“We’re not in a relationship or anything. I’ve not promised him a thing.”
“So? Just live a little. There doesn’t have to be anything more. That’s the point, Syd. Just have a taste of something a little different. I did.”
“No, you broke up with your childhood sweetheart, and have spent the last few years fucking everything in sight.”
“I saw him screwing my best friend at the time, and he knocked her up.”
“I didn’t say it was wrong. Maybe you need to start learning to trust people a little more. Put yourself out there for more than a quick tumble.”
“Fuck.”
“What?”
“A quick fuck. A tumble makes it sound like I’m screwing with a farmer.”
Rolling her eyes, Sydney chuckled. “You’re unbelievable, you know that right?”
“Of course. You love me anyway. I’m your dear old sister.”
“Whatever. I’ve got to go.” Sydney crossed the road, rushing over so she didn’t get run down by a car.
“Enjoy and I’ll chat soon. I won’t be around the rest of the weekend. I’m going out dancing with David.”
“The bouncer from last night?”
“Yep, and I can’t wait to test out his strength. I wonder if he’s as strong as he looks. I hope so.”
“Bye.” She disconnected the call, turning toward the door when Ben came out. “Hey, Ben,” she said.
“Hey, Tricia’s inside with a recipe for you to try.”
“Really?” Tricia was the owner of the artisan food store but left all the baking ideas to Sydney, not that she minded.
“I think a customer wants it for her basket.”
“Okay. Thanks for the heads-up.”
“No problem. Did you have a good Friday night?”
Ben was a wonderful man, sweet, and he’d asked her out a few times. She kept refusing. One of the things she and Dawn had in common was never mixing business and pleasure.
Sydney dealt with the problem with Tricia and started making the three different kinds of chocolate cake. While the cakes were baking, she downloaded the multiple hamper orders, and started to assemble them. They were busy, and she had to keep stopping to serve customers. She loved working in the artisan food store. Her love of food had drawn her to the work. She’d studied baking in college, and Tricia appreciated her and paid her well.
Sydney wasn’t suffering, and the shop was doing better than ever with their internet orders.
Once the cakes had finished cooling, she frosted them before calling Tricia over to taste.
“This is the recipe you sent, this is my version, and a version I found from a cookbook,” Sydney said, wiping the chocolate buttercream frosting from her fingers.
Tricia took a fork and started to taste them. This was the part that always made Sydney nervous.
Looking up from the cakes, she froze. Jason was coming through the door. Her heart started to pound as she watched him. She was no longer in a sexy little dress, but her normal work clothes.
“Hello,” he said.
He was even better looking than she recalled the night before. In the night he was sexy, but right now, he was fucking handsome.
Language, Sydney.
“Hi,” she said.
“So I thought I’d stop off for some cake and a coffee.”
“Um,” Tricia said. “This one is so much better. You’re a dream, Sydney. I’ll call Mrs. Roberto immediately and ask her to come for a taste.”
“Can I take a break?”
“Honey, you can take the rest of the day off. This was the only order I needed you to complete. Once we’re done with the tasting you can bake and prepare the hamper on Monday.”
This was what she loved about Tricia. She was a great boss, and knew when to reward her staff. Removing her apron, Sydney grabbed her bag from the back of the room to join Jason.
“I’m a lucky guy,” he said.
She smiled.
What else was she to say?
Chapter Four
Jason ordered two coffees and a piece of chocolate cake.
“Did you bake this?” he asked, once they took their seat.
Sydney looked nervous, and he noticed her hands shook a little. “Yes. I bake all the cakes for the shop.”
“Do I make you nervous?” he asked.
“No.” She laughed. “I didn’t think you were going to come.”
“Why?”
“The cold light of day changing your mind, maybe?”
“No, nothing was changing my mind. To be honest I didn’t know if I should come or not.”
“Why?”
“Last night was amazing. I didn’t know if you’d want to see me again.”
“I do.” She looked out of the window, her cheeks heating.
“What?”
“My sister knows your, erm, your boss’s videos.” She slapped a hand over her mouth. “See, I just shouldn’t talk.”
He laughed, but his heart was pounding. “Are you close to your sister?”
“Yes.”
“Do you live together?”
“No. She stayed at my place last night. She was too wasted to return home. I’m the middle ground for her. I’d rather put her up than worry about her heading home,” she said.
“Have you ever seen my boss’s videos?” he asked, hating himself for lying.
“That kind of thing isn’t mine. I don’t like it.”
He perked up. “You’ve never watched it?”
“I’ve watched it, but I don’t see the attraction. I mean, there’s no intimacy or anything between the couples. They’re just a bunch of scenes, the dirtier the better. I’m not into that kind of thing.” She picked up her coffee, taking a sip. “Is that what it’s really like?”
“What do you mean?”
“You work with that guy. Your boss. You must see some things?” she asked.
“You want to know what it’s like on an adult set?”
“Yeah, I mean, no.” She frowned staring down into her cup.
“I tell you what. We’ll drink this, and then go back to my place and I’ll tell you all about it?” he asked, finding her completely charming.
“You want me to come back to your place?”
“Yes. I’ll make us some dinner, and we’ll have privacy to discuss whatever you want.”
“I don’t know. I don’t know you.”
He threw his head back again. “You’re utterly charming.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Yes.”
There was nothing about Bone Harder in his apartment. He had a collection of the DVDs that he was involved in, but they were locked in the bottom of his wardrobe, and he didn’t need to worry about her snooping around.
“My sister says I should try something different. I guess I’ll come back with you, and we can talk. Do you know how to cook?”
“I make a mean mac‘n’cheese.”
“A man after my own heart. It’s a date or whatever you want to call it.”
“I’m happy to call it a date.” This was the first time in ten years when he’d been out with a woman without the charged undertone of his career. Yes, they were talking about porn, but it wasn’t the entire route of their conversation. He didn’t want to lose what they had together.
Cutting into the cake, he took a large bite, moaning as the chocolate melted in his mouth.
“Oh, my, that cake is to die for.” Some of the chocolate frosting was on his thumb, and he sucked it off.
“You like it?”
“This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted.” He moaned with each bite he took. “Sorry, you really need to have a bite.” Jason cut into the cake and offered her up a slice. “Open up.”
She opened her lips, taking the cake inside.
He couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to sink his cock into her mouth, and watch her suck him off. His cock began to pulse with fresh arousal simply by imagining her. Fuck, he wanted her.
It had been years since he’d known this kind of arousal.