confused by his pragmatic demeanor. Then again, maybe he needed a bit of an incentive to be more forward with her. Maybe he needed to eat one of the Caramel Caresses she'd set aside to feed him after they wrapped up this selection process.
That would probably do the trick and end his too-noble behavior. A few candies, and he'd likely ravish her right there on the work table.
The provocative thought made her pulse quicken.
'What do you think?' she prompted, anxious to follow through on her idea. If need be, she'd ravish Jack-that's how badly she craved him.
'I think since they're both so vastly different in taste, I'd like to go with both for my dessert menu.'
She hadn't expected that. 'Are you sure?'
'Positive.' He nodded succinctly.
'Okay.' She hooked a finger toward the back room. 'I left your paperwork in my office. I'll be right back, and we can sign off on these desserts, too.'
'Great.' He smiled, and an instant surge of heat sped through her veins.
Good Lord. She
She went to her office, grabbed the file folder for Tremaine's Downtown, and returned to the kitchen area. Jack was across the way, examining the proof boxes and the industrial-sized dough-and batter-mixing machines. He seemed fascinated by the equipment-while she found herself just as captivated with the sight he presented.
Whether front or backside, he was a gorgeous hunk of male. And in this case, she had a spectacular view of the way his broad shoulders filled out his blue cotton T-shirt and of the defined muscles that bisected his spine. She took in his narrow waist, his lean hips and a world-class ass that made her envy the denim that hugged his butt in such a loving way.
Her breasts swelled in reaction to her naughty thoughts, her nipples tightened, and she felt tingly all over. She didn't need the benefit of eating her candies to want Jack, and she wished he felt the same.
She swallowed the groan in her throat and instead inhaled a deep breath that did little to calm the desire taking hold. 'Here you go,' she said, drawing his attention back to the fact that she'd returned. The sooner he signed the exclusivity form, the quicker they could move on to more… pleasurable matters.
He strolled back to the table and read through the paperwork for the two cheesecakes before signing on the bottom line. She gave him a copy of the form, then closed the file folder and pushed it out of the way for now.
'What kind of dessert would you like to consider next?' she asked.
He leaned a hip against the counter and pushed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. 'I know this isn't exclusive, but I've tried the shortbread tarts you carry out in the front display case and I think they'd make a nice addition to the dessert menu. They're rich and buttery, but not overly sweet. Just a smooth cream-filled pastry that we can top off with fresh strawberries or kiwi slices.'
'Sure, you could do that.' She boxed up the rest of the sample cheesecakes to put into the refrigerator. 'The shortbread tarts are one of our most popular items.'
'Then let's go with that.' He helped her remove the plates and utensils and set them in the sink. 'And with the cheesecakes and tarts, I think that wraps up the dessert menu.'
She'd known from the moment that Jack had hired her that their relationship, business or otherwise, would inevitably come to an end. But there was no denying the sharp twist of dread Kayla felt in the vicinity of her heart. The one that told her she'd allowed herself to get involved with Jack on a much deeper level than she'd ever intended. But business was business, and she'd made a commitment to Tremaine's Downtown that superceded any feelings she might have developed for Jack. Making sure she satisfied the terms of their deal was her first priority.
With that in mind, she asked, 'When would you like to start receiving the new desserts?'
'I need to have new menus made up and printed, so let's say the beginning of next month?'
That gave her a few weeks to get everything prepared on her end and work his desserts in with her other weekly orders. 'That's doable for me.'
She returned to the table, which had been cleared of everything but the box of Caramel Caresses that she'd deliberately set out earlier. They might have just finished up their business transaction and no longer had a reason to see one another on a regular basis, but she had tonight with him, and Friday at the art gallery show. And she was feeling shameless enough to take advantage of both opportunities, because she knew that once she had no professional reason to see him anymore, their current relationship would return to a more casual, businesslike exchange.
Reconciling herself to that fact was getting harder and harder to do.
She brought the box of candies forward, lifted the lid, and glanced up at Jack with a hopeful smile. 'Since I forgot to bring along my Caramel Caresses to dinner the other night, I was hoping you'd give one a try and let me know what you think.'
He leaned close, bringing with him the warm male scent that was uniquely his, and peered at the candies she'd revealed. Then he looked up at her with amusement dancing in his eyes.
'You know, I couldn't help but notice that the last batch of candies you sent to me, the Chocolate Orgasms, resembled a very intimate female body part.' His voice had turned into a low, mesmerizing murmur and a sizzling heat was slowly replacing the humor she'd seen in his gaze only moments before. 'And now these… am I mistaken, or do they look like the curve of a woman's breast with that small dollop of chocolate right in the center serving as a nipple?'
She watched him graze the tip of those candies with the pad of his finger and felt that touch as surely as if he'd just caressed her own taut nipple.
'You have a very vivid imagination,' she said, trying to suppress a visible shiver, and failing miserably.
He lifted a dark brow. 'Do I?'
It was a question, a dare for her to admit just how naughty her candies were. 'You're not mistaken. It's all part of the new line. I wanted the sexual resemblances to some of the candies to be subtle, but definitely arousing.'
'Then you achieved your goal. The candies are very sensual, in name and taste. And erotic.' His deep tone was equally so. 'Just the name of the candies are enough to turn me on. And when I eat them, they make me think of you, and I'm beginning to learn that that can be a very dangerous thing.'
She tipped her head and slanted him a beguiling glance, enjoying the direction of their conversation 'Dangerous, how?'
He gently brushed a stray strand of hair off her cheek before tucking it behind her ear. 'Because after eating those candies and thinking of you, then I have to have you.'
His touch electrified her, making her skin feel ultra-sensitive. 'Sounds like a very
A lopsided grin curved his lips, though his dark eyes seemed to eat her up whole. 'It's not so good when I'm eating your candies alone.'
She felt breathless, anxious, and excruciatingly aroused. 'I'm here now, so let's see what you think of these.'
Taking one of the Caramel Caresses out of the box, she brought it up to his mouth at the same time she heard a clanking noise from out in the service area of the bakery. Startled, she jerked her gaze toward the swinging door leading to the front counters.
Jack must have heard the same clatter, because he frowned and cocked his head to listen for any other sound. This time, there was no mistaking the jangling of keys and the click, click, click of high-heeled shoes on the tiled floor.
'Sounds like someone's here,' he said in a low, uneasy tone of voice. 'I thought you locked the front door after I came in this evening.'
'I did,' she said, her heart slamming in her chest at the thought of the place being burglarized.
'Stay put,' he ordered, and started around the table, then came to an abrupt stop when her sister appeared in the doorway leading to the kitchen. She was wearing a cute little minidress that molded to her centerfold figure,
