Pure Indulgence

Chapter 8

"I think it's going to be a tie between the Dutch Apple Streusel Cheesecake, and the Chocolate Pecan Turtle," Jack announced after sampling the variety of cheesecakes Kayla had set out on the stainless steel table for him to try.

Kayla smiled, the first genuine one in days-ever since Jack had dropped her off at her house and she'd spent an endlessly long night tossing and turning in her bed.

"What do you know, those are my two favorites as well," she said. "How are we going to narrow this down to just one?"

Jack rubbed a finger along his jaw as he contemplated her question. Finally, he met her gaze, his eyes such a brilliant shade of blue her stomach fluttered in keen awareness. The desire she'd been fighting since the moment he'd walked into Pure Indulgence nearly an hour ago expanded, making her ache all over for his touch.

His kiss.

Any kind of physical contact at all. So far, since he'd arrived he'd been all business, and she was frustrated and 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 had to have him again. Here. Tonight. And she would, just as soon as they finished with business and she was able to feed him a few of her Caramel Caresses. She'd rev up his libido, and since her employees were gone for the evening and they were all alone, they'd both enjoy another hot, illicit tryst right there in the back of her bakery.

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 good thing to me."

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, and holding a peanut crisp bar in her hand that she'd no doubt filched from the case out front.

Her sister, who had a key to the shop, but had never used it before tonight.

How convenient, Kayla thought wryly, and put the piece of candy back in the box for safekeeping.

While she was relieved to see that she hadn't just experienced a break-in, she was frustrated that her sister had put a major crimp in one of her last attempts at seducing Jack. She'd been so, so close to feeding him the candy. So close to enjoying the physical pleasure that always followed.

"Jillian?" she questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Her sister's wide-eyed gaze slid from Jack, to Kayla. She'd taken a bite of the peanut crisp bar before walking into the kitchen, and she quickly swallowed what was in her mouth. "Well, I was on my way back from having dinner with a friend, and I saw your car in the parking lot. I got worried since it's so late. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, to see if you needed help packaging up an order, or anything else."

"I'm fine." She could hardly get upset at Jillian for being so damn sweet and protective, but boy, did her sister's timing suck. "I was just going over the last of the desserts with Jack here."

"Whom I finally get to meet." A dazzling smile lit up Jillian's face as she strolled forward on her four-inch heels with a grace Kayla couldn't have pulled off in a million years. She offered the hand that wasn't sticky from the peanut butter treat. "It's such a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Likewise." Jack shook hands with Jillian, his grin amicable. "The picture Kayla showed me of you doesn't come close to doing you justice in person."

"You're kind to say so." Jillian shifted her gaze back to Kayla and bit on her lower lip. "I'm really sorry, Kayla," her sister said with a small wince of contrition. "I had no idea you had company."

Kayla shook off the last of her annoyance, because her sister's intentions had been nothing but pure. "I appreciate you checking up on me, Jilly. We just finished wrapping up the dessert menu for Tremaine's Downtown."

"How exciting." Jillian turned back to Jack, her stylishly cut hair swirling around her shoulders like a blond cloud. "These new desserts that Kayla has been making for your restaurant have been amazing. What cheesecakes did you decide on?"

"The Dutch Apple Streusel, and the Chocolate Pecan Turtle," Jack replied.

Jillian sighed and pressed a hand to her chest. "Those sound sooo good. I was dying to taste them earlier, but Kayla wouldn't let me have a piece out of the sample cakes until you'd tried them first."

"You'll be happy to know that there's plenty left over," Kayla cut in, knowing that's exactly what her sister was shamelessly angling for. "I'll wrap up a few pieces for you to take home."

Jillian grinned impishly. "One of each, pretty please?"

"Sure." Kayla headed back to the refrigerator, pulled out the boxes of sample cheesecakes, and went about packaging up the dessert for her sister.

She stood across the room, facing Jillian and Jack as she worked, which enabled her to watch them engage in an easy conversation, punctuated by her sister's laughter and a smile or two from Jack.

At the moment, Kayla couldn't help but envy her sister-her great personality that never failed to gainer male attention, her fabulous body, and the fact that she could eat five slices of cheesecake in one sitting and not gain an ounce-compliments of the genes Jillian had inherited from their reed-thin mother.

That same mother's words drifted through her mind. She'd compare Kayla to Jillian and constantly ask why Kayla couldn't be more like her sister. She'd ask why Kayla didn't try harder to lose weight when Jillian could maintain her figure just fine. Doug had done the same on occasion, but what neither of them had ever understood or wanted to believe was that she and her sister were built differently. And Jillian had been born with a great metabolism, and Kayla had not.

Kayla's stomach churned, her insecurities flaring hot and bright inside her chest. She expected to see Jack ogle Jillian, just like every man tended to do when she was in a room. She was even prepared to experience that sensation of fading into the background that accompanied her sister's vibrant presence. But Jack merely remained polite and friendly to Jillian, and seemed completely immune to her knockout looks and personality.

Kayla couldn't help but feel a bit of shock over his lack of reaction to her sister.

Finished wrapping up the cheesecake for her sister, Kayla came up beside the two of them and handed Jillian the bakery box with a smile. "This ought to keep you happy until tomorrow morning," she teased.

Jillian wrinkled her nose playfully at Kayla. "Then expect me back in here by tomorrow afternoon for a refill. But, for now, I'm out of here." She gave Kayla a hug, then turned back to Jack. "I'm so glad I got the chance to meet you, and I hope to see you again."

He smiled. "I'm sure you will."

Kayla walked Jillian to the front of the bakery, let her out, and locked the door behind her. Then she returned to the back of the shop where Jack was waiting for her, leaning casually against the counter. The moment with the Caramel Caresses was lost, and she wasn't in the mood to try to recapture the desire she'd been feeling before her sister had arrived. Instead, she cleaned up the small mess she'd made while getting Jillian's dessert boxed up.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked after the silence had stretched much too long between them. "You've been pretty quiet since your sister arrived."

She forced a smile that felt too stiff on her lips. "I'm fine."

The skeptical look on his face told her that he didn't believe that for a second. "Then why do I get the feeling that there's something going on in that head of yours?"

She was startled to think that he might understand her well enough to see beyond the nonchalant facade she'd erected. It was a scary thought, because it had been years since she'd let a man that close. And it had been just as long since she'd trusted another person besides her sister with her emotions.

She gave a casual toss of her head. "It's that vivid imagination of yours."

She was trying to lighten the moment with humor, but he wasn't going for it and remained serious. His gaze was filled with a concern that caused her heart to pound hard in her chest-and made her long to believe in this man who seemed genuinely to care about her feelings.

He moved toward her, closing the distance between them, and grasped her hand in his. "Talk to me, Kayla," he said, his soft voice encouraging her to open up to him.

Still, old habits died hard, and protecting her emotions was instinctive. "I'm sure it's nothing you want to hear."

His thumb rubbed gentle, soothing circles on her palm. "Try me, sweetheart."

Jack was too persistent and her resistance caved. Everything that had been bottled up within her for so long-fears, doubts, and vulnerabilities-worked their way to the surface, aching to be set free.

The night certainly couldn't get any worse, she reasoned, and what did she have to lose anyway? Nothing except Jack, and she knew he would be out of her reach after Friday night anyway.

She exhaled a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the conversation to come. "As you can see with your own eyes, Jillian and I are as different as night and day."

A small frown furrowed his brows. "No, not really. At least I don't think so."

The man wasn't dense, nor was he blind, and she was frustrated at his attempt to placate her. She was referring to more than just their blond hair, their green eyes, and the smile that Jack claimed they both shared. So, she was just going to have to be blunt with the man.

"I'm talking about our body types and our figures," she said, trying to tamp her frustration. "You can't deny that we're opposites."

"And that's an issue because?"

She pulled her hand from his, exasperated at how difficult he was making this for her. "It's always been an issue between us." Or at least others had made it an issue for Kayla, which in turn had affected Jillian, as well.

"How so?" he asked curiously. "The two of you seem close, and I can't imagine that you'd let something like body type differences get in the way of your strong relationship."

No, she and Jillian had been fortunate that the experience and their insecurities had bonded them closer as sisters, instead of pulling them apart. Their sisterly love had survived, despite their mother's demands and skewed visions that had made life difficult for the two of them-in vastly different ways.

The only way Jack would fully understand what she was getting at was for her to start at the very beginning. So that's exactly what she did. "I grew up with a mother who constantly compared me to Jillian, and not in a flattering way, either."

His lips flattened into a thin line of disgust. "I gathered as much from what you told me the night we had dinner at your place."

The man was very astute, because she hadn't directly mentioned the way her mother had treated her.

"For as long as I can remember, my weight and the way I looked was a problem for my mother. I can recall as early as the age of five the difference in the way my mother would treat me and Jillian. Especially out in public. If we were walking through a grocery store or mall, my mother would always hold Jillian's hand and I'd end up behind them a few feet, by myself."

Kayla also remembered the way Jillian would glance over her shoulder during those times, her expression so heartbreakingly sad, because even at that young age she understood the pain their mother's actions had caused Kayla. And neither one of them could do a damn thing about their mother's blatant favoritism.

"People would stop and exclaim about what a beautiful child Jillian was," Kayla went on, not meeting Jack's gaze because she didn't want to see the pity that might be present in his eyes. "And my mother would go on about all the pageants Jillian had won, and never once acknowledged my presence, or the fact that I was her daughter, too. At least not until we were in the car and out of hearing range of other people. Then my mother would give me a lecture about my weight, and how I could get the same kind of attention if I'd just make an effort to take care of myself and watch what I ate."

She laughed, but the sound lacked humor. "The funny thing is, food became a source of comfort for me. The more my mother tried to deny me food, or put me on a strict diet, the more I'd sneak into the kitchen for ice cream and cookies, and buy candy from school. It was a horrible, vicious cycle."

"What about your father?" Jack asked, and boosted himself up to sit on the stainless-steel countertop. "Wasn't he around to witness all this?"

"When he was home from work, my father tried to make up for my mother's derogatory comments. But he really didn't have any idea just how bad it was." She realized just how much of her past she was revealing to Jack, more than she'd ever shared with anyone before. Opening herself up to him this way felt both liberating and frightening at the same time. "And then when they divorced, my mother got full custody of both me and Jillian, and I only saw him during the summer months."

He clasped his hands between his wide-spread thighs. "Where is your mother now?"

"She died a few years ago." An ending that had come with much relief, along with an enormous amount of pain because she'd never been able to please her mother. She'd often wondered if her mother would have been proud of the success she'd made of Pure Indulgence, or if she would have found a way to criticize her choice of career because of the way it would contribute to her weight problem.

She'd never know and, in a way, Kayla was glad, because her business was the one positive, reliable thing she could count on in her life. And she liked that it was hers, and hers alone, without any painful criticism or memories linked to it. There was more to her story, and since she'd come this far, she decided she ought to go for broke, to lay all the cards out on the table for Jack so he knew exactly what he was dealing with.

"As Jillian and I grew older, it wasn't just my mother who tried to pit us against each other emotionally. In high school, boys constantly compared the two of us and would ask me why I wasn't as hot as my sister, and why I was so fat when she was so skinny."

She drew a shuddering breath and risked a glance at Jack, who was waiting patiently for her to continue. "Needless to say, I didn't date much in high school, or even when I went off to college. The men I met were completely into physical looks, and I just didn't have what it took to turn their heads."

"I agree it's pretty shallow, but most guys in college are out for a fun time, not anything serious."

She concurred with his comment, but it didn't change the fact that a lack of self-confidence had been her constant companion during those years. It also made her wonder if that's how he felt about the women he dated. Women like Gretta. Fun and nothing serious.

If that was the case, what category did that put her into? The category of women who seduced men with an aphrodisiac so outer appearances wouldn't matter, her mind taunted.

"I guess at some point I got tired of being overlooked and missing out on all the fun." She crossed her arms over her chest, recognizing it for the defensive gesture it was, but she couldn't seem to help herself. "I went on a crash diet my senior year of college and I lost twenty pounds, and it was amazing the interest I attracted after that."

Her tone held a slight sarcastic note she couldn't hide. "That's when I met a guy named Doug, who was amazingly charming, good-looking, and totally into me. We dated for a year, until I gradually started gaining my weight back and he issued me an ultimatum to go on a diet, or we were through."

Jack visibly winced at Doug's thoughtless and uncompromising demand. "That was pretty crappy."

It had been devastating at the time, but a lesson learned. "Needless to say, that was the end of that relationship. I let my body stabilize at a weight I'm not constantly fighting and came to the decision that this is who I am and always will be, and I'm not about to change that for any man again."

"You shouldn't have to."

"No, you wouldn't think so, but so many of the men that I've met are looking for a beautiful, slender, sexy woman to have hanging on their arm."

He hopped down from the table and moved closer, his gaze holding hers. "You can't keep judging all men by the actions of a few, Kayla."

The underlying meaning to his words, his gentle voice, the intense look in his eyes made her want to believe that he was different.

"What about the women you date, like Gretta?" she said, and couldn't believe those words had slipped out of her mouth. But now that they were between them, she couldn't stop. "Can you deny that she's beautiful and slender and sexy? The perfect arm candy?"

Jack felt taken aback by Kayla's unexpected question, but could tell his answer was very important to her. To them. He considered his reply, knowing he had to tread carefully and not come on too strong, too soon, about his feelings for her. This was a fragile, vulnerable moment for Kayla, and since the emotions he was feeling were completely foreign to him, he hoped he was able to give her what she needed from him.

"On the outside, yes, Gretta is all those things." She glanced away, but not before he saw the pained look flash across her features.

Gently, he tucked his finger beneath her chin and brought her gaze back to his, forcing her to look deep into his eyes for the answers she sought. They were all there for her to see and find, if only she'd give him a chance.

"I've dated women like her because it was easy to maintain my distance and keep my emotions out of the relationship," he admitted, needing her to understand. "I knew they only wanted me for my money, and since I had no time for anything deeper in a relationship, women like Gretta were convenient and always around. But when you start looking for something real and lasting, you begin to look past the packaging and see what's inside. Gretta, like others, fell short there."

And that's exactly where he was in his life. Where he was with Kayla. Unfortunately she didn't understand he liked her body just fine and was equally taken by her generous heart.

Her gaze shimmied with confusion and hope, and he decided that he had to let her come to her own conclusions about herself, and them. That nothing he could say or do would ease those insecurities of hers. She had to trust in her feelings if she wanted things to work between them, and she had to trust in him. On her own, without his constant coaxing.

He let his hand fall away from her face, though he ached to draw her into his arms and kiss away every last one of her doubts. He knew if Jillian hadn't made her appearance at Pure Indulgence he would have made love to Kayla tonight. All the signs had been there, the desire and hunger. But now, after their serious conversation, it just wasn't the right time. She had things to think about, and so did he.

"What do you say we close up the shop and call it a night?" he suggested.

She nodded jerkily and stepped away from him. "That's a good idea."

He waited while she put away his file for Tremaine's Downtown in her office and returned with her purse and keys in hand. Together, they locked up the bakery and he walked her to her car. Once there, he opened the driver's door for her, then brushed a soft, chaste kiss across her lips that lingered longer than he'd intended.

God, not pulling her into a passionate embrace took every ounce of willpower he possessed.

He lifted his head, rubbed his hands up and down her arms affectionately, and summoned a smile. "I'll see you Friday night for the art gallery show."

"Yes, see you then," she said softly, then slipped inside her vehicle.

Jack sat in his own car, watching the woman he was falling in love with drive away, and wondered if he'd done more harm than good with Kayla tonight.

He had one more night with her to find out.