I always timed my runs perfectly. On a day that wasn’t overcast, I could see the sunrise as I neared the top of the hill. I glanced at my watch. Seven-thirty-six! Right on time, I thought as I reached the top of the hill and saw the first brilliant rays of the sun’s eggy yellows, bright oranges, and dusky reds intermingled to make the glorious vision before me.
Just as I rounded the corner, only steps away from French Toast, I felt Bear’s excited jerk on his chain. He loved French Toast as much as I did. My baby wasn’t allowed inside of the coffee shop, although the owner Tiffani Cuttage loved him almost as much as I did. After all, Bear was a puppy I had claimed from her when her dog, Bella had her first litter.
So, Bear knew that our daily visit to French Toast would yield him an apple streusel. He always got excited, and I always had to gather his leash around my wrist to maintain control over him. At five-feet, three-inches and ninety-nine pounds, I’m not a big woman. But my two-year-old, one-hundred-eleven-pound Rottweiler outweighed me by twelve pounds.
I know people worried that I couldn’t control him when they saw me with Bear, but they were wrong. He was a sweet puppy that obeyed my every command. Gentle and docile was his nature when he came into contact with others, even when he was highly excitable. At least, that sentiment held true in most occasions, except this one.
I watched in horror as I jerked on Bear’s leash, and he refused to calm down.
A well-built African American male had just walked out of French Toast with a couple of bulky white bags in one hand and the blue signature Styrofoam cup with beans pouring into a coffee mug embossed on the front.
Bear barked excitedly, jumping up on the male, who caught off guard stumbled backward slightly. Fortunately, for us, he didn’t lose his footing, but he did drop his white bags and the coffee that spilled on his navy-blue suit.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized as I tried to jerk Bear back once more. I was a bit too late for that, as he dived in and began eating the man’s apple streusels. Bear was demolishing the streusels in one bag, and selfishly pawing the streusels of the other bag.
While the man rubbed furiously at his shirt, trying to blot out the spreading coffee stain, I tried to get my sweet baby under control.
“Here, let me help,” I said after I had jerked Bear to the side and tied his leash tightly around a nearby pole.
“I’m not the one that needs help. You need to get control of that beast. And if you can’t handle him, you shouldn’t be walking around with him!” he grumbled, a scowl masking what I suspected were typically attractive features.
“He’s not a beast, and again I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into him. He’s typically an angel and easy to handle. But...those are his favorite treats,” I said, pointing to the pastries Bear had just about polished off.
Nothing more than a grumble deep in his throat did he offer up.
“I’ll go and buy you more to replace those and a new coffee,” I offered.
“Can you buy me more time? Huh? Because that’s about the only thing that I need this morning!” His deep voice thundered in the early morning.
I allowed a brief smile to pass over my lips. “Sorry, but that’s one thing I can’t do.”
“Then, it’s whatever.”
“I can get your dry cleaning bill,” I offered.
He stopped dabbing at his suit and threw me a ridiculous look.
“Look, lady. Your dog cost me a damn hour out of my morning. I’m about to be late for a meeting. So, if you can’t fix that, there’s nothing else you can do. But get that beast under control.”
“Again, I apologize,” I said with a slight bow of my head. “Please, let me at least replace your pastries and coffee. It’s the least I could do,” I repeated.
He shook his head furiously. “I don’t have time for this,” he muttered as he brushed past me, heading down the hill.
I spared a glance at Bear and shook my head. I made my way to where he sat, happily licking his chops. “That was not good, Bear. You can’t attack strangers and steal their breakfast,” I chastised.
My sweet baby looked at me with a beatific look on his face, as though all were right in the world. I guess for him it was.
I sighed and pushed up from my kneeling position and headed into the coffee shop.
“Silver!” Tiffani called out from behind the counter, where she was sliding the card of a current customer.
Tiffani Bush, the owner of French Toast, had jet black hair cut into a bob with bright red bangs. She sparkled with jewelry; her left ear covered in piercings, and one in her lip, and two in her nose. She had a tattoo sleeve on her right arm, and she had a single tattoo of a beautiful purple dove on the right side of her neck. Although eccentric, Tiffani was a sweetheart, and everyone loved her.
“Hi, Tiff,” I greeted with a wan smile.
“I saw that. I’m sorry, are you okay?”
I glanced over my shoulder, worriedly at Bear. “I’m fine, but I don’t know what got into Bear.”
She chuckled as I stepped to the counter. I didn’t have to give her my order; it was the same every morning. I watched as she poured my coffee and called out my request for an egg white sandwich to Jeffrey, her assistant, who was prepping food in the back.
“You know how he loves those apple streusels. The funny thing is, when the man ordered them, I thought about Bear. And I knew it was time for you to make an appearance. I can almost set my clock by you,” she said, with a smile and a glance at the clock.
“Yeah, well, you have customers walking out of here with those treats all the time, and he doesn’t attack them. It’s not good for business, Tiff. I’m sorry,” I said as I shook my head again and glanced out the large glass window at Bear once more.
Tiffani waved a hand at me. “Girl, please. The way that man got bent out of shape, he’s probably an ass anyway. If he had just come back in here, I would’ve replaced them free of charge. He deserved somebody to shake up his day,” she said with a twinkle in her eye and a hint of a smile on her lips as she handed my cup of coffee to me.
I pulled my credit card from my fanny pack, but she waved it off as I extended my hand towards her.
“No. This morning, you need a good deed. This morning’s meal is on me,” Tiffani said with a wink as she headed to the rear to pick up my order.
I glanced around the coffee shop. There was always a slight lull in business around this time of the morning. Tiffani’s shop was bustling from five to shortly after seven. Then patrons slowed up until eight when business picked up again.
I took note of a businessman who glanced away as soon as I looked at him. I was sure he saw what happened to me, and probably heard, too, because the man’s deep voice was loud. There was a small group of teens sitting near the rear who appeared preoccupied with their phones. Close to the window was a young couple, appearing to study. But unless the subject was anatomy, I wasn’t sure how much studying they were accomplishing. Books wide open on their table, they were attached at the lips.
“Here ya, go,” Tiffani said as she handed me two separate bags. One held my sandwich and the other Bear’s usual morning treat.
“Tiff, he’s already had like four. He doesn’t need another one,” I said as I shoved the bag back in her direction.
“Silver, give this to that baby. He hasn’t done anything wrong. He can’t help if he loves my treats. All the boys do,” she said with a naughty wink as I shook my head and laughed.
“But, he can’t—”
“Just give it to him later,” she said with a wave of her hand. Her attention had already turned from me as she greeted the next patron walking in the store.
“Thanks,” I called over my shoulder as I headed for the door.
I quickly left the coffee shop, knowing I had to get showered and get Bear to daycare before my day could properly begin. Lucky for me, the daycare was across the street from my office building. My meeting was at nine-thirty, and I had less than two hours to get there.
<
br /> I unraveled Bear’s leash, and when his head bobbed up as he sniffed his bag, I gave him a firm “No.”
He hung his head slightly, and I felt somewhat bad for fussing at him, but I had to discipline him.
We jogged the last several hundred feet to my apartment building at the foot of the hill. All thoughts of Bear’s unfortunate victim had flown from my mind as I began to ponder again on what techniques the marketing team could employ to help boost sagging sales.
Other Books by Cassie Verano
SIMPLY SEDUCTIVE SERIES:
Elevated Seduction
Synful Seduction
Privileged Seduction
Enchanted Seduction
SAVANNAH PASSION SERIES:
Greyson: A BWWM Romance
Anton: A BWWM Romance
Rhys: A BWWM Romance
THE SONS OF VICTOR BLACK SERIES:
Explicit: The Sons of Victor Black: A BWWM Romance
Allure: The Sons of Victor Black: An Interracial Romance
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ABOUT CASSIE
Cassie Verano pens romance for readers of all cultures and backgrounds. Her love of romance is borne from the beauty and joy she sees in the relationships around her. She enjoys creating works of fiction about women discovering true love and women who aren’t afraid to explore their sexuality.
As a professional administrator, she dreamt of the day she could toss her paperwork aside and craft stories that inspired love and romance in the hearts of women around the world. As a wife and mother, she enjoys playing quirky games and singing with her family.
This southern belle is a native Georgia Peach, who enjoys reading, writing, and trying different cuisines from around the world. On rainy days she can be found cuddling under a blanket with a good mystery book in her hands or watching a romance movie on Hallmark or LMN.
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Acknowledgments
To my readers,
I hoped you enjoyed getting to know baby Black, in reading Kent and Madison’s story. Since the writing of Greyson, the first book in the Savannah Passion series, people have been asking if Greyson and Nicole’s siblings were going to get together.
Well, here they are with all their freaky ways. Thank you for taking the time to read it and get to know the last brother in The Sons of Victor Black series.
I hope you enjoyed this book about the Black brothers as much as you did, the first brother, Greyson, in the Savannah Passion series.
Please continue to share your encouraging emails, honest reviews, and thoughtful feedback with me. They help me formulate what I will give you next. And by the way, I’m already working on my next series, Black Coffee.
To my FB group Wicked Ways, Beta readers, and ARCs, you go hard! You’re my tribe, and I wouldn’t trade you for a million!
To my family and friends, I miss you guys so much! Hopefully, the world will return to normal soon, and we can visit again! Kare Bear, Sabalé, and Deeds, thanks for always encouraging me, ladies. You three keep the smiles and laughter going. I truly miss being with you, my cutup buddies. Love ya, forever!
To my King, thank you for that steady hand that always pushes, that encouraging word that always lifts, and that love that just won’t quit. You’re my baby love, Prof!
Smooth: The Sons of Victor Black: A BWWM Romance Page 23