Candy Kisses

by Bernadette Marie

  “Thank you for coming with me.” He backed out of the parking lot and headed back to the highway. “I’m sorry again for picking you up so early. I know I have a tendency to talk people into things and I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d not have been there.”

  “I wouldn’t have been.” She was honest. “Preston,” she turned her head to catch his eyes, darkened by the night. “I don’t believe in all of this. I think it’s fair to let you know.”

  “In what?” His voice was smooth.

  “I don’t believe in relationships or soul mates. I don’t believe in Valentine’s Day or love at first sight. It’s not real.”

  Preston nodded as he merged with the traffic on the highway. “My mother would be very disappointed to hear her favorite chocolatier say such things. You do know she’s booked weddings on the fact that she uses you exclusively.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Yep, and she’s a fool for love.” He tilted his head toward her and she assumed he meant Claire was all ready planning a future for her and Preston.

  Tabitha huffed out a laugh. “Our mother’s are quite a pair.” She didn’t let it bother her. Preston didn’t seem like the kind of man who would press the issue.

  For a moment, she enjoyed the drive with the mountains to her left and the lights of the city on her right. It was obvious he was taking the long way back to her store, but she didn’t mention it. She was enjoying the drive. She was enjoying him.

  “Do you believe in all of it?” she asked breaking the silence between them.

  “All of what?”

  “Valentine’s Day. Love at first sight. Forever?”

  Preston reached for her hand and linked their fingers again. “If I find the right woman I think all of that would be important.”

  She swallowed hard. “I’ve seen it fall apart too often. I mean my mother is getting married for the fifth time. Four failed marriages and multiple other relationships that didn’t last don’t lead me to believe in the longevity of love.”

  Preston shifted his eyes to her and then back to the road. “You wouldn’t give it a try?”

  “No.”

  He shrugged. “That’s too bad.”

  She sat back in her seat. “I only agreed to dinner, remember.”

  “And I didn’t ask for more, did I?” His voice was calm, where hers hadn’t been.

  Now she felt foolish.

  The sky was dark and the stars were bright against the black sky. It was beautiful. She often forgot, living in the lights of the city, what beauty there was just beyond her front door.

  Preston pulled off the highway and parked in lot at the edge of the Hog Back, a geological site she remembered visiting as a child on fieldtrips. In the day light, you could see the many colors of the rock formations from where they had cut through to build the highway, which now separated the two sides.

  He turned off the engine and sat for a moment in the silence. “I know it’s frigid, but what do you say we take a little walk and look out at the city?”

  She couldn’t help but feel the buzz of excitement brewing in her, which surprised her after she’d shot down all the wonderful things about relationships.

  There was no way to suppress the fact that she was enjoying herself and hadn’t wanted the night to end. It came as quite a surprise to her since she hadn’t wanted to have dinner with him at all.

  They made the small climb up the path to the end of the trail and looked out over the merging highways that took their bends around the rising hills. Denver splayed out in front of them in brilliant colors.

  Tabitha shivered as a breeze blew through. Preston moved in next to her. He placed his hands on her arms and instinctively she settled against him.

  She let herself take a moment and enjoy the warmth of him standing so close to her. His firm body pressed against her, his hands on her arms, and his warm breath on her cheek. “This is amazing. I’ve never been up here at night to see the lights. It’s the perfect spot for everything. You have the city, the rocks, the mountains, and the traffic moving people everywhere.”

  “I didn’t notice.”

  She turned her head only to find his dark eyes gazing down at her. He took the band, which held her hair back and pulled it free letting her hair fall over her shoulders.

  “I’ve wondered what that would look like,” he said as he ran his hand over the length of her hair. “I told you your eyes looked like milk chocolate but in the shadows it’s like black satin.” Tabitha swallowed hard and tried to look away but his eyes locked onto hers. He touched her cheek and his hand was still warm. “You’re freezing out here,” he said as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

  She’d forgotten she was cold and that her face was numb. In fact, she couldn’t remember ever being in a man’s presence when she’d felt a fire burn through her as she did with Preston standing before her.

  He combed his fingers through her hair once more. “I should get you home. I know you have a lot of work to do tomorrow and it would be rude of me to keep you out too late.”

  He hesitated and Tabitha moved her gaze to his lips. The traffic below them seemed to silence as she could only hear her heart beating in her ears. She wanted him to kiss her. The desire to have him press his lips to her shivering ones was enough to drive her mad. Never in all her life had she wished someone would make such a move.

  Every encounter with a man she’d ever had was coldly calculated. This was spontaneous.

  Then it hit her like the frigid air. She stepped back from him and the bitter cold froze her to the bone. She’d been on the verge of moving in and kissing him herself. She’d wished he’d hold her, touch her, kiss her, and God knows what else. Not even thirty hours had passed since she’d met him. This is where it began. This was the moment women turned into putty and let men take advantage of them.

  She shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat. “I think you’re right. I need to get back.”

  “You’re sensible aren’t you?” They turned from the lights to walk back to the car.

  She thought about the question and how suddenly dumb it was. Yes she was sensible. And a moment ago she’d lost all sensibility. That was what passion and lust did to a person. It was, she now understood, what her mother felt when a man would give her attention. How quickly a gaze or a touch could be misconstrued into something more. Convinced that those things could build into love it was no wonder women jumped into bed with total strangers. For heaven’s sake, her mother had taken it so far as to marry a man within weeks and they’d had her to show for it. Was this what her mother felt each time a man told her she had beautiful eyes? Did she think it was love and worth marrying for? Tabitha sure didn’t. As they climbed into the car and drove away, she tried to come up with the right way to tell him they shouldn’t see each other again.

  Chapter Three

  Tabitha’s eyes stung the next morning. Her lack of sleep hadn’t helped her looks or her disposition, especially when Brie casually strolled through the door at eight o’clock. She’d abruptly stopped when she walked into the work area and saw Tabitha already elbow deep in chocolate dipped strawberries and petite fours.

  “What time did you get here?” she asked as she hung up her coat.

  “I’ve been here since four.” The tension in her voice should have had Brie turning and walking out the front door, but because they’d been friends since childhood, Tabitha knew she’d stay and after Brie picked at her like a scab, she’d still love her.

  “Why so early?” She took her apron from the hook, slid it over her head, and tied it around her waist.

  “Because I couldn’t sleep. Can you just get those butterflies molded today? I have the chocolate ready so just get busy.”

  “You are in one snippy mood,” Brie offered up as she took the molds from the cupboard and retrieved the clipboard with the order information. “I’d take it you didn’t toss around in the sheets with your date last night?”

  Tabitha shot her h
ead up. Her hair fell over her eyes and she blew the stray strands away. “No matter what I did with my date last night it’s none of your business.”

  “Wow, you must have been charming. What did he do? Excuse himself from the table and never come back?”

  Tabitha took the towel that had been looped around the tie of her apron and was ready to launch it across the room at Brie’s head when she heard the chimes over the front door. She huffed out a loud breath as Brie gave her a sly smile over her shoulder as Tabitha walked toward the front of the store.

  Brie would be dealt with. Tabitha hated small-minded people as much as she hated Valentine’s Day and the impromptu wedding season. But she put on her smile and happily walked to the counter to help the next person who would pay for a vacation so she could appreciate the value of such a day, monetarily speaking.

  Tabitha did all she could to keep the smile as genuine as possible when she saw the round, smiling face of her most profitable customer standing in her store. “Mrs. Banks, what a nice surprise so early this morning.”

  “Oh, listen to you.” The woman actually giggled and tension began to build behind Tabitha’s eyes.

  Claire Banks shuffled her way to the counter, obviously eye-balling every piece of chocolate in the case. “I’m sure my Preston told you that I’ve taken on a huge load this Valentine’s Day. He and his two brothers and his sister have all volunteered to help me see to the weddings I have this weekend and next.”

  “Sure does seem to be a busy season this year.” Which Tabitha thought was an understatement considering the number of orders she still had to fill.

  “Oh, my, it sure does. But I picked up one more,” she said with obvious regret. “And they don’t want a cake.”

  “Very untraditional.” Tabitha bit the inside of her cheek and tried to remember the smile she was plastering on her face.

  “Yes. Well they want Tabitha Chocolates for each guest. A plate, each with four special pieces.”

  “Mrs. Banks …”

  “Oh, I know. I have you already so busy and that’s not to mention your mother’s wedding or all of your customers. But, I hoped you’d appreciate the business.”

  Tabitha balled her fists and dug her nails into her palms to keep herself from losing control. How she was going to turn out the orders she already had on the board was beyond her. And she knew herself well enough to know it was about quality and repeat business – and the almighty dollar.

  “Of course we can accommodate you. If you’ll just fax me over all of the details …”

  “Oh, you’re the best.” Claire Banks reached over the counter and grabbed for Tabitha’s hands. “Thank you.”

  “It’s no trouble,” she said through gritted teeth.

  “Okay.” Claire turned to leave. “I’ll send over the information. In fact, I won’t fax it I’ll send it with Preston. He said he was going to stop by and see you today. Said you had a wonderful time last night.” She smiled widely. “Oh isn’t new love grand. Such a wonderful time of year for it too. Bye.”

  Tabitha had taken a breath to stop the woman from her delusions, but it had stuck in her throat as the woman went on and on as she walked out the door.

  “New love? Well I didn’t see that one coming.” Brie said from behind her.

  “Shut up. Just shut up!” Tabitha spun on her heels. “I told the man I never wanted to see him again. I said we weren’t a good pair. We didn’t have anything in common. That all this crap about Valentine’s Day and love at first sight was – well crap. If it didn’t make me so much money I wouldn’t even carry special chocolates for it.”

  “Wow, you must have been a load of fun last night. No wonder you lost a whole night’s sleep over it.”

  There were many reasons not to hire your best friend. Having them toss back everything you said was one of them. Tabitha was seriously considering Brie’s termination, but then thought better about it. She’d can her after Mother’s Day and the June wedding season.

  Tabitha worked diligently all day, keeping her head down and her hands dredged in decadent chocolate. She’d single handily molded, formed, and dipped more chocolate than both of them had in a week. It kept her mind occupied and Brie stayed away from her. But each time the door opened her stomach knotted and her temper flared because she assumed it was Preston Banks walking in.

  Brie stayed until they’d locked the doors and cleaned up the workroom. That was why she’d hired her best friend. Without her having to ask, and only having thrown insults her way, Brie knew she needed the help and she’d given it.

  They’d been friends long enough that Tabitha knew it was going to cost her a week of vacation for Brie, a dozen roses, a girls’ night out, and the eventual confession that she’d enjoyed her date and had wanted Preston Banks to kiss her – and God knows what else.

  Tabitha sat at her desk and added up the receipts for the day. It would never cease to amaze her that she could make as much in one day during February as she would the entire month of July.

  There was a knock at the door and absentmindedly she stood and walked to the show room. And just as the first time she’d laid eyes on him, Preston stood just beyond her door with his hands cupped around his eyes looking in.

  The jump in her heart rate made her uncomfortable. What was it that made her want to pull open the door and envelope him in her arms? He was still a stranger, she reminded herself. She didn’t believe in things like falling in love at first site.

  Tabitha sucked in a breath and let it out. She didn’t love him. Where had that come from?

  As she unlocked the door and pulled it open making sure her eyes were narrow and her stance strong. “I expected you much earlier.” Her tone was furious just as she’d meant it to be.

  “I’m so sorry if you’ve been waiting.” His forehead had wrinkled up and the dip of his head let her know his apology was sincere.

  Softness, almost on the verge of sadness filled his voice and it immediately softened her. That was always her problem. As tough and insensitive as she wanted to be, she didn’t like to see eyes of worry.

  “It was no problem. Come in.” Tabitha waited for him to walk through. The cold drifted in with him chilling her as she shut and locked door. “Temperature dropped.”

  “It’s frigid.” Preston reached inside of his coat and pulled out a manila envelope. “Here are the orders from my mother.”

  “Thank you.” She took them, their fingers touching. “You’re frozen.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the back. “I have a fresh pot of coffee. Let me get you a cup.”

  Preston followed her to her office as he pulled off his coat and draped it over the chair. She looked up at him and thought he looked tired. Trouble seemed to shadow his eyes and the corners of his lips had turned down.

  She poured coffee into a new mug. “Do you take anything in it?”

  “Black is fine.”

  She handed him the mug and returned to her seat behind her desk. “I was just closing my books for the day. I’ll need to come in extra early tomorrow to start on the chocolates for the weddings this weekend. I don’t know how your mother does it.” She was annoying herself with the sound of her own voice, but he just stared at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “I enjoy watching you.” His eyes had lightened and the lines in his face were softening. “I waited to come by. I don’t know if I was waiting for you not to be here or if I just wanted time to think about what I was going to say to you.”

  Tabitha folded her hands under the desk and rested them in her lap. She hadn’t been kind the night before when she’d told him under no circumstances did she want to see him again.

  Preston set his mug on her desk and sat in the chair opposite her. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. Perhaps I was a bit too forward asking you to dinner and taking you to look out at the lights.”

  Really? He was worried about dinner? “I didn’t mean to make you think that. You were a gentleman.” She stood from behind her des
k. “It’s just – well, I’m not very good relationship material.”

  Preston stood and rose above her making her shift her eyes up to his. “Perhaps you’ll have to fill me in on that.”

  “On what?”

  “What makes you so bad in a relationship?”

  Her words were swelling in her throat as he looked at her with his dark eyes from across the desk. No man had ever stumped her into silence. “It would be more of the track record of my mother that leads me away from relationships.” She placed her hands on the desk to steady herself, but only found that she was leaning in closer to him. “I just don’t see relationships as very useful.”

  “Useful.” He lifted his hand to her cheek. “I’ve never heard of relationships used that way.”

  His hand caressed her skin and her thinking had become foggy. His skin had warmed from the coffee mug, but there was still that bite of chill as he touched her. She watched as he moved in closer to her over the top of her desk, her paperwork slid from under her hands.

  The corner of his mouth turned up as he drew her closer to him, his hand still caressing her cheek. “I’m a fairly useful guy. I can run errands. I can sell you a nice car. I can help you with all these orders when you need it.”

  She could feel his breath on her face as she stretched toward him. God, she wished she could think of something to say, but she wanted him to pull her closer.

  Preston stopped, their lips just a whisper apart. “I can also turn your heart upside down. And, Tabitha, I think that might be useful to you.”

  There was nothing she could say when his lips pressed to hers and heat ripped through her body. Her eye lids closed and color swirled behind them. There was a moan, and she was very sure it had resonated from her throat, but she couldn’t be sure.

  His hand tunneled through her hair and rested on the back of her neck. He pulled her closer until her thighs pushed against the edge of the desk.

  Tabitha’s mind wandered from the paperwork she’d fretted over, now crumbling beneath her fingers, and focused on the man who had her body turning helplessly limp.