work from my personal stuff, so even if Astrid knows me by Q Hart, she wouldn’t know right away that it was me. 

Checking my watch, I see she’s got two minutes and seventeen seconds left before she’s late. I should have offered to pick her up, but that probably would have been weird. 

The front door of the restaurant opens, and I turn around to see her coming in, carrying a white pastry box. Not even pretending to play it cool, I rush over as quickly as I can. 

Sorry, I would have been here sooner, but traffic was a mess. 

You’re early, I blurt out and try to play it cool. Normally I’m a confident person with a dozen businesses under my belt and a list of restaurants I manage and own. But one simple conversation with the girl that stole my heart when I was a kid and I’m a bumbling fool. What’s in the box? 

Desserts. Her smile almost knocks me over, and I remind myself to breathe. I thought it would be good to bring in a few samples. I know you liked the wedding cake, but I wanted to show you what else I was capable of. 

I can’t wait to try them. I take the box from her and then just stand there, memorizing her face because I haven’t seen her in so long. 

Um, should we sit down? She bites her lip, and I want to kick my own ass for being so dumb. 

Yeah, I mean sure, Let’s go over here. I nod toward one of the private tables close to the window and grab some silverware on the way. 

The restaurant isn’t open until tonight, and it’s early in the day. The kitchen staff hasn’t arrived yet, and I’m happy to have her all to myself. Finally. 

Coffee? I ask, grabbing the pot I made for when she arrived. She nods, and I pour her a cup, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top the way she used to like it. 

How did you know I liked cinnamon in my coffee? She cocks her head to the side, and I realize my mistake. 

Don’t most people? I say and then try to cover my tracks. Why don’t you tell me about your education and what you specialize in. 

She sips her coffee and then hums in appreciation as she begins to talk about culinary school and her love of pastries. I could sit like this for hours just listening to her talk and describe the flakiness of laminated dough. The way she says butter is the cutest thing ever. 

I have an event next week, and I’d like to hire you for it, I say as I take the fork out of the napkin and open the box. 

You haven’t even tried my desserts yet. She smiles shyly, and god, it heats me from the inside out. 

I don’t need to. You’re obviously talented, I could tell that from the wedding cake. But seeing how passionate you are about cooking, that’s exactly what I’m looking for. Her cheeks flush, and she stares down at her hands as I scoop up a bite of pie. When I hum appreciatively, her eyes lock with mine. 

Do you like it? 

I’ve never had anything so sweet. The words are out of my mouth, and I realize it might sound like it’s not right. It’s perfect, I correct, and I see her smile widen. 

So what kind of event is it? 

It’s for Valentine’s, I hedge, taking a bite of a chocolate tart.

Reviews for Cupid Get's Struck

[AnIncrediblyGinormousBookaholic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So incredibly cute. I have really missed the simplicity of Alexa Riley's storylines, but you can see that the hero is totally gone for the heroine. He has a couple different names, but he loves her. Her brother helps set up their wedding. I loved the story.