Pure Indulgence

He felt his chest expand a few inches beneath his dress shirt, and noticed just how close her glossy lips were. If he lowered his head and moved forward a few inches, he’d have the chance to see if she tasted as good as she looked.

His stomach muscles clenched, and he forced himself to glance away from the temptation of her mouth. He released a taut breath. Oh, man, he was craving her a lot more than the scrumptious confection on his plate—though he was fairly certain she wouldn’t appreciate being accosted over the dessert table.

He took another bite of his cake, determined to keep their conversation on track. “You certainly seem to know your desserts.”

“I should.” She fussed with the assortment of candies, rearranging them on the tray just so, then filled an empty plate with a few different chunks of fruit. “I run my own dessert shop.”

“Pure Indulgence?” he guessed.

She stopped stirring the Pink Squirrel fondue, and her gaze jerked to his in startled surprise. “You’ve been there?”

“No, it’s on your name tag.” He grinned and pointed his fork at the pin secured on her blouse above her left breast. “As is your name, Kayla.” Even her name had a soft, seductive ring to it.

“My name tag…of course.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head, as if she couldn’t believe she’d forgotten the badge that identified her. She poured a small amount of Caramel Kahlúa fondue over the bananas she’d selected for him, and drizzled the squirrel sauce over the strawberries. “Since I don’t have the advantage of you wearing a name tag, care to share?”

“Jack Tremaine.” She didn’t seem to connect his last name to his five-star restaurant, which was more than fine with him for the moment. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Deliberately, he stretched his hand toward her, giving her little choice but to accept it.

She slipped her warm palm against his much larger one, and he closed his fingers around her slender hand. “It’s nice meeting you, too,” she said, sounding breathless.

His heartbeat quickened. The sprinkling of gold in her eyes had darkened in awareness, and she dampened her bottom lip with her tongue. There was no denying the chemistry and latent desire that rippled between them, and it was damn nice to know that his interest was reciprocated. He glided his fingers along the soft skin of her wrist, and wished they were alone instead of in a banquet room with two hundred other people.

“Miss,” a woman said, diverting Kayla’s attention to the other end of the table where an elderly lady was pointing at the small, cut up squares that looked similar to brownies. “What’s in these Snicker Brownie Bars?”

Kayla pulled her hand back, and he let her go. “Excuse me while I help this guest,” she said to him, seemingly reluctant to abandon his end of the table. She exchanged his finished cake with the plate she’d just prepared for him. “Here, give this fruit and fondue a try. I think you’ll like it.”

Not ready to leave her just yet, Jack remained where he was and sampled the fruit and different sauces while listening to Kayla as she listed the ingredients of the brownie bars and swayed the older woman to try a small piece.

Absently, his gaze skimmed the table of sweets as he bit into a juicy strawberry topped with the marshmallow cream dip. He’d only sampled a few items so far. Still, he was highly impressed with the wide variety she offered that would please even the most discriminating palate. He was equally swayed by the fact that she’d obviously made the desserts herself.

He popped a sliced banana into his mouth and chewed. As the rich flavor of the Caramel Kahlúa sauce tempted his taste buds, he couldn’t help but wonder if the standard desserts he served at Tremaine’s Downtown were too ordinary in comparison. It had taken him and his chef years to perfect the main courses and side dishes that blended French cuisine with seafood fare. There was no doubt they had helped to garner a five-star recommendation for his establishment and rave reviews, yet he’d never given much thought to the desserts he’d initially chosen when the restaurant first opened years ago.

Now, he did. Just as he’d spent the time and care refining and improving the entrées at Tremaine’s Downtown to a high standard of excellence, maybe it was time to revamp and spruce up the dessert menu, as well. It would be a way to make sure that the final course of the meal lived up to the whole Tremaine’s Downtown experience.

“So, what do you think of the fondue?” Kayla was back, her expression expectant as she waited anxiously for his answer. “The Pink Squirrel especially?”

“Incredible,” he stated with honest enthusiasm, and licked a smear of Caramel Kahlúa from his thumb. “All of it, and especially the pink squirrel.”

“See, you aren’t a wuss at all,” she teased as her dancing eyes drifted to a spot just below his lower lip. “But you do have a bit of the sauce right below your mouth.”

He swiped at his chin with the back of his hand. “Did I get it?”

“Ahh, no…” Tentatively, she reached out and removed the sticky substance in a slow caress of her thumb. If it were just the two of them, he would have grabbed her wrist and sucked the sweetness right off her finger, and nibbled and tasted his way up her arm from there.

“See?” She showed him the smear of white froth, a smile in her eyes and on her lips. “That’s why only the adventurous should attempt to eat the Pink Squirrel fondue. It can be quite messy.”

“Maybe next time you’ll just have to feed it to me so I can avoid the mess.” That adorable blush swept across her cheeks again, and he had to stifle an amused laugh. “So, tell me, do you make all these desserts, cakes and candies from scratch?”

She grabbed a napkin to wipe her sticky finger and nodded. “Using only the finest, freshest ingredients, of course.”

Judging by the tastes he’d encountered, he didn’t doubt that in the least, which made his interest in her twofold. “And where is your shop located?”

“Seaport Village,” she said, naming one of San Diego’s biggest and most popular landmarks for tourist shopping. “Pure Indulgence has been there for about six months now.”

Finished with his fruit and fondue, he handed her the empty plate, which she put in the plastic bin of dirty dishes behind her. “Have you ever heard of Tremaine’s Downtown?”

“Of course I have. You can’t live in San Diego and not have heard of the restaurant, though I’ve never been there myself.” She refilled the fork and napkin holders, keeping busy as she talked. “But if you’re looking for a recommendation, I hear the food and service there are outstanding.”

He pushed his hands into the front pockets of his trousers. “So I’ve been told a time or two.”

She blinked at him, momentarily confused by his comment, then understanding dawned. “Ohmigosh, Tremaine’s Downtown is your restaurant?”

“Yep. And I was thinking, after trying your desserts and seeing that there’s more out there than chocolate mousse and plain cheesecake, it’s time I update my dessert menu. Make it more exotic and different, rather than just offering the same old thing that everyone else does.”

“Updating is always a good thing,” she agreed. “As is offering your dining customers something different and unique to your restaurant alone.”

“Exactly,” he said, pleased that she concurred with his way of thinking. “Do you accept custom orders? Such as creating one-of-a-kind desserts that could be exclusive to Tremaine’s Downtown alone?”

Her eyes widened, and she placed a hand on her chest. “You want me to design your desserts?”

Her tone was incredulous, her expression so awed that he wanted to laugh, but instead he nodded seriously. “Yes, I do.”

“Oh, wow,” she breathed in amazement. “I’ve never had anyone ask for an exclusivity agreement before, but in this case, it can certainly be arranged.”

“Excellent.” That’s precisely what he wanted to hear, and he experienced a rush of anticipation over the thought of giving his dessert menu an overhaul, especially with his new restaurant, Tremaine’s Uptown, being built within the next year. And it didn’t hurt that he’d be in close contact with Kayla and could get to know her better. “Do you have a business card with you?”

“Actually I do.” Withdrawing a card from her pocket, she handed it to him from across the table. “I never leave home without them.”

Another brush of their fingers sent a surge of awareness rippling between them. He caught the flash of heat and desire in her dark gaze, and felt the intimate connection that teased them both with an abundance of possibilities. It was an attraction he intended to pursue, right along with sampling more of her decadent desserts.

“This is great, Kayla Thomas.” He tucked the business card into his inside coat pocket for safekeeping. “You’ll definitely be hearing from me.”

Their eyes met and held, her mouth curving into that soft, sensual smile of hers that too easily wreaked havoc on his libido. “I’m looking forward to it,” she said, her voice husky.

“Jack, darling, there you are!”

Jack stiffened at the high-pitched, overly possessive sound of his date’s voice interrupting his too-short interlude with Kayla. Reality intruded with an unpleasant jolt, and he reluctantly turned to find Gretta Ward fast approaching on her stiletto heels. The other woman eyed Kayla with disdain before she came up to Jack’s side, hooked her arm through the crook of his elbow, and pressed her silicone-enhanced breasts and lithe, slender body against his.

His gut clenched hard as he watched the hopeful smile fade from Kayla’s lips. Disappointment etched her features, and he knew she’d come to the conclusion that Gretta was his girlfriend and everything that had transpired between them had been a flirtatious farce. She likely thought he’d been toying with her like some kind of insensitive jerk. Of course that was far from the truth, but there was no way to explain the situation without making a bigger mess of things.

Gretta pouted up at him, her sulky expression adding to the dramatic display. “I’ve been looking for you for the past fifteen minutes.”

She scolded him in a way that made him feel like a small child, which grated on his nerves, as did most of Gretta’s antics. Over the years, he’d gotten into the habit of dating convenient women, and he didn’t realize how much they bored and disgusted him, until now.

Very calmly, he replied. “You disappeared off to the ladies’ room, and while you were gone I thought I’d try out the desserts.”

Gretta wrinkled her nose at the assortment of cakes, candies and other treats, then brazenly slipped her hand inside his coat and smoothed her palm over his chest in a blatant display of ownership. “I’m the only sweet thing you need, darling.”

He inwardly cringed and tried to disengage her from his arm to give himself breathing room. Like a leech, she refused to let go. “The fruit and fondue are great. You ought to give it a try.”

“I’ll pass.” Gretta slanted a quick, assessing glance toward Kayla. “I work hard at keeping my figure in shape, and that means watching what I eat.”

While Gretta’s tone was casual, her words sounded too much like a deliberate slur against Kayla’s softer, fuller curves. And judging by the quick flash of pain he saw in Kayla’s eyes, followed closely by her physical withdrawal, he knew Gretta’s comment had struck a vulnerable nerve.

“Besides,” Gretta went on, dismissing Kayla in favor of returning her attention to Jack, “you know I don’t eat anything made from refined sugar and that fondue is no doubt filled with sugar and carbohydrates.”

No, he didn’t know that about her, and her attempt at familiarity in front of Kayla annoyed him. Though by the calculating look in Gretta’s eyes, she’d probably watched them from afar and was purposefully goading Kayla while staking her claim on him.

Of which she had none, he thought irritably.

After three dates with Gretta, and especially after tonight, it was becoming increasingly obvious that it was time to sever their relationship before she entrenched herself any deeper into his life. Each of the three times they’d been together, she grew more smothering, more demanding, and now, too damned possessive. The signs were ones he recognized too well—like many that had come before Gretta, she had designs on becoming Mrs. Jack Tremaine.

Not likely. She was far from what he considered wife material, which made him look at Kayla in a whole new light.

The contrast between the two women was glaring. While Gretta was outwardly beautiful and sophisticated with an amazing body compliments of plastic surgery, she lacked the warmth and genuine goodness that Kayla exuded so effortlessly, so naturally. And those traits were beginning to matter to him, in ways he was more than ready to open himself up to. With the right woman.

A man and his wife came up to the table, and Kayla quietly excused herself to help the couple choose their desserts. But not before he saw the regret glimmering in her eyes.

He felt like the world’s biggest heel.

He wanted to call her back, apologize for Gretta’s rude comments, and explain that his interest in her was real. But there was nothing left to say to Kayla…not until he ended things with Gretta.

Which couldn’t be soon enough for him.

2

“SO, HOW DID your catered event go tonight?”

“Not bad.” Tucking the cordless phone between her neck and ear, Kayla settled against the pillows propped against the headboard of her bed, glad to hear her sister’s encouraging voice after her busy, exhausting evening. “Better than expected, actually.” If you don’t count what an absolute fool I made of myself over the gorgeous, sexy Jack Tremaine.

She cringed at the embarrassing memory, still unable to believe that she’d read all the signals between them so inaccurately. She’d thought, hoped, that the attraction was mutual, that the interest she’d glimpsed in the depths of his devastatingly blue eyes had been real.

Obviously, she’d only imagined what she wanted to be real—for her to be the focus of a good-looking man’s attentions, and for him to look deeper than at surface appearances.

The truth of the matter was, she wasn’t head-turningly gorgeous or sophisticated, and she never would be. That wasn’t who she was, as she’d learned the hard way in her previous relationship.

Doug had been a good-looking man she’d met after struggling to shed those stubborn twenty pounds that always seemed to hang on to her hips and thighs. They’d dated for a year, and she’d thought he might be “the one”, until she’d gradually started gaining the weight back. Then, she’d seen a very judgmental side to the man she’d thought she’d known so well. That side had reinforced every negative comment her mother had ever made about her less-than-perfect body. Doug had issued her an ultimatum that had struck right where she was the most vulnerable—get skinny again, or get dumped.

Knowing she was destined to be curvaceous, and refusing to change for any man ever again, she’d ended the relationship. It had taken her months to come to terms with the fact that she’d never be svelte and slender like her sister, to believe in herself and accept her full curves and ordinary, but pretty features. She only had relapses when someone or something dredged up the insecurities she’d lived with most of her life.

And Jack Tremaine’s date had managed to do that exceptionally well.

“Did you dazzle the Chamber of Commerce members with your awesome desserts?” Jillian asked, pulling her back from her unpleasant memories.

“I had no complaints.” And that was enough for Kayla to consider the evening a victory. “A few chamber members took my business card for future events, so, all in all, it was great exposure.” Though it remained to be seen if any of them actually followed up on their promises to contact her—especially Jack Tremaine.

“Here comes the million-dollar question. Did you meet any good-looking businessmen this evening?” Jillian’s tone was low and teasing.

Kayla’s cheeks flushed at the one man in particular who loomed larger than life in her mind, and she closed her eyes to bring him into better focus. Too easily, she conjured up seductive blue eyes that set her pulse fluttering, pitch-black hair cut into a short, executive style that accentuated his chiseled features, and big hands with long, tapered fingers designed to bring a woman’s body immense pleasure. Then there was that sexy, lean frame of his that filled out his charcoal suit as if it had been custom made for him—and no doubt probably had.

She bit her bottom lip and pressed a hand to the butterflies taking flight in her stomach, debating whether or not to share her secret with Jillian. She was dying to confide in someone about Jack Tremaine, and Jillian was not only her sister, but one of her best friends.

“Okay, so I did meet a guy,” Kayla said on a rush of breath. “And I have to confess that he looked more scrumptious than that triple fudge Bavarian torte you were eating earlier today.”

“Whoa!” Jillian’s breezy laughter drifted over the phone line. “I didn’t think anything topped that dessert!”

Kayla giggled, too, and added naughtily, “I wanted to top him with the dessert and eat him up, bite by delicious bite.”

“You are so bad,” Jillian scolded lightly, though she was enjoying their playful banter just as much. “Is he single and available?”

Her little fantasy of having Jack Tremaine covered in her richest, most mouthwatering torte came to a screeching halt. “Unfortunately, no. After he spent a good fifteen minutes flirting with me, this svelte young woman on stiletto heels came along, hooked her arm possessively through his and glared at me. I think if I’d dared to touch him, she’d have clawed my eyes out.”

Kayla still found it hard to believe she’d misjudged Jack Tremaine so badly, that she’d let his charming words suck her in. The other woman hadn’t seemed at all his type intellectually, neither had her cool personality. But then again, his lady friend had the kind of Barbie-doll shape that turned a man’s head. And sometimes men found outward beauty more attractive than brains.

“What can I say,” she said, striving for a flippant tone that she didn’t completely feel. “Some girls have all the luck, and the figure to go with it.”

“Kayla…” Jillian said softly.

“I’m okay. Really,” she assured her sister, and directed their conversation back to business. “The guy I met is Jack Tremaine, who owns Tremaine’s Downtown. He said he was interested in revamping his dessert menu and took my business card, but it remains to be seen if he’ll actually call.”

“Wow, Kayla, that would be quite a name to add to your résumé.”

“Tell me about it,” she said wryly, and gave her sister the details of her conversation with Jack. Then she brought their call to an end with a promise to meet her for lunch later in the week.

Once Kayla hung up the phone, she tried to fall asleep. It was late and she was exhausted, yet peaceful slumber eluded her. She tossed and turned restlessly as Jack Tremaine starred in her most erotic fantasies, and her silk and lace chemise slid arousingly across her breasts, her stomach, and thighs.

With a low groan of frustration, she got up, grabbed her matching robe, and slipped into the silky garment. Some women went gaga over purses or shoes, but pretty lingerie was Kayla’s one weakness over chocolate. And because she wore plain, loose clothing in public that didn’t draw any attention to her body, in private she indulged that sensual, feminine side of herself freely and without guilt.

She padded barefoot into the kitchen and was greeted by her orange tabby-cat, Pumpkin, who’d appeared on her doorstep last Halloween as a stray and had made Kayla’s home her own since then.

Bending down, she scratched Pumpkin behind her ears, which triggered an automatic rumbling sound deep in the cat’s throat. “Hi, purry-bug,” Kayla murmured affectionately. “Are you looking for a late-night snack, too?”

“Mrroww,” the cat replied.

“I thought so.” Smiling, Kayla gave the tabby a few cat treats, then poured herself a glass of milk. She set a few of the espresso butter cream candies she’d brought home with her on a plate. She hadn’t had a chance to sample them earlier because of her busy schedule getting the desserts ready for the Chamber of Commerce dinner.

Sitting at the small dining table, she took a bite of her newest aphrodisiac creation, and the combined ingredients of espresso, caramel and rich, smooth white chocolate literally melted in her mouth. Amazingly, there was no odd aftertaste of the aphrodisiac powder that she’d purchased on a whim from a new-age Web site that catered to the mystical and magical. The all-natural stimulant was said to increase and enhance a person’s sexual response when consumed, and so far, Kayla found that claim to be true.

After eating three of the Heavenly Kisses candies she knew she had to stop or her body would be feverish with need and her night would be even more agonizing. Already, that familiar tingling sensation was spreading through her veins, making her feel warm all over. Her breasts grew heavy and sensitive, her nipples hardened, and a slow, steady ache spiraled low.

She took a big gulp of cold milk, but knew from previous samplings that it was too late to douse her growing desire, the stripping away of her inhibitions, or the slow building need for an orgasm. But beyond her body’s aroused state, she was excited by the possibility that she’d hit upon a unique addition to add to her growing selection of confections. She imagined a whole new line of desserts, all designed to arouse a lover’s passion, and she couldn’t wait to offer such a fun, sexy item on her bakery menu.

Oh, yeah, she thought with a naughty grin, and licked the lingering flavor of caramel and white chocolate from the corner of her mouth. But before she could make that claim, there was other data she needed to analyze, such as how long it took after eating the candies to become stimulated and what different levels of arousal they could create.

At this point, she only had her own physical responses to go by, and it wasn’t enough to come to any kind of solid conclusion. She had to test her candies on an unsuspecting person, someone without any kind of precontrived notions. She needed that tangible proof that her enticing creations ignited a man’s sexual appetite as much as it did hers.

But who to use as a guinea pig for her experiment? One man in particular immediately came to mind, and she wouldn’t have hesitated to use him for her research—if he wasn’t already taken. That left her choices quite limited, and she wasn’t about to use her aphrodisiacs on just anyone.

She sighed. As for tonight, she was on her own to deal with her body’s demands, so she did the only thing she could. She returned to bed and took her fantasies of Jack Tremaine with her.

FIVE DAYS AFTER the Commerce dinner, Jack still couldn’t get Kayla Thomas off his mind, and like a man driven by a deep burning need, he had to see her again. Thoughts of her had consumed him during the day when he should have been concentrating on the proposals and estimates he needed to review and approve for the new restaurant. Those thoughts had followed him right into some pretty intense erotic dreams. Each morning he’d awakened with an aching hard-on, and a cold shower had been a lousy substitute for what he really wanted—the reality of Kayla, soft and warm beneath him.

The image of that provocative fantasy had the fly of his jeans growing uncomfortably tight as he drove toward Seaport Village, reminding him just how long he’d been without a woman.

He’d never slept with Gretta and had ended things with her the night of the dinner, which had resulted in her slamming her door in his face. But her scorn was a small price to pay for his freedom. With new and exciting prospects beckoning to him, he felt more charged and alive than he had in months, possibly years. Tremaine’s Downtown was getting a new dessert menu, and now he was completely free to explore his attraction to Kayla.