Pure Indulgence

“Perfect. I’ll be here.”

She penciled in the appointment on her calendar, and as she did so, her arm brushed his jean-clad hip. She valiantly tried to ignore the heat of him, along with the tightening of her breasts that the chaste touch evoked. She could only imagine the sparks they’d ignite if they ever rubbed skin to skin.

He moved off her desk, straightened, and reached into his back pocket to withdraw his wallet. He pulled a check from his billfold and set it in front of her. She glanced from the staggering amount on the check, all the way back up to his deep, drown-in-them-forever blue eyes.

“What’s this for?”

“A down payment for your services,” he said matter-of-factly.

“I’d rather wait until services have been rendered and I have a better idea of what you owe.” She pushed the check back towards him. “You don’t even know if you’ll like the desserts I create.”

“Then we’ll just have to keep working at it until I’m completely satisfied.” He didn’t seem at all bothered by that possibility. “Besides, I have no doubt you’re worth every penny and you’ll give me my money’s worth. I also know that exclusivity doesn’t come cheap.”

No, it didn’t, but talk about blind trust in her abilities. She shook her head, certain any further argument would be futile. “Okay, fine.” If his bill was less than what he’d just given her, she’d issue him a refund. But, boy, would all that money look good in her business account.

“So we have ourselves a deal?”

Since he was towering over her, she stood, too. There was one issue she needed to address before she had her lawyer draw up a final contract and deliver it to Jack. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

He slid his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans. “Sure. Go ahead.”

She didn’t know an easy or tactful way to express her concern, so she just let it out. “I got the distinct impression at the Commerce dinner that your girlfriend wouldn’t be too thrilled to find out we’re working together. Is she going to be a problem for me?” The last thing Kayla wanted or needed was a jealous woman bad-mouthing Pure Indulgence and ruining her hard-earned reputation.

“I broke things off with Gretta the night of the dinner,” he told her, and there was no regret in his voice. “So there’s no girlfriend or significant other for you to worry about. I’m single and unattached.”

That revelation pleased her, more than was prudent, and she couldn’t stop the secretive smile that curved her lips. She’d just found the perfect test subject for her aphrodisiac desserts.

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.