She slid the cup over to him, her eyes bright, smiling. “So what play are you doing again?”
He cleared his throat and forced his mind away from lewd thoughts. “Much Ado About Nothing.”
“Oh yes, I remember. I love that one.”
His eyebrows rose of their own accord. For some reason, he hadn’t expected her to be a lover of Shakespeare. His heart lifted. “Have you read it?”
She waved a hand and laughed. “God, no. I’m useless with literature. But I saw the movie.”
Disappointment flooded him. He couldn’t help it—he knew it was snobbish to look down on people who were less educated than himself, but her attitude took the shine off her attraction. Clearly, she wasn’t stupid, but he had a deep and abiding love for literature, and he’d find it difficult to love anyone who didn’t feel the same.
She smiled, but the moment was spoiled. Ria had gained an honours degree in English literature, and they’d spent hours talking about classic novels, plays, and poetry. He couldn’t imagine being with someone who didn’t share his love.
Elle tipped her head. “You okay?” Her lips curved, and her eyes sparkled.
She liked him, he knew that. At least, he suspected it. If he asked her out, he was fairly certain she’d say yes. But what was the point? Like any of the treats the girls sold in the shop, she would provide instant gratification that would linger only briefly before leaving him with a sense of guilt. He wasn’t ready for another relationship, and even if he was, Elle wouldn’t be his choice. They were completely mismatched, and it wouldn’t be fair to pretend otherwise.
But he was oh, so tempted. Like the ice cream she made, Elle was lush, sensual, and gorgeous, and the notion of taking her in his arms, moulding her body to him, losing himself in her, nearly made him cave.
Elle’s eyes met his, and something passed between them, like static electricity, a spark of attraction that made his breath hitch in his throat. Her pupils dilated, her lips parted, and for a long, long moment, it was as if he saw passed the glassy window of her eyes into her soul. Their connection might not be intellectual, but he felt it on a visceral, erotic level that sent every hair rising across his body. He could almost hear her thoughts. Taste me, take me, tempt me…
Someone scraped a chair across the floor, and it snapped him out of his reverie. What the hell was he doing, today of all days?
He picked up his coffee. “Sorry, I’m not quite with it. It’s Ria’s anniversary. She died two years ago today.”
Elle’s mouth turned into an O of shock, and her eyes filled with sadness. “Oh Stuart, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.”
He smiled. “It’s okay. Why would you?”
She reached out a hand and rested it on his. “What are you doing today? You shouldn’t be alone.”
Her hand symbolized everything she offered—love, warmth, and life. He wanted to snatch it up, pull her into his arms, wrap himself in the joy of being alive.
But he couldn’t, not today. He moved back, and she let her hand drop. “I have a lot to do,” he lied. “I’d best get going.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but he was already walking out.
Burying one hand in his pocket, he let the hot coffee warm the other. There was no point in entertaining thoughts of Elle Baker. Once she found out his secret, she wouldn’t be interested anyway, and he’d only make a fool of himself. He was doomed to be alone, to be denied the physical pleasures of life. He just had to come to terms with it.
He strode off down the waterfront, and put Elle’s warm touch out of his mind.
#
Read the rest of Elle’s story in A Rare Treat (Treats to Tempt You Book 3), available from Amazon
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Books 1 to 5 are now also available in a bundle.
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Author’s Note
Thank you for reading this book! I so hope you enjoyed the story. If you did enjoy it, I would be very grateful for a review – even a short one. Reviews are essential for encouraging other people to buy the book, and plenty of reviews are sometimes necessary for the author to purchase promotions, so it really helps!
Other Books by Serenity Woods
Treats to Tempt You
Books 1 to 5 (The Treats Quintet) are sexy beach reads focused in Doubtless Bay in the Treats to Tempt You chocolate and coffee shop.
Books 6 to 10 (The Between Quintet) move the action to the beautiful Bay of Islands. Set around a cocktail bar called Between the Sheets, the stories follow a new group of characters but frequently feature the guys and gals from the Treats Quintet.
Book 1: Treat with Caution – buy from Amazon
Book 2: Treat her Right – buy from Amazon
Book 3: A Rare Treat – buy from Amazon
Book 4: Trick or Treat – buy from Amazon
Book 5: A Festive Treat – buy from Amazon
Book 5.5: No Way to Treat a Lady (Taster) – buy from Amazon
Book 6: A Secret Between Friends – buy from Amazon
Book 6.5: A Taste of Things to Come (Taster) – buy from Amazon
Book 7: An Ocean Between Us – buy from Amazon
You can also buy Treats 1 – 5 (The Treats Quintet) in a bundle!
BUY FROM AMAZON
Other Books by Serenity Woods
His Christmas Present
Remember Me
Stranded with a Scotsman
Written in the Stars
Samhain Publishing
The Love in Reverse series
Seven Sexy Sins
Six Naughty Nights
Five Exotic Fantasies
The Sensual Healing series
An Uncommon Sense
Making Sense
Talking Sense
White-Hot Christmas
Something Blue
(also in Come Rain or Come Shine anthology)
Escape Publishing
Summer Fling
One Hot Winter’s Night
Lyrical Press
The Seven Sisters series
Sweet as Honey
Daisy Chains
Santa’s Secret
Whistling Dixie
Mr. Insatiable
Entangled Publishing
(writing as Faye Robertson)
Kiss & Make Up
Holly’s First Noel
Bloodlust
About the Author
Official Bio
Serenity Woods lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes hot and sultry contemporary romances with a happy ever after, and is a member of the Romance Writers of New Zealand. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies.
Unofficial Chat
Thank you so much for buying and reading this book. I so hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it! The beautiful Northland of New Zealand takes some beating as a setting for a romance, which is why a good proportion of my novels are set up here. Sexy stories fit so well with a hot and steamy climate! You can check out all my books at your favorite retailer, or on my website below. If you’re interested, I also write epic fantasy as Freya Robertson, and the first in The Elemental Wars series, Heartwood, won the 2014 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel. You can check out more about Freya on Serenity’s website here.
Website: http://www.serenitywoodsromance.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/serenitywoodsromance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Serenity_Woods
ookFrom.Net
Treat her Right: A New Zealand Sexy Beach Romance (Treats to Tempt You Book 2) Page 22