“Was this some kind of sick revenge ploy?” Neve wanted to know. “What? I asked you to work late one night or couldn’t give you a day off, and this was how you got me back?”
“Neve, it wasn’t like that at all. Please,” Terri gestured again to the couch, “I can explain everything if you let me.”
Neve nodded for her to continue but refused the seat. It felt like a trap somehow. She wanted to be able to bolt at a moment’s notice if things got too weird in Terri’s condo.
Sighing heavily, Terri slumped in one corner of the couch. “I never liked Gianna,” she said. “She acted nice at the bakery when you were around, but you’d go off into the walk-in or outside, and she’d just sneer and bitch.” Terri scrubbed a hand over her face. “She’d look as if she’d scraped the heel of her shoe into some dog shit.”
“You know, I don’t recall you being civil to her when you met. She was probably reacting to you,” Neve said. “It works two ways, maybe if you had tried a little kindness—”
“I did try, and Gianna just complained about how the bakery was your real love. You never had time for her. Did you know she talked about getting you to sell the place?”
That struck Neve as odd, considering how Gianna had seemed supportive of her business.
“I’m working in the kitchen, eavesdropping while she’s yapping on her phone. She wondered aloud if she could bring girls home and fuck them while you baked brownies. She pissed me off.”
This revelation sickened Neve, so much that the other end of Terri’s couch appeared necessary. Neve fought the urge to collapse, however, but braced herself against the back of a nearby chair.
“Then you should have come to me,” she said, her voice calm. “If you had wanted to protect me for some reason, I don’t understand why you neglected to—”
“Would you have believed me?”
“We’ll never know the answer to that because it never happened.” Yet she created a silent scenario in her mind that had an imaginary Neve dismissing Terri. She’d been blinded by love then.
Terri shrugged, looking away. “Chaz had broken up with her girlfriend, and when she described her, she sounded a lot like Gianna. I put it in her head that I knew a woman who was single and looking, then on a day Gianna came to the bakery while you were out, I mentioned that I knew somebody looking for a new accountant.”
“And the rest is history, I presume,” Neve said.
“Not quite,” Terri said, and drained the rest of her wine. She looked up at Neve with wet eyes. “I didn’t set out to pair Gianna with Chaz to make you miserable. Yeah, you were supposed to feel betrayed and devastated, but you didn’t bring that to Sugar Rush. You kept your heartache to yourself and disappeared into your work. You were supposed to reach out for a shoulder to cry on…” Terri’s voice broke on this and she heaved a sob.
Neve saw a clearer picture now. Terri hadn’t just acted abominably, she had also been selfish. What she’d seen, she had wanted for herself.
“Terri…”
“Neve, I love you.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I don’t mean as a friend or a boss. I couldn’t bear to watch you with that bitch one more day, especially after I heard her talking about wanting to cheat. You deserve so much better…”
This time Neve didn’t think twice—she sat at Terri’s side, cradling her employee’s head on her shoulder. All this time, she’d never picked up on Terri’s feelings, merely attributing Terri’s protectiveness to friendly concern. Of course, losing Gianna had set her focus on the business, so it would have taken more than a longing glance from across the kitchen to get a point across.
“I didn’t try to catch you on the rebound because afterward I did feel guilty,” Terri said. “You looked so damn miserable, and I tried to make you feel better, inviting you to dinner and movies. You always said no, you were always busy…you couldn’t see that I wanted to be more than friends.”
Neve tried to shush away Terri’s hysterics, but all the while she thought about Judy. Terri hadn’t shown much approval for her, either. Would she have pulled a similar stunt? How many more potential relationships would Terri have sabotaged until Neve finally noticed?
“Terri, I’m sorry you didn’t get the reaction you’d hoped from me,” she said, “but what you did was pretty shitty.”
“Gianna cheated on you.” Terri sniffed. “She would have done it anyway without my interference.”
“Again, we’ll never know. She might have been blowing off steam on that phone call. People say things they don’t always mean. It’s not an invitation to mayhem.” Neve slowly eased away from Terri before the other woman became too clingy. She definitely didn’t need to encourage her at her most vulnerable. “I think you should take a break from the bakery—”
“Neve, no! Please don’t fire me,” Terri begged. Red streaks from the tears marked her face and her nose dripped. Her misery rendered her quite pathetic. “I’ve done nothing to harm the business, and you can’t do everything on your own. I swear, I won’t interfere in your personal life again.”
“I haven’t decided what to do,” Neve said, standing. She brushed her arms and jeans, as though clearing away the bad mojo from this conversation. “Anyway, you have a week’s vacation, and you’re taking it now while I figure out a few things. I have Corky.”
“Corky is useless without that damn computer.”
“You like to blame Corky for a lot of things that go wrong. How do I know you’re not seeding this ill will in my head?” Neve challenged. “Are you trying to get rid of her too?”
Terri said nothing.
Neve wanted to spit. Memories of past arguments with Terri surfaced in the silence. Neve had wanted to bring Corky deeper into the business, but Terri doubted her ability to even work the counter. In retrospect, it seemed as if Terri had sold the girl short. Neve doubted she could trust her employee again.
“Your vacation starts Monday. Don’t come back until the Monday after next, when I’ll have made my decision,” Neve said with finality.
She left the condo without saying goodbye. Even with the week’s reprieve, she knew she’d soon hand Terri a severance check.
* * * * *
A wave of relief washed over Judy when a pair of headlights swept the storefronts. She recognized Neve’s car, and once her eyesight adjusted, she saw that the driver didn’t look too upset to see Judy leaning against the Sugar Rush window. Judy took a chance that Neve might come here—the baker seemed the type to want to work through any frustrations, and what better place than the sweet shop?
“Neve, I have to tell you something,” she said the second Neve emerged from the car. “I wasn’t completely honest with you, and I’m sorry.”
Neve kept a straight face, which slowly curved into a sad smile. “What? It’s not really Rachael’s birthday tomorrow, is it?”
“What? It is, seriously. Ask Rachael herself.”
Neve nodded. “Okay then. Are you going to tell me that you fibbed about never being more than friends with Rachael?” she asked.
“Lord, no!” The thought struck Judy as incestuous. “Why would you think that?”
“I meant to bring it up at the bar earlier. Helen, whose wedding cake I’m baking, told me she thought the two of you dated.”
Judy had to think on that one. She knew Helen’s other half, Maggie, better, and she strained to recall how the old woman would have gotten it into her head that—
She snapped her fingers. “Rachael went out with a girl named Judy. Last year. Helen must have mixed us up.”
“That’s your final answer?” Neve arched an eyebrow.
“Neve, Rachael cries on my shoulder after every breakup, no matter long the woman lasted. I can’t name all the presidents, but I know all the exes. Somebody has to keep track so she doesn’t repeat herself.”
Judy listened to her laugh softly, unsure how to interpret it. When Neve came closer and drew her into a hug, she slid her arms around Neve’s waist, savoring the warmth.
>
“I believe you,” she said. “I’m also sorry for jumping to a wrong conclusion. So, if you were truthful about Rachael, how were you dishonest with me?”
Judy shrugged. “Part of my reason for buying the party food at Sugar Rush was to get to know you better. I saw your picture on Facebook and crushed on you big-time. I didn’t want you thinking I was a creeper.”
“You’re not creepy,” Neve confirmed. “I suppose, in a way, what you did was sweet. I’m flattered, though you could have just come in every day for a few weeks to buy a cookie or something, and work on me gradually.”
“Yeah, but how would I know some other sweet tooth wouldn’t end up nibbling on you?” Judy asked. “So, you’re not mad at me then?”
“You’re paying for the food in full, right? We made a business transaction, and Rachael has an amazing friend who’s throwing her a party. I’m not mad. I told you, I’m flattered.”
Neve drew back to unlock the front door. She moved aside to let Judy enter, but Judy walked up to her and planted a kiss on Neve’s lips. Her tongue swept the soft seam, breaking it so she could explore deeper. They held each other close for several seconds, lost in gentle throes of a rising passion, until Neve finally eased away.
“Come here.” She ushered Judy inside and locked up. “I came here to bake, but I suddenly find I’m hungry for something more.”
In the pristine kitchen of Sugar Rush, Judy waited by a large, stainless steel table while Neve set a pot to boil on the commercial-grade stove. “What do you think—white, milk or dark?” she asked, holding up three different bags of chocolate chips.
“I prefer dark,” Judy said, “it’s supposed to be better for you.”
Neve nodded. “I like the taste too. Especially with a bit of rum. There’s a bottle on the bottom rack, could you get it?”
Judy complied, and Neve isolated the dark chocolate and liquor, poured heavy cream into a bowl, then set the bowl on top of the boiling pot. “Many bakers use special double boilers, but this method has always worked for me,” she explained as the stirred the cream. “Would you like to help?”
“Sure. I’m no Julia Child, but…” Judy quieted as Neve drew her closer and encircled her in her arms. She positioned the large whisk in Judy’s hands.
“When the cream begins to bubble up, ease the chocolate in and just a bit of the rum. If you can eyeball a tablespoon, that’s all you need.” She showed Judy how to properly stir the ganache and scrape down the bowl.
“This is fun,” Judy said, working the chocolate to a smooth consistency. It melted rather quickly in the heat, and Judy inhaled the rich aroma. She wanted to turn back to see what Neve was doing, but feared burning the ganache.
“You want it to look shiny, but don’t overdo it,” Neve warned. “When it’s done, use the potholder and set the bowl down on that trivet, but keep stirring for a bit so it doesn’t harden.”
Judy heard activity behind her—sealed doors opened, heavy implements hit the table, equipment hissed. What exactly did Neve have in mind tonight? Judythought of the possibilities, her mouth watering. Food or sex, she’d take either at this point.
“How’s it looking?” Neve asked after a beat.
“Just about there. Man, I have to get one of these stoves. Doesn’t take long to cook.” Using the potholder, Judy grasped the lip of the bowl and removed it from the steam. She shut off the stove and went back to whisking the thick ganache, resisting the temptation to dip in a finger.
“If you’re thinking of a sample, I’d wait,” Neve said behind her. “A lot of people don’t realize it could burn you if it hasn’t cooled.”
Judy scraped the whisk over the bowl and set it on a spoon rest. She turned in time to see Neve screw the cap on a whipped cream dispenser. She let out a short gasp as images formed in her mind of Neve’s gorgeous bare breasts covered in fluffy, sweet cream. Her nipples tightened and her pussy gave a squeeze in anticipation of a sweet feast.
Neve looked up at her and smiled. “I know what you’re thinking, and you’re dead on.” She looked back toward the sales area, paused, then slipped away quickly. The lights in the store dimmed and soft music started playing on the overhead speakers. “Hope it’s not too distracting,” Neve said when she returned with a few buttons from her blouse undone. The flash of a lacy bra caught Judy’s attention.
“Have you ever…done anything like this before?” Judy instantly regretted the question. The last thing she wanted was to stir up memories of Neve’s ex-girlfriend. She relaxed, however, when Neve laughed it off.
“Not here, but back in college I had a bit of fun with a few dorm mates.” Neve shook the dispenser and tested the spout, spraying a dollop of cream on her finger. She licked it off and Judy felt her clit throb. “You know the story, finals week and everybody’s punchy. We bought boxes of snack cakes and chocolate syrup, and the next thing you know it’s a three-way buffet.”
The things she’d missed by not going to college. Judy smiled, then gasped when Neve undid the rest of her blouse.
“The ganache should be cooled by now.” Neve crooked her head in invitation. “Let’s try it.”
They piled all their clothes on a step-stool near the walk-in refrigerator. Tiny nubbins on the rubber floor mats poked Neve’s bare feet, but she rather enjoyed the sensation. Completely naked in her bakery kitchen, she felt free from the day’s stress and headaches. Having Judy here, simply luscious without special toppings, definitely made up for the problems they had to deal with earlier.
Neve moved closer and palmed Judy’s breast, rolling the tight nipple between her fingers. She pressed her thighs together as her body reacted, her pussy aching. “Damn it,” she said, “I didn’t think to ask if you had any allergies.” A bite of the wrong thing and they’d end up explaining this to a couple of bemused EMTs.
“I’m good. I’ll eat just about anything,” Judy said. She caressed Neve’s shoulder and seemed to study the dip in her collarbone. The quiet moment led perfectly into a kiss, and the two melded together—curves met curves, and the brush of one’s nipple against the other’s sent the electricity zinging between them. Another minute of that and Neve thought she might buckle.
Her hand slid down to cup Judy’s firm, bare ass, then around to her pussy. The young woman was already wet. Neve hooked two fingers into her and rubbed, causing Judy to whine. Neve continued to kiss her, and trailed her lips down Judy’s jawline to her neck, tasting as much skin as possible. Each nip and lick left her hungry for more.
“Here.” She guided Judy to lean over the huge table with her legs spread apart. This gave Neve a lovely rear view of her smooth, swollen pussy lips. She stroked them and licked Judy’s wetness from her fingers. The salty taste would have perfectly matched a caramel topping, but Neve wanted something more decadent. She grabbed the whipped cream dispenser and sprayed a line down the crack of Judy’s ass.
Judy twitched. “Ooh, that’s…interesting.”
Just you wait. Neve knelt to lap up the sweet stuff from bottom to top. Judy moaned in response, more so when Neve parted her cheeks and spritzed a white star on Judy’s puckered pink hole. Neve rimmed her ass long after she’d licked away the cream, all the while rubbing Judy’s clit. She kept fast to her pleasure despite Judy’s quivering.
“God, I could come right now,” she cried out.
Neve leaned back. “Not yet. Turn around and sit.” Neve straightened and slapped the tabletop, then dipped two fingers into the ganache. The chocolate was still warm but not scalding. Neve liked the silky texture and couldn’t wait to try it.
Judy perched on the edge of the heavy table with her thighs spread to display her pussy. Her inner labia glistened and Neve could see her swollen clit poking out from its hood. One touch might send Judy to the moon.
Carefully, Neve smeared chocolate over Judy’s mound, leaving a tiny sweet dot for her nub. Judy hissed in a breath but seemed to hold up well. “Too hot?” Neve asked. Judy shook her head and bit her lip. With a smile, Neve l
owered herself.
“Mmmm…” The combination of Judy’s unique flavor and the chocolate proved a winner. Neve sucked every sweet speck from her pussy and tongued her wet opening to pick up on other tastes. She saved the clit for last, laving it softly while Judy writhed above her. Chocolate ganache from her fingers marked Judy’s thigh as she gripped for balance.
“C-coming,” Judy warned, but Neve stayed close when the tremors took over her lover’s body. Judy cried out her orgasm and Neve kissed her throbbing nether lips and the fleshy softness of her thighs.
She stood and Judy grabbed her for a deep kiss, swirling chocolate and passion between them. If she could capture that in a recipe, Neve would keep it to herself for a regular indulgence.
“Please,” Judy begged. “Let me…”
Neve laughed and dipped into the bowl again. She topped her hardened nipples with the ganache and thrust her chest forward for Judy to sample. The move brought forth a guttural laugh as Judy cupped the underside of one breast to lick. Rather than devour her, though, Judy sought to tease. The tip of her tongue traced the edge of the fleshy chocolate kiss, leaving behind a small trail of goose bumps. Her lips lingered over the nipple as she swiped up the dark-brown icing. Judy repeated the action with the other breast, only that time bit the hardened bud.
Neve squealed at that. “What would you like to try next?” she asked. “Still some whipped cream left.” She pointed the dispenser’s nozzle at her pussy.
“There’s a thought, but…” Judy braced the heels of her hands against the table. “How sturdy is this? Will it hold both of us?”
When Neve nodded, Judy scooted back and lay across the cold steel. “Put on some chocolate,” she said. “You know where.”
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