before Kayla could finish, and shook a reprimanding finger at her reflection. 'You're perfect just the way you are, and don't let anyone let you think otherwise-not even those two dreadful voices in your head.'
'You're right,' she said and lifted her chin, then straightened her posture, which seemed to transform not only her appearance, but her whole attitude. 'We'll take this outfit, too, along with the belt.'
Another half hour later and they strolled out of the boutique with a new, updated wardrobe for Kayla, and her heart feeling lighter and more carefree than it had in years. They stowed the packages in the trunk of Jillian's BMW and got into the car. But instead of heading back to Pure Indulgence, Jillian turned the vehicle in the opposite direction.
Curious, Kayla asked, 'Where are we going?'
'To see my hairstylist,' Jillian said with a flash of her famous smile and a sassy toss of her trendily cut mane. 'You can't buy all these new outfits and not get your hair cut and styled to go with them.'
Her sister's logic was iffy at best, but Kayla knew there was no arguing with Jillian when she made her mind up to do something. So, she reached into her purse for her cell phone, called the bakery to let her employees know that she'd be a little later than expected, and decided to enjoy the rest of the afternoon being pampered.
Jack grabbed the two grocery sacks from the back of his Escalade and made his way up to the front porch of Kayla's small, single-story house, located in a quiet neighborhood in MissionBay. The yard was nicely maintained with vibrant flowers growing in abundance in the brick planters surrounding the home, giving the place a well-loved feel. Hanging from a porch beam was a wind chime, and the light evening breeze caused the brass pieces to create a beautiful, melodious sound that made him smile.
Transferring both bags to his left hand, he rang the doorbell. Less than a minute later Kayla appeared, and he found himself staring at the woman in front of him, startled by her transformed appearance. Gone was the woman who wore loose-fitting clothing and kept her hair swept away from her face in a tidy ponytail, and in her place was a bold, daring female that literally took his breath away.
Unable to help himself, he looked his fill. She was wearing a soft, floral patterned sundress that was far from form-fitting, but grazed her curves in a way that teased and tempted his senses and made him wonder what he'd discover beneath that lightweight material-basic cotton or something more tantalizing? His eyes skimmed along the six little pearl buttons that secured the front of the dress over her full breasts, then continued down to her shapely calves and coral-colored toenails.
Swallowing to ease the dryness that had settled in his throat, he lifted his gaze back up to hers. Her makeup was minimal, but what she did have on emphasized her green eyes, her lush mouth, and pretty features. And then there was her silky blond hair, at least two inches shorter than he remembered and layered in a way that it brushed just below her jawline and accentuated the lovely shape of her face.
He couldn't deny that he liked what he saw-mainly because she glowed with a new, subtle radiance that only enhanced the sensuality that was such a natural part of who she was. She looked sexy as hell, and it was all he could do to keep himself from dragging her off to the nearest bedroom, strip her naked, and finish what they'd started at her shop three nights ago.
His body was certainly up for the occasion, he thought wryly, but he wasn't about to rush something so important to their developing relationship-not until he was absolutely certain she was ready to take that next step with him.
Reining in his randy hormones, he masked his need for her with a lazy grin. 'Excuse me, I think I'm at the wrong house,' he said in a playful tone. 'I'm looking for Kayla Thomas.'
She blushed at his attempt at humor, and opened the door wider for him to enter. 'Come on in, Mr. Funny Guy.'
He stepped into the small foyer, stopped in front of her, and waited for her to meet his gaze. 'You look great, by the way.'
'Thanks,' she murmured, and smoothed a hand down the skirt of her dress in a self-conscious gesture.
The color in her cheeks deepened, giving him the distinct impression that she wasn't used to being on the receiving end of compliments or flattery-and she certainly deserved both.
He lifted his hand and sifted the short strands of her hair through his fingers. His thumb brushed along her neck, and he felt her shiver in response. 'And your hair… I like it.'
She shrugged in a dismissive manner, as if the new style was no big deal. 'It was long overdue for a cut.'
He let his hand fall away, and found himself reading beneath the surface of Kayla's actions. He was beginning to understand those insecurities he'd glimpsed a time or two, and he was fairly certain that she was making excuses for her changes because she didn't want him to think they had anything to do with him. And he respected that, along with that strong, independent streak he'd seen flash through her eyes.
He followed her through a living room decorated in oak and earthy tones of peach and beige, and into a cheery, spacious kitchen accented in violet and pale yellow hues.
'Nice place,' he said as he set the grocery bags on the large wooden block in the center of the kitchen and started unloading the items he'd bought to make them dinner. 'Have you lived here long?'
'About two years.' She retrieved two crystal glasses from the cupboard for the wine he'd promised to bring, and set them on the counter. 'It's small-perfect for me. Except for the kitchen, which I had remodeled to make it bigger. That way, I can bake at home if I need to.'
Everything about her place was cozy, warm, and inviting-a genuine reflection of the woman herself. It made him think of his own custom-built house, so big and open, and too quiet and lonely, he'd noticed lately.
He felt something rub up against his ankle and glanced down to find an orange tabby cat making herself known. Gold-green eyes met his, and she meowed a greeting.
'That's Pumpkin,' Kayla told him. 'Are you okay with cats?'
'I love cats.' And this one was especially friendly. He bent down and scratched her beneath her chin. The feline purred happily. 'I'd probably have a cat or dog of my own if I was home more often. Considering how much time I've spent at my restaurant over the past six years, they wouldn't get the attention they need.'
'The nice thing about cats is that they're very independent and don't demand a whole lot of attention.' She placed a crystal platter on the center island, and beneath the glass dome was an elegantly decorated cake. 'And when they want to be loved they'll let you know.'
Beside the cake platter, she set out another glass dish with chocolate candies in the shape of small lips that intrigued him. 'Do we get to eat dessert first?' he asked, reminding her of the motto she'd shared with him the first night they'd met.
She laughed and shook her head, causing her newly sheared hair to caress along her jaw. 'No, I'm going to make you wait and increase the anticipation.'
He liked the flirtatious twinkle in her eyes, and the double entendre in her words. 'Do I at least get to know what it is? You know, to help build toward the big climax?'
'Ohh, you're good,' she murmured, praising him for his play on words. Then she lifted the glass dome off the cake. 'This is the next dessert for your restaurant, a white chocolate lace cake layered with raspberry filling and white chocolate buttercream.'
'It looks and sounds scrumptious.' His gaze lowered to her mouth, which he was dying to taste again, and he thought about those candies he'd just seen. 'And what about those sweet lips of yours?' he asked, another sexy entendre that seemed to make the temperature rise in the room.
She smiled. 'The lips are part of my new line of candies,' she said as one of her fingers traced the edge of the dish. 'These are filled with lemon cream and I'm calling them Love Bites.'
He groaned. After sampling her Heavenly Kisses the other night, he could only imagine how delicious her Love Bites would taste. Inhaling a deep breath to keep the heat of arousal at bay for the time being, he popped the cork on the bottle of wine and poured them each a generous portion.
He handed her a glass, they touched their rims in a silent toast, then took a drink of the smooth Riesling.
'So, what can I do to help?' Kayla asked, and licked away a glistening drop of wine from her bottom lip.
Jack glanced away from temptation and motioned to the fresh vegetables he'd bought at the market. 'Would
