Pure Indulgence

Chapter 3

Jack walked into the kitchen area of his restaurant, a last check to make sure that everything was in order before he headed over to Pure Indulgence for his appointment with Kayla. It was fairly busy for a Sunday night, but thanks to his manager and well-trained staff there were no huge problems for Jack to worry about.

A steady stream of appetizers and dinner orders lit up the computer screen of the fully integrated system he'd purchased a few months ago, which kept the kitchen organized and his employees efficient. Behind the warming station his head chef made sure that the cooks processed and prepared the entrées at a steady pace, and still produced the high quality and visually appealing dishes that Tremaine's Downtown was known for.

Satisfied that all was running smoothly, he headed toward his manager, Rich, who was helping to garnish plates and double-checking the dishes before the waiters and waitresses served them to their customers.

Rich wasn't only his right-hand man since Tremaine's Downtown opened six years ago. They'd grown up together in the same impoverished neighborhood and Rich had been his best friend since the age of ten. The two of them had both lost their fathers early on and were raised by single mothers who'd scraped to make ends meet. They'd also been two rebels with plenty of cause, but instead had channeled their energy and young ambition and made something of their lives. He shuddered to think how easily they could have gone the other way.

The two of them had been through a lot together, and managed to remain as close as brothers, supporting one another in everything they did. Jack couldn't imagine his life without Rich in it.

"I'm taking off for the night," Jack said as he came up to his best friend. "Do you need me for anything else before I leave?"

"Nope. I have everything covered just fine." Rich slanted him an inquisitive look as he handed a waitress a dish she was reaching for, taking in Jack's casual shirt and khaki pants, instead of the suit and tie he normally wore when he was working at the restaurant. "Where are you off to? Hot date tonight?"

"No." Not yet, anyway, Jack thought. Kayla definitely made him feel hot and bothered, but despite their mutual attraction, she'd erected a barrier between them that he was determined to gradually break down. As for a date, he hoped that would come in time, as well.

"You know the woman I mentioned who is updating our dessert menu?" Jack asked, reminding Rich of his plans. "I'm meeting with her tonight at her shop."

"And you get to sample her desserts?" he asked slyly. "Sounds like a fun way to spend the evening."

Jack grinned. "I'm not complaining."

Rich's sandy-blond eyebrows rose in surprise. "Do I detect some interest there?"

"Yeah, you do," Jack admitted.

His good friend let out a long, low whistle. "It's been a long time since you've been interested in a woman, instead of the other way around."

Jack understood exactly what Rich was getting at, along with the significance of his interest in a woman. He'd almost given up hope in finding a woman who didn't have a hidden agenda where he was concerned, until Kayla, who wasn't at all impressed by who he was, or by his success.

He felt on equal footing with her-personally and professionally-and it was a novel sensation he liked a whole lot.

"She's not like all the other women I've dated." Kayla was intelligent, quick-witted and amusing, with an underlying sensuality that intrigued him from the first moment he'd met her, and continually drew him in deeper with each meeting. But there was no telling how things would progress between them, or if she'd act on the attraction that burned hot and bright whenever they were near one another.

Jack most definitely intended to find out.

"Right now I'm seeing her for business purposes," he told Rich, trying to be pragmatic about the situation. "But we'll see what happens."

The orders into the kitchen picked up, and Jack left the restaurant before he was late for his meeting with Kayla. He made it to her shop with five minutes to spare and knocked on the front glass door, which was locked against any last-minute Sunday-evening shoppers.

She came out of the back room and made her way around the counter to the door. Today she was wearing a pale blue T-shirt that looked a size too big, but didn't do much to hide her generous breasts, if that was her intent. The long hem ended at her thighs, covering a good portion of her body, and from there stonewashed denim took over. Despite the less-than-figure-flattering outfit, her hips swayed sensually as she walked-a direct contrast to her sensible and discreet choice of clothing.

She opened the door, her friendly but shy smile telling Jack she was glad to see him.

"Hi," she said huskily, her warm green gaze filled with a slow, simmering awareness he felt thrum through his blood, as well.

"Hi, yourself," he murmured in reply, and wondered how in the hell he was going to keep his hands off her tonight. He wanted to kiss her in the worst way, wanted to release that clip holding her blond hair on top of her head and sift his fingers through the silky-looking strands. He ached to feel exactly how she fit against him-from her soft breasts, her belly, to her thighs-and everywhere else in between.

Before he followed through on those fantasies dancing in his head, he stepped past her, into the fragrant bakery, and she locked the door behind him.

"Come on back to the kitchen," she said, immediately all business. Then she said over her shoulder as she led the way, "I just perfected your new recipe this morning, and I hope you're happy with the end results."

She was nervous about that, he could tell, and he attempted to set her at ease. "I'm sure you did a great job on the dessert."

"There's always a certain flavor or taste that someone doesn't like, such as coconut, or a citrusy tang, or nuts. For me it's the taste of gingerbread," she said, and wrinkled her nose. "Of course I still make gingerbread for my customers and it sells very well. Anyway, I know you and I are in agreement over chocolate, but it's the other ingredients I might toss into the recipe that you, personally, might not care for."

He was a realist, and didn't expect to love everything she made. "Which means regardless of whether or not I like a certain dessert you make, there's no way to appeal to every single one of my customers."

She nodded in agreement. "Very true."

"That's why we're going for variety, and I'm coming into this taste test with a very open mind."

Her smile chased away most of the concern etching her features. "Good. That said, this is my first offering. A Chocolate Mint Truffle Cake." She gestured to the elegant-looking cake on the stainless-steel prep table, edged in a pretty scalloped design and garnished with pale-green mint shavings. "It's rich in texture, but not overly sweet. And the hint of spearmint will appeal to those who like a fresh, cool taste after eating dinner."

He breathed deeply of the fragrant, chocolate-mint scent. "It looks and smells fantastic."

"Well, the real test is in the taste." She moved away to retrieve a knife, plate and fork.

"So, who samples all your new recipes before you offer them to the buying public?" he asked curiously.

"Mostly, whoever is working during the day will taste whatever I'm making and offer their opinion. And then, of course, there is my sister, who is always happy to sample a new dessert." She laughed softly. "But for the most part I have to rely on my own judgment, since it's my name behind the dessert." She set the utensils on the prep table and used the knife to cut a slice of the cake. "Being surrounded by so many sweets and having to sample most of the recipes is what I've come to consider a hazard of the job."

Uncertain exactly what she was getting at, or what she found so dangerous about her occupation, he asked, "How's that?"

She cast him a quick, incredulous glance, as if she couldn't quite believe he'd missed the gist of her comment. "Sampling all these sweets plays hell on a woman's figure. Or at least mine, as you can see."

Her tone might have held a joking lilt, but the defensive light in the depth of her eyes told another story altogether. She obviously had issues with her shape, though for the life of him he couldn't imagine why. Then he remembered Gretta's well-aimed barbs that had undoubtedly made Kayla think he preferred reed-thin women.

He couldn't change what had happened at the Commerce dinner, but he could let her know right up front his opinion of her figure. "What I see," he said meaningfully as he let his gaze drift leisurely down the length of her body, visually touching her in intimate places, "is a woman with real curves in all the right places."

"Thank you," she said, still skeptical, though considering the way her nipples were pressing against her T-shirt, she must have enjoyed his lazy perusal. "You're kind to say so."

She still didn't believe him. Or was it that she didn't believe in herself when it came to her own appeal to the opposite sex? It didn't matter, since Jack planned to prove how attracted he was to her, just as soon as the right moment presented itself.

Kayla glanced away from Jack's observant gaze, unsure what to make of what had just transpired between them, or why she'd allowed her insecurities about her weight to come into play. She was a successful businesswoman, but it was painfully obvious that some defense mechanisms were easier to subdue than others.

She hadn't been fishing for compliments, just stating the truth about how her desserts affected her figure, yet the way he'd looked at her, his gaze all hot and hungry… she shivered as she realized the prime opportunity that had presented itself.

She'd already decided that Jack was exactly what she was looking for in order to evaluate the effects of her aphrodisiac candies. And witnessing that glimmer of interest in his eyes gave her the boost of fortitude she needed to follow through on her plan to seduce him, in any way she could.

Even if that meant feeding Jack her enhanced confections in order to spur his lust for her.

Undoubtedly, this was the man she wanted to satisfy her sensual yearnings, to give her body the kind of pleasure it craved and to leave her with a whole lot of sexy memories to recall once they went their separate ways. She wanted Jack Tremaine, and she had no illusions that a physical relationship between them would be anything more than a very satisfying fling.

With that plan in mind, she refocused her attention on transferring a piece of the Chocolate Mint Truffle Cake to a plate for Jack. "Here you go." She placed a fork on the dish and pushed it toward him. "Let me know what you think."

He took a big bite, and she worried on her lower lip as he seemed to savor the taste, the texture, but gave her no outward clue if he liked the dessert, or hated it, other than an undefined, "hm," that could have meant either.

She shifted on her sandaled feet, her own anticipation making her restless. She observed his pensive expression and the way his dark brows furrowed in intense concentration, and took note of his calm, controlled body language.

He was completely absorbed in this moment of judgment, which was exactly what she would have expected from a professional like Jack. After all, he had his restaurant's reputation at stake with the desserts he approved.

There was nothing sexual about his response to sampling the cake. This gave her a starting point from which to judge any change in his composure once she coaxed him to eat one of her aphrodisiac candies. It was going to be interesting to see if, and how, her new creations might alter that serious demeanor of his.

He'd eaten half of the cake before finally breaking the silence between them. "Got milk?" he asked, then grinned at her.

His playful reply was so outrageous and unexpected that she burst out laughing. "Yes, I have milk." She went to the refrigerator, poured him a tall glass, and returned.

He drank half the milk in one long gulp, set the glass on the table, then met her expectant gaze. "I think this dessert is a winner."

She clasped her hands in front of her, giddy with excitement and relief. "So you liked it?"

"I thought it was outstanding." His tongue darted out and cleaned off a smudge of chocolate on his bottom lip. "It was smooth and delicious, and I really like the pleasant mint taste it left in my mouth. All in all, very nice."

"I'm thrilled. Does that mean you're ready to approve this one?" He nodded, and she reached for a file folder, opened it, and withdrew an approval form for the dessert, per their agreement. "Then if you'll just sign right here, the recipe is exclusively yours."

Taking the pen she handed to him, he scrawled his signature on the form, and she gave him the carbon copy. He folded the piece of paper and tucked it into his back pocket. "Looks like you're free to move on to the next recipe."

True, but she wasn't ready for him to leave her shop just yet. "Since you're here, could I get your honest opinion on something?"

He shrugged those broad shoulders of his, seemingly not in any rush to leave, either. "Sure."

After retrieving the container she'd put on a nearby shelf, she opened the lid to reveal the enhanced candies. Kayla couldn't believe she was actually going to go through with this, but how could she not? Jack Tremaine was the model candidate for her experiment, in so many ways. He was sexy, she wanted him, and she was determined to seduce him.

With a little help from her aphrodisiac sweets, of course.

"I'm creating a new line of candies at Pure Indulgence, and I'd like to know what you think of the taste. Here's the first one I've made." She held the container out to him, and he took one of the chocolates.

He examined it for a moment, then popped the entire piece into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, taking his time to enjoy the flavor, just as he had the Chocolate Mint Truffle Cake.

She watched him over the course of the next minute or so, waiting for any kind of specific physical reaction. She had no idea how long it might take for the stimulant to take effect on Jack. She'd read on the Web site that everyone's reaction was different, depending on frame of mind, mood, and how one's body chemistry mixed with the additive. Some people had an instantaneous reaction once the product was consumed. With others it took longer to achieve any sign of arousal.

"Mmmm," Jack murmured after a moment, the rumbling sound strumming along her nerve endings as effectively as a caress. "Espresso and caramel. I like it. What is the candy called?"

"Heavenly Kisses."

A slow, purely male smile curved his lips as he considered that, setting off a conflagration of heat in the pit of her belly. "The taste… the name…" His gorgeous blue eyes darkened with desire as he stared at her mouth. "It conjures up all kinds of possibilities, don't you think?"

Oh, yeah, the possibilities were endless. "Try another," she urged breathlessly, amazed by his gradual transformation from businesslike to much more personal, and aroused by the sexual magnetism that radiated off him.

By all appearances, Jack's system reacted fairly quickly to the aphrodisiac.

He picked up another piece, bit off half of it, and chewed. But instead of finishing it off, he lifted the candy to her mouth, tempting her. "Your turn," he said, and gently slipped the chocolate past her parted lips.

Her tongue touched his finger as she accepted his offering, and he groaned deep in his throat. Her heartbeat quickened beneath her breast He didn't pull his hand back, but instead traced her bottom lip with his warm fingers, then smoothed his thumb beneath her chin. When he tipped up her face, she found herself mesmerized by the erotic heat flaring in his eyes, the lust that was solely for her.

With his free hand, he took the container from her and set it on the table and out of their way. "How about we see if that candy of yours lives up to its name?" he murmured wickedly, then lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers, slow and seductive, imploring her to let him in.

Coaxing her wasn't necessary, not when she ached for his kiss more than her next breath. She wanted this, wanted him, and she wasn't about to refuse the inviting opportunity that had presented itself-even if his lust was induced by an aphrodisiac. For her, the candies had nothing to do with her desire for him. It was stunningly real.

Slanting her mouth beneath his for a better fit, she sighed and welcomed the lazy stroke of his tongue against hers that made her breasts swell and her nipples tighten into hard little points. He tasted so good… like espresso and sweet caramel and hot, aroused man. She couldn't get enough of him.

He stepped closer, bringing with him the delicious heat of his body. She felt him tug the clip from her hair, felt the heavy mass fall to her shoulders and caress her shoulders in a wild disarray. He sank his fingers wrist-deep, twined the thick strands around his fist and held her steady for a long, lush kiss that threatened to consume her senses.

A tingling, insatiable hunger unfurled within her, one she recognized all too well. Unable to stop herself from fully indulging in the reality of Jack kissing her so passionately, she placed her hands on his solid chest. He groaned just as those defined muscles of his flexed beneath her palms.

Emboldened by his reaction, she slid her arms around his neck and arched into him until their hips met and the tips of her breasts pressed against his chest. In return, he skimmed his splayed hands down her back, molding her body impossibly closer to his.

He caressed his palms over her bottom, squeezing and kneading her there before grasping her waist. With a strength that astonished her, he lifted her up so she was sitting on the table-all without breaking their deep, devouring kiss.

His hands slid down her thighs to her knees, urging them apart so he could step in between and press up against her with shocking intimacy. There was no mistaking the thick, unyielding erection beneath the fly of his pants.

He was hard, for her. So gloriously, magnificently hard that her breath caught in her chest.

Shamelessly, she wrapped her legs around the back of his thighs to increase the exquisite pressure right at the crux of her sex, and she felt him shudder in response.

Never letting go of her mouth, he worked her shirt up to her waist and slipped his hands beneath the hem. She immediately stiffened, her first instinct to suck in her stomach, but then he feathered his fingers up over her ribs in such a soul-stirring way that she forgot everything but the sexy way he made her feel. His touch was feverish on her cool skin, and when his thumbs grazed the underside of her heavy, aching breasts she thought she'd unravel right then and there.

He teased and tormented her with the brush of his fingers, heightening her desire, but not quite quenching it. She made a mewling sound she didn't recognize as her own. Like a lover completely in sync with his partner's demands, Jack understood her unspoken need. He cupped her breasts in his large palms, found her throbbing nipples through the sheer lace of her bra with his fingers, and scraped his thumbs across the pebbled tips in the most excruciatingly arousing way.

She felt herself growing wet, felt that frenzied, desperate need building right where he was moving against her in a slow, rhythmic parody of sex. The urgency within her crested, and just when she thought she'd topple over the edge of what she knew would be a stunning climax, he pulled his mouth from hers, buried his face against her neck, and stopped the provocative thrust of his hips against her.

He was panting. So was she. Deep, gulping breaths that did nothing to ease the pulsing tension that had settled in her belly, and lower.

Lord, she'd never, ever, been driven to the brink so quickly-and certainly not with so much clothing in the way-and she instinctively knew it had everything to do with the incredible man who'd kissed her with such fiery possession, and not the half bite of candy he'd fed to her.

"You are so warm, so soft all over," he murmured against her neck, his breath feathering hot and moist across her skin. He nuzzled his damp lips just below her ear and inhaled deeply. "And you smell so damn good. Like a warm cupcake just out of the oven, and it makes me want to take a big bite out of you."

Goose bumps rose on her flesh, and she threaded her fingers through his thick, soft hair to keep him right where he was. "Go ahead," she whispered, a dare that shocked even herself since she'd never been so brazen before.

He gently sank his teeth into the sensitive curve of her neck, then soothed the love bite with the lap of his soft tongue. She shuddered, wanting to nibble on him in return.

Too soon, he lifted his head and met her gaze, looking dazed by what had just happened between them.

He eased his hands out of her shirt and she immediately mourned the loss of his warm touch.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, and shook his head as if to clear it. "I don't know what came over me, except I just had to kiss you. I didn't mean for things to get so out of control-"

She pressed her fingers over his lips to stop his words. Even if he didn't understand his reasons for being so amorous, she did, and she refused to let him spoil the moment for her with an apology. "I liked kissing you."

Grasping her wrist, he pulled her hand away from his mouth and flattened her palm on his chest, right over his rapidly beating heart. "I liked kissing you, too. A whole lot."

She nearly melted right there on the spot.

He smiled, his gaze on her face as soft and arresting as a caress. "I think those candies more than live up to their name. Let's hope they don't cause this kind of reaction in everyone who eats them."

Amusement laced his tone, but he was closer to the truth than he realized.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" she asked.

"I suppose not." Placing his hands at her waist, he pulled her off the table, letting the length of her body drag slowly, sensually, against his until her sandaled feet touched the floor again.

She tugged her shirt back into place self-consciously, even as another surge of awareness sparked between them like wildfire. She wondered what would happen if she coaxed Jack to eat the rest of the Heavenly Kisses-wondered if the aphrodisiac might have the same effect as a dose of Viagra and keep him "up" the rest of the night.

The sinful thought made her entire body shudder with a surge of renewed lust.

He glided his fingers along her jaw and cupped her cheek in his warm palm, his touch infinitely tender. "I think I'd better go, because if I stay I'm gonna eat you up, lick by lick, nibble by nibble, bite by bite…"

A shiver rippled down her spine as his deep voice trailed off, and it was all she could do to swallow the selfish demand, stay, stay, stay!

Clearly, the man was thrown off balance by his reaction to her-not in a bad way if the heated glow of possession in his eyes was any indication. Still, he obviously needed time to recover, and she only hoped that as the aphrodisiac faded away and reality settled back in he didn't come to regret what had happened between them tonight.

His first apology had been issued out of shock, which she understood considering he was under a love spell of sorts. A second one, made after careful, clearheaded thought, would be too painful to bear.

No matter how foolish to her heart, a part of her wanted his desire to be authentic and real, and she didn't want anything to shatter that illusion-at least not yet. Not until she'd finished his account and her time with him was over.

But until then, she wanted to live the fantasy. And that meant letting him go before the stimulant wore off. "I'll walk you out front."

He followed her back to the door, which she unlocked for him, but before she could open it, he stopped her with a hand over hers.

"When can I see you again?" he asked.

Her body came alive once again at his question, until she realized that he probably wanted to make another appointment for the next dessert-not go on a date with her.

She considered her next recipe, and how long it might take her to have it ready for him to sample. "How about Wednesday evening?"

"Here?"

A reckless idea popped into her mind, one that was impetuous on her part, and would expose them to a wealth of tempting possibilities, if he agreed. "Actually, the shop doesn't close until nine during the week, which is kind of late. Do you have any qualms about coming to my place instead?"

"Not at all." The idea seemed to please him. "Do you have any qualms about me bringing dinner and a bottle of wine?"

"Sounds wonderful." Walking back to the counter, she took one of the business cards in the holder and jotted down her street address and home phone number. Then she handed him the card. "How about seven o'clock?"

"Perfect."

He tucked the information away. Then without warning he threaded his fingers through her hair, cradled the back of her head in his big, warm palm, and brought her mouth to his for another kiss-this one a blissfully slow, sweet glide of lips and tongue that made her knees weak and her toes curl.

He managed to end the kiss and pull back before things spun out of control again, and she was grateful that he had the willpower to do so, because she certainly did not.

"I'll see you then," he said, and let himself out the door.

She watched him stroll away and disappear into the darkened walkways between the shops. "See you then," she whispered, and touched her fingers to her still damp, kiss-swollen lips.

At home a half hour later, Jack stepped into the shower, letting the hard spray hit his tense body. Hopefully, the cool water on his heated skin would finally ease the fierce erection he'd been sporting since leaving Kayla's shop. If not, he was in for a long, restless night.

The evening had gone better than he'd expected, even if she'd initially greeted him with a smidgeon of reserve in those eyes of hers. She'd been all business with him-up until the point when she'd asked him to sample her Heavenly Kisses.

At that moment, things had shifted between them in a way even now he couldn't fully grasp or define. He'd been eating her candy, and she'd been watching him so expectantly. And the next thing he knew he had her up on the table and was feasting on her.

He groaned at the illicit memory and dipped his head beneath the nozzle, shivering as the brisk water sluiced down his spine and chest to southern regions that needed it the most.

Oh, yeah, her kisses were heavenly all right. He'd suspected from the first time he'd laid eyes on Kayla that beneath her guarded facade was a sensual creature just waiting to be set free. And boy, had she ever let loose! Never in his wildest dreams could he have anticipated the way she rocked his entire world with her uninhibited response to him.

But her unrestrained participation in their kiss told him more about the woman than even she probably realized. That despite her caution, she couldn't hide her attraction to him.

Tonight, she hadn't even tried. And that was enough of a start for him to let her know that he was interested in more than just her desserts. To let her know he was serious about her. Them. Together.

For years he'd put everything on hold in order to build his business and get ahead in life. The stability and financial security he'd sought as a teenager had finally come to fruition. He had all the nice things he'd ever wanted, and enough money to do as he pleased. Even his mother was happy in her new marriage.

Everything was just as he'd planned, except now that he was prepared to take the time for a serious relationship of his own and see where it all led, Jack was coming to realize that when it came to courting a woman, he wasn't quite sure how to handle the delicate process.

Especially with a woman like Kayla, who seemed to need the kind of TLC he'd never given another woman, because for so long his main focus had always been his restaurant.

He felt inept and out of his element, and too used to women who wanted something from him, which had been easy enough for him to deal with by keeping himself emotionally distanced. But because he'd never really looked past his own wants and needs, he couldn't help but worry on some level that he didn't have what it took to give Kayla what she needed.

It was an unnerving thought, but he had to try. And to start with, he'd take things as slow as he needed to with Kayla, gradually learn her secrets and cultivate the kind of relationship that could lead to something special.

He was ready for that. And he was ready for Kayla.