Honey moved into his arms, her mouth seeking his and they kissed long and deep. By the time he pulled away from her she was breathless, her face flushed, her heart racing.
"Still want to stop at just a kiss?" he asked.
She gazed up into his dark eyes, the thick dark hair and remembered the things they had shared that night. God, how she wanted him! It was so tempting to give in to her desires, her needs but she had to protect her heart.
"After we get finished with this wedding business," she told him running her fingers along his jaw never tiring of the rough stubble that constantly grew there.
"I can wait," he told her.
That night Jess called her just as she was getting ready for bed.
"Damn, girl, that Max is one sexy hunk," Jess said almost before Honey said hello.
Honey laughed. "Yes he is."
"You didn't tell me that," Jess scolded.
"Well, Jess, I've been a little busy," Honey told her friend.
"Too busy to tell me that the new jeweler in town, a man who buys and sells diamonds who is probably loaded, is also a hunk? And you get to work with him every day!"
"I don't work with him every day," Honey protested.
"You get to see him every day," Jess argued.
Yes she did and sometimes it was all she could do to keep her emotions in check around him. But she wasn't about to tell Jess that.
Less than a week later, Joseph and Eduardo brought a young lady into Honey's shop. She was a pretty young woman, a little less curvy than most of Honey's clientele but she had beautiful green eyes and dark hair.
"This is Kelli, your bride for the expo," Eduardo said by way of introduction.
"Hello," Honey said, shaking her hand. She recognized the young lady immediately as being a daughter of a local car dealership owner. She'd seen her in a few of their commercials. "You're going to be a beautiful bride."
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"By tomorrow evening we should have all three bridesmaids lined up as well as the groom and best man," Joseph explained.
Honey took a deep breath. They really were going to make this happen. "Perfect. Gentlemen, you have done a wonderful job so far. Now we have to make this bridal party look stunning."
Then she turned her attention to Kelli. "Can you come by tomorrow so I can get to work on the gown you're going to wear?"
Kelli agreed on a time and they left.
"You just missed the bride," Honey told Max when he stepped into her shop a few moments later.
"Good because it's you I need to see," he said, quietly as he caught her hand and led her to the back of the shop.
"What is it?"
"My daily kiss," Max said with a grin. "I need it now."
Honey laughed but moved eagerly into his arms, lifting her face to his. His kiss was as wonderful as always but demanding, urgent and Honey felt herself responding with an urgency of her own. He ran his hands down her back, pulling her close to him and she held onto his broad shoulders tightly.
"Now, I can tell you how things are going at the mall," he said, although his eyes were glittering feverishly.
Honey was still trembling and feeling a bit woozy from the moment they'd just shared but his words slowly drew her back to reality.
"This is going to be an all-day affair," Max told her. "I thought our models could walk around and talk to mall patrons. What if we have our 'groom' reenact his proposal to the bride and slip one of my diamonds on her finger about halfway through the day?"
"Oh, yes," Honey said, picturing it. "Perfectly romantic."
"The wedding will be held in the center court of the mall. A stage with a short runway is going to be built for the actual wedding to take place. You saw some of the plans for that. Flanking that, the rest of us will have booths so people can see what we have to offer."
"I love it," Honey said, flinging herself at him in her excitement.
"And I think we'll have full press coverage," Max added. "I've already talked to the local newspaper and TV station."
"We have to tell the others," Honey squealed, hugging him in her excitement. "Oh, my, God, Max, this is fantastic!"
"I hope they're as excited about this as you are," he said as he opened the door, allowing her to step outside.
"And wait until you see the roses we picked out for the bride's bouquet," Honey told him as they walked along. "They are the most beautiful shade of coral you've ever seen."
Together they hurried around to Karen's flower shop to spread the good news at one of their regular meetings. By the time everyone reported their progress, excitement for the project seemed to be rekindled.
The next day, Honey met her bride and bridesmaids and started taking measurements. She already knew which gown the bride would wear, nothing too elaborate and yet perfectly suited to flatter her figure. And she knew which bridesmaid dresses she wanted to showcase. The coral color chosen for the wedding was perfect because she already had several dresses in stock that were that perfect shade. A tuck here, a tuck there, some hemming and they would be ready. And she had already ordered the pale coral pearls she planned to sew onto the short, contemporary veil.
She was knee deep in coral taffeta when Tracy and her mother entered the shop. Honey looked up as it dawned on her that she'd forgotten all about their appointment. Quickly, she concealed her surprise and took her time with them, much like she did the first time they came in. This time they narrowed the dress down to two and left again.
"Do you want me to take you around to the other shops?" Honey asked when they were ready to leave.
"Thanks, but we've already stopped in to talk to some of them. I think we're going to do everything right here," Tracy's mother told her.
"You guys are really busy," Tracy said with a smile.
"We're putting on a mock wedding at the bridal expo in just three weeks at Westwood Mall," Honey told them.
"Are you going to be the bride?" Tracy asked.
"Oh, no, we've hired models for that," Honey told her.
"I know who I'd choose for the groom," Tracy's mother said quietly, a smile teasing her lips.
Both Tracy and Honey followed her gaze out the front door to where Max was ambling in their direction. Honey shivered, picturing Max in a tuxedo standing next to a woman in a wedding dress. That's when it dawned on her that the only thing she knew about his past was that his family had always been involved in diamonds. Why wasn't he married? Surely, at least one woman had captured his heart.
"Mom," Tracy said, rolling her eyes and gently pushing her mother toward the door.
They stepped out onto the small covered porch just as Max reached the bottom of the steps.
"Ladies," he said with a warm smile.
"Hello," Tracy said. "I'll be stopping by in a day or two with my fiancé to pick out a ring."
"I look forward to meeting the lucky guy," he said.
"Maybe I'll tag along," Tracy's mother said. "I need some new diamond earrings."
"Absolutely. I have the perfect pair in mind," Max told her with a big grin.
"Come on, Mom. We have to pick out a cake," Tracy said, tugging at her mother's hand.
"You schmoozer," Honey teased when they were alone inside of her shop.
"Customer service," he said and then held up the brown bags he had been carrying. "I figured you might not have time to eat so I brought lunch."
"You are a scholar and a gentleman," Honey laughed, reaching for the food. "I am starving."
Max held it up out of her reach. "It's gonna cost you."
"How much?" Honey asked.
"One extra kiss today," he said.
Max's kiss had become such a welcome part of her day that she willingly moved into his arms. She slid her hands up under his jacket, loving the way the silk shirt felt against her palms. Just being near him made her warm and tingly all over. But when his lips touched hers, they sent thrills down her spine, centering in that vulnerable spot between her legs. She whimpered so
ftly and snuggled close, loving the way their bodies fit together so perfectly.
"We'll save the other one for later," she said, gazing up at him.
His eyes simply devoured her.
Honey could still feel his hot gaze on her backside as she led him to the back and pulled two bottles of water out of a small fridge. Then she took a seat at her desk. He pulled up a chair on the other side and they spread out the food, sandwiches and chips.
While they ate, they talked. Max filled her in on how things were progressing at the mall and Honey explained a little of what she had to do with her dresses and the wedding gown.
"I stopped in to see Karen a little while ago," Max said. "She was teaching Paul, Eduardo and Joseph to make boutonnières."
Honey laughed. "Those guys are the best. They'll do anything to help and we're lucky to have their expertise."
"How did you guys all get together anyway?" Max asked, gently brushing a crumb from her lips with his thumb.
"Lover's Ring was, at one time, an artist's colony. It sat empty for the longest time and every day I drove past here knowing I could transform it into something else. I was working with Jess at the mall at that time and there was no way I could afford to buy it. Then I met Jeff and he asked me to marry him. When I caught him…" Honey stopped and cleared her throat.
Max sat quietly, waiting for her to continue.
"When that ended, practically at the altar, I lost my job at the mall. Then, my mother died unexpectedly and left me a good-sized inheritance. Finally, when I could think straight again, I started remembering how hard it was to find a wedding gown to fit, well, me," she laughed. "And how crazy we were with all the other running around. So, my dad suggested I use the money mom left me to start my own business. I found out that this place wasn't as expensive as I'd imagined it would be. We began looking for tenants to rent the cabins right away and fixing them up to fit the businesses who rented them. The only criteria was they all had to have something to do with weddings or wedding planning."
"Lover's Ring," Max said.
"Lover's Ring," Honey repeated. "I didn't do all my homework on the business end. Didn't realize how bad the location was. Didn't have any idea how hard it was going to be to attract customers, keep renters happy, etc."
"That's why the photographer moved out," Max guessed.
Honey nodded. "Karen's a godsend on the business end but I'm afraid if this mock wedding doesn't do the trick, this dream might go up in smoke."
"You know, I might be able to help," Max told her. "I have some connections and…"
"I appreciate your offer, really I do. But I really want to make this a success on my own," Honey told him.
Before he could reply, the bell tinkled over the door.
"Max? Max, are you in here?" It was Tiffany.
Max put his finger to his lips, signaling Honey to be quiet. They sat perfectly still listening to her moving back and forth, mumbling to herself.
"Hello, is anyone here?"
Honey put her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle. She felt like they were children hiding from an irate adult.
"Okay," Tiffany huffed and slammed the door behind her as she left.
Max shook his head. "She's a nice woman and all, but talk about possessive."
Two days later, Honey took a break from her sewing and made her usual rounds to see if anyone needed help. Then she decided it was her turn to buy lunch. Feeling proud of herself, she hurried to Max's shop with two bags from a fast food restaurant nearby. As usual, the diamonds glittered and sparkled winking at her seductively as she stepped into Dazzlers.
"Max, I brought lunch," she called out.
He came out from the back, smiling when he saw her. "I'm glad you're here," he said. "I want you to help me pick out a ring for the mock wedding."
"Oh, wow," Honey said, looking around at the diamonds winking at her seductively. "That's gonna be tough."
"Well, the good thing is you can pretend that money is no object. Make believe you're marrying some billionaire who wants you to have a diamond as beautiful as you are," he said as he led Honey toward a showcase in the center of the room.
Honey stood there looking at the rows and rows of diamond engagement and wedding rings. "Nothing too big or too gaudy," she told him.
"And you'll want white gold with your skin tone," he advised.
Within minutes Honey's attention was drawn to a beautiful princess cut diamond set in white gold with a matching band. "This one," she said.
Max unlocked the case and pulled out the sparkling diamond set. Then he took her hand in his and slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a little snug but other than that it was perfect.
"Max, it's beautiful," she whispered, glancing up at him and then back at the ring. "Perfect."
"Good. I think our bride will be impressed as well," Max said, still holding onto her hand. "Will you help me pick out some other jewelry for her to wear?"
"Sure," Honey replied, a little disappointed when he took the ring away and placed it in a separate case.
Her disappointment was quickly forgotten as she helped him pick out a diamond pendant, a bracelet and several pairs of earrings to be worn at the show.
They took their sandwiches outside and sat on a wooden bench directly across from Dazzlers. While they ate, they talked easily.
"So, tell me something about you," Honey said, taking a sip of her drink. "Who is Max Sanderson?"
Max became quiet, thoughtful for a moment and when he spoke, his voice was clipped and cold. "My father had a jewelry store in LA. One afternoon a man walked into the store and tried to rob him. My dad resisted and the guy shot him."
"Oh, Max, I'm so sorry," Honey said. Reaching out, entwining her fingers in his seemed the most natural thing in the world.
"I was supposed to be there that afternoon but I wasn't. I was out with a friend. We were getting fitted for tuxedos for my upcoming wedding."
Honey could see that Max was hurting, blaming himself for his father's death. "Max, you don't have to tell me this…"
"No, you need to know," he took a deep breath and squeezed her fingers gently. "We closed the store for a week but I just couldn't bring myself to open it back up again. In fact, I couldn't seem to concentrate on anything. All I could feel was anger and I guess I just shut everyone and everything out, including my fiancé."
Honey remained quiet.
"The wedding was postponed and finally called off altogether. She tried to reach me, she really did but I was buried too deep in my own hurt and anger to respond." Max took a deep breath. "So, she broke off the engagement. That was a really dark time. I wasn't any good to myself, much less anyone else."
"I'm sorry," Honey said softly
"Don't be," he said with a smile. "She met someone who could give her what she needed. They never did catch the guy that shot my dad so I started looking for places to start over. I ended up here. End of story."
"I am so sorry," Honey whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't imagine how you've been hurting."
Max stood up. "I guess I'd better get back inside. Don't want to miss any of the crowd," he joked, waving at the empty parking areas.
"All of that's gonna change," she promised him. "After the bridal expo, we're going to be so busy…"
"Let's hope so," Max said as he returned to Dazzlers.
***
Two days before the show, Honey had made all the alternations to the wedding gown and the bridesmaids dresses. The final fitting had gone well the day before and, from what she had heard from Joseph, his job was almost done as well. Paul had made a few trial runs with his cake and was convinced it was going to be the most beautiful cake anyone had ever seen. He was making cupcakes to match and other desserts for the patrons of the mall to enjoy.
Honey had planned to knock off a bit early that evening, take a break and have dinner with Jess. She had just turned off the lights, touched the wedding gown one last time and picked up her purse.
Eduardo was right behind him. Both men looked as if the place was on fire.
"What?" Honey said, panic tingeing her voice. "What's wrong?"
"The bride. Our bride. Your bride," Joseph wailed.
"What about her?"
"She's backed out. She doesn't want to do it," Eduardo explained.
"You mean we have a mock wedding in two days and no bride?" Honey asked.
Both men nodded.
"Maybe one of the bridesmaids will step in…"
"We've already asked. No one wants to do it."
Honey thought frantically. "Okay, I've got a customer who might do it for us. I'll call her right now."
Joseph and Eduardo stood there staring while she dialed the number and spoke to Tracy.
Honey ended the call and turned quietly to look at the two men waiting expectantly. "She's going to be out of town for her bridal shower."
"What are we going to do?" Eduardo asked. "We can't back out now. We'd be the laughing stock of the bridal industry in this city."
"Let's go talk to Karen. Maybe she'll have an idea," Honey said, feeling as if her whole world was about to collapse.
The three trooped into Karen's flower shop and Honey wanted to weep when she saw the bridesmaids bouquets in the cooler looking more beautiful than she'd even imagined they would.
"We have bad news," Honey began when Karen looked up at their stricken faces.
"What?"
"Our bride has backed out. We have a mock wedding in two days and no bride," Honey told her.
"Didn't those girls sign contracts and take money and…"
Joseph nodded. "Nothing as formal as a contract but she gave all the money back."
"I tried calling one of my customers but she's going to be out of town. Neither of the bridesmaids will step up to the plate and, God, Karen, I don't know what we're going to do."
"You do it," Karen said quietly, after a minute's thought.
"Me?"
"You. You still have your wedding gown and you still sell that style in your shop. In fact, it's one of your own designs isn't it?"
Star-Crossed Curves: BBW Erotic Romance Boxed Set Page 5