Sinfully Sweet

so that the residents of Austell would know that the town’s newest store, Sinfully Sweet, was now open and ready for business.

A combination of nerves and anticipation rippled through her at the prospect of the first customer walking through the door. She ran her fingers lovingly over the glossy black and gilt hand-painted script letters adorning the front picture window, then touched the smaller letters beneath the name that read: Extraordinary Chocolate Confections. Would this store prove as successful to their scientific research as the last one she and Marcus had opened?

As if thinking Marcus’s name conjured up her husband of twenty-seven years, his strong arms encircled her waist from behind. “Mmm,” he murmured, nuzzling his lips to the sensitive skin behind her ear, shooting the same thrilling tingle down her spine he’d elicited from the first time he’d touched her. After all these years, his effect on her, her reaction to him…well, there was nothing in the least bit logical or scientific about it. But neither was there any denying it. “You smell…delicieux.”

“The chocolate smells delicious, silly,” she said with a smile at his atrocious French accent, tilting her neck to afford him better access. She inhaled deeply and the luscious aroma of chocolate filled her head. The logical scientist in her knew that further research was required to determine the exact amorous effects of chocolate on the human body, but the intuitive female in her instinctively knew that the delectable scent alone made her feel good.

“True,” he agreed, playfully nipping her earlobe. “But you smell even better. Like chocolate-dipped Ellie. My favorite.” Straightening, he rested his chin against her temple, and Ellie knew he was surveying the shop. As a scientist, Marcus was brilliant, but as a decorator, he was definitely…challenged. For the past three years, since they’d taken early retirement packages from Winthrop Laboratories and embarked on their own research experiment, he’d happily left the store decorations up to her. So far he’d applauded all her choices. Crossing her arms, she rested her hands on his and leaned back against him, absorbing his quiet strength and masculine warmth.

Relaxed in his embrace, she allowed her gaze to wander around the room. Skeins of bright northern California sunshine poured through the windows and glinted off the long glass counters displaying the delicious, decadent, silky-smooth chocolate candies for sale. The highlight of the display was the enormous crystal bowl filled with red, gold and silver foil-wrapped chocolate hearts-the perfect Valentine’s Day display-and the distinctive pink-and-blue- wrapped oversize heart halves that were part of the store’s special Valentine’s Day prize giveaway.

She then cast her critical eye to the gleaming hardwood floors, shiny brass sconces adorning the rich, cherry- wood paneled walls, the simple yet elegant silver bud vases filled with long-stem red roses. Everything was perfect.

She felt Marcus nod against her temple. “Place looks beautiful, Ellie. Even better than the last store in the last town. Too bad we’ll only be here for such a short time. You’ve outdone yourself.”

“We’ve outdone ourselves,” she corrected. “But still, I’m worried. This location… we’re not on a main street as we usually are. I know our market research showed that Austell fit our target town profile perfectly-within two hours’ drive of a major city, growing population and low chocolate sales-but what if the potential consumers don’t find us? What if-?”

“Ellie.” He cut off her question by turning her until they faced each other. Resting her hands against his chest, she absorbed the comforting beat of his heart against her palms, looked up into his steady, dark eyes, and felt her concerns slowly dissipate.

“They’ll find us,” he said softly. “Who could resist a store named Sinfully Sweet?”

“A name you weren’t originally crazy about, if you’ll recall. What had you wanted to call the shop when we first started our research? Oh, yes. Marcus’s Candy Store.” She made a face and looked toward the ceiling.

“So I’m not creative with store names.” He waggled his brows in a very suggestive way and nudged his pelvis against hers. “I make up for it in other ways.”

She nudged him back and smiled. “No argument here.”

“And the ingenious Valentine’s Day contest you thought up is sure to entice and intrigue the fine residents of Austell.”

“I certainly hope so.”

A frown burrowed between his brows. “I only hope it doesn’t end up costing us a mint, which it might if we have multiple winners.”

Waving away his concern, she said, “It’s a business expense. Besides, even if the contest doesn’t end up aiding our research, it promises to bring about very entertaining-and interesting-results.” A grin curved her lips at the prospect. Each single, unattached Sinfully Sweet customer would receive one of the oversized chocolate hearts that had been cut in half-a pink-wrapped half for the women, a blue-wrapped half for the men-with each half containing a hidden message. Every man and woman who, before Valentine’s Day, found the other person whose message matched theirs would receive a romantic dinner for two at The Winery, the five-star restaurant at the nearby Delaford Resort, and one hundred chocolate hearts.

Marcus touched a single fingertip to her bottom lip, yanking her from her thoughts. “That grin of yours looks positively wicked.”

She lightly nibbled his finger then looped her arms around his neck. “I was just thinking about the prize of one hundred chocolate hearts. As I well know-thanks to personal experience as well as our research-an evening that involves chocolate is just so much more exciting.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Now all we need is more proof for the scientific community. And if all goes as anticipated at Sinfully Sweet and with the contest, another step will be taken in that direction.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Speaking of chocolate, being surrounded by all this deliciousness is releasing an influx of endorphins-”

“That you’ll need to save for later,” she said, smothering a laugh and trying her best to look stern. “Besides, you have to actually eat the chocolate for the endorphins to be released.”

“Not necessarily, and I hope to prove it with my new hypothesis-can the mere smell of chocolate trigger the release of endorphins? Our research so far indicates that eating chocolate leads to amorous behavior in a majority of subjects. Adding scent to the mix isn’t a far stretch.”

“I can’t deny that every time I smell chocolate, I think of you.”

“That’s because it’s what brought us together in the first place.”

“Right. I probably wouldn’t have noticed you at all if it hadn’t been for the bag of chocolate kisses you always kept on your desk in the lab,” she teased.

“Smartest thing I’ve ever done. I caught me quite a prize with that bag of chocolate. Finding data to support a scientific correlation between consuming chocolate and amorous behavior is the least I can do to repay the scientific community for bringing you into my life.”

“Ditto. Besides, the research aspect is-”

“Delicious.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers.

“Mmm. In more ways than one. You know, you’re pretty romantic for a scientist.”

“Back at ya, darlin’.”

“You should see me when I’m not wearing this apron.”

“I live for the moment.”

With a laugh, Ellie stepped out of his embrace. Her gaze moved to the door and her heart quickened at the sight of a car parking in front of the store. “Looks like we might have our first customer,” she said.

Marcus gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Excellent. Let the games begin.”

1

DANIEL MONTGOMERY TOSSED the large bag filled with moving supplies he’d just purchased into the back of his SUV, then closed the trunk with a satisfying thump. “That’s one more thing I can cross off my to-do list.”

“What’s next?” asked his brother Kevin, not even attempting to stifle his yawn. “Hopefully something that involves a cup of coffee. If I’d known my offer to help you pack required waking up at the crack of dawn, I wouldn’t have volunteered.”