Sweeter Than Chocolate: Valentine's Day Anthology

by Gina Kincade

  “Well…despite his looks, he’s a little rough around the edges. A bit primal some might even say. With the motivation you have to offer, he’ll learn to be nice.”

  My neglected sex clenched. My cheeks heated some more, if that was even possible.

  Handing out the card, he pinned me with a stare that was hard and unyielding, but at the same time he was smiling. I wasn’t sure how he managed it. “So what do you say? Seven-thirty?”

  I was about to protest, when Melissa snatched the card from his hand. “Thank you. She’ll consider it.”

  “Great. I’ll tell him to put some clothes on then. Unless you prefer him to be more casual.”

  Melissa giggled. I was dying in a pool of my own sweat.

  He winked. “Enjoy the rest of your shopping, Miss…”

  “Gibson. Keera,” Melissa answered for me. I’m going to kill her. “I’m Melissa.”

  “Nice to meet you both. Hope to see you at my cousin’s tonight, Miss Gibson.” He nodded once, and just like that he left.

  Chapter Three

  Keera

  I didn’t even look at the card even though Melissa had shoved it inside my purse. It didn’t matter that I was a twenty-five-year-old virgin and desperate for a man’s touch. I was a self-respected high school teacher. I couldn’t accept offers such as these.

  No romantic date. No sweeping me off my feet. No happily ever after. Only losing my virginity to a rough guy in exchange for going with him as arm candy to a stranger’s wedding.

  It seemed like my date with vodka would start earlier than Valentine’s Day.

  Outside my windows, the rain trickled. No surprise here. It was Oregon. I turned on the TV, wishing they would say there would be a blizzard to close the roads on the stupid Valentine’s.

  That was evil, I knew. I couldn’t help it. I was a pathetic loser who was staying home alone and getting drunk on Valentine’s Day. I was never going to find someone in time…unless…

  What if I just went to meet the guy, told him to take me out on Valentine’s Day in exchange for the wedding date? It still sounded weird, more like coercion, but it was much better than that proposal Kyle no last name had to offer.

  If his cousin and I clicked and things evolved, fine. If not, I’d at least have my Valentine’s date—for the first time ever—and my dignity.

  I looked at my purse and the card burning a hole in it. Then I checked the address scribbled on the back. Mount Hood? Oh my God. Please tell me he isn’t a savage weirdo who lived in a cabin all by himself. My shoulders slumped, and I flipped the card, dismissing the whole idea. What was I thinking? My eyes fell on the name on the front. Instantly, it stole my attention.

  Kyle Beastly.

  “Beastly? Could his cousin be…? No. Brandon wasn’t rough around the edges. He certainly didn’t fit the description. But the resemblance between Kyle and Brandon was evident. Perhaps it was another cousin.

  The clench between my legs returned. I eyed the card again. It might not be such a bad idea after all. That gene pool was mind blowing. It was worth the sacrifice.

  I glanced at the clock. 5:30 p.m. It meant I only had one hour to get ready. Mount Hood was an hour drive from here. Shit.

  Quickly, I jumped in the shower and shaved my arms, legs and armpits. I opted for a simple black dress and my prettiest coat. Red. Light make-up, some cashmere lipstick and mascara. I left my hair down. It was dark brown, and I’d never dyed it. To keep it from looking too boring, I took the time to poof it up and give it some volume and some waves before I left my house.

  I jumped into my car, escaping the freezing cold and the sudden change of heart. The fact that I was actually doing this...I couldn’t believe it. It was very unlike me.

  It took me a few minutes and several deep breaths to finally enter the address into the GPS and start the car.

  The road was fine until I hit the treacherous, snow-covered hairpin turns to Mount Hood. Riding the brakes too hard and I would careen down them. My heart pounded. It wasn’t just the dangerous terrain that got my blood pumping.

  Gripping the steering wheel, I fought to focus on the narrow path in front of me now that it started to snow. Luckily, the GPS gentleman announced I’d reach my destination in one minute.

  The cabin lights flared on the left. Well, it was more than just a cabin. Two stories covered in stone and marble. A patio big enough to have a cozy party just on it. I squinted through the windshield. Was that a hot tub in the corner?

  Maybe that was not such a bad idea after all.

  I grabbed my purse and ran to the front door before the snow started collecting in my hair, ruining the waves I’d spent fifteen minutes making. I stared at the wood, my finger shaking at the bell. My mind wouldn’t let me touch it, yet the cold urged me to ring the damn thing. I tried to take a deep breath. As the freezing air tightened my chest instead of soothing my nerves, I had no choice but to ring the bell.

  The sound of the door opening almost stopped my heart. And when I saw the face behind the door, my heart did skip a beat.

  Brandon. His name clogged my throat. I just stood there, blinking, my heart now banging my chest.

  “Miss Gibson?” He looked equally shocked. “Are you…?”

  The virgin you’re supposed to fuck? Yes. I didn’t know how I should feel at the moment. Lucky or embarrassed? How was that even possible? Brandon Beastly wasn’t some caveman who couldn’t get a date on his own. Something was off.

  I managed to cock a brow. “Are you…?”

  “Uh…no. No.”

  My breath shivered on my lips. “That’s what I thought.”

  He gestured for me to come in and pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “It’s my brother, Zach.”

  I stepped in, avoiding his eyes. “Okay. I’m a little less ashamed now.” And if Zach—cute name—looked anything like his brother, I’d say my luck had just started to change.

  “Oh, please. There’s nothing to be…ashamed of.”

  A parent, whom I happened to have a gigantic crush on, knowing I was a desperate, lonely virgin? Yeah, that wasn’t humiliating at all.

  “Zach and Kyle are in the living room. May I take your coat?” he asked.

  “Sure.” I unbuttoned it, wondering why Zach wasn’t the one doing all this. Was he being coerced into this meeting? Or was he simply rude?

  Brandon took my coat, his eyes flickering for a moment at my dress. Then he cleared his throat and placed the red thing on the hanger next to the door.

  I was probably too underdressed. He was wearing a cashmere sweater that cost more than my entire outfit, and he wasn’t even the one meeting me. The place was dazzling, and I’d only seen a glimpse of it. The entrance entirely white marble. A glittering rectangular chandelier hanging from the ceiling. I had to stop and stare upward, admiring its beauty.

  Brandon led me down the hall. Then we reached the living room. A big fireplace met me. A huge TV screen on the wall above it. Brown couches arranged in a U-shape on the opposite side, where two men sat.

  The click of my heels on the hardwood loud as I followed Brandon in. the two guys rose and spun to look at me.

  I blinked in surprise. For a moment I thought I’d falter. Zach wasn’t just Brandon’s brother. He was his twin.

  “Keera, you’ve made it,” Kyle said. “You look great.”

  “Thank you.” I gave him a small smile, but my attention was with the eyes holding my stare. Zach’s.

  His hair black. Thick brows hooked together. Dark brown eyes with honey strings. Crooked nose. Mouth that made me want to lick my lips. His suit fit him perfectly. I could tell he didn’t skimp on gym time.

  He was really handsome, even though he looked like he was about to murder someone. If Melissa thought Brandon was grumpy, she should have seen his twin.

  “Please come in. Zach, Keera. Keera, Zach,” Kyle introduced us. “Not too bad, huh?” he asked me.

  My lips twitched with a smile as I walked up to my potential date and pretende
d I was confident. The little surprise that bolted in his gaze as I stood closer flattered and worried me at the same time.

  Brandon and Kyle were whispering, while Zach remained silent, piercing me with his stare. He didn’t even offer me a seat.

  Someone cleared his throat. “Please sit down. Would you like something to drink?”

  I sighed and sank into the soft couch. “Sure. Thanks.”

  “Juice? Hot chocolate? Something strong—”

  “You must be a bitch,” Zach interrupted.

  My eyes widened. Oh my God. Did he just call me a bitch? That’s his first word for me?

  The other two swore, their feet scurrying toward us to the rescue.

  “Zach, what are you doing?”

  “C’mon, man. Be nice.”

  What the hell was I still doing here? I was too taken aback to say anything. To even move. I shook my head, snapping out of it. Then I grabbed my purse and rose, my chest heaving. “I don’t know why I… I should go.”

  “Miss Gibson, wait. You just got here,” Brandon said. “I’m so sorry. Could you please just come with me?”

  I glanced away from him and glared at the evil twin, who didn’t even bother to apologize…or do anything but staring like a creep. He didn’t deserve that face.

  Kyle touched my arm, ushering me out. Brandon went ahead of us and let us in another small room down the hall.

  “First, I’m sorry about my brother’s behavior, but I can assure you he didn’t mean what he said.”

  “Your brother is a grown man. He can apologize for himself. But obviously, he’s too much of a…” I wanted to say dick, but I clenched my teeth instead. I shifted my gaze toward Kyle. “A little rough around the edges? Seriously?”

  “Could you please be patient for a minute and hear me out?” Kyle requested.

  “No, thanks. I have no interest in going anywhere with your cousin, Mister Beastly. Congratulations on your wedding. I hope you’re nothing like him for your bride’s sake.” I spun for the door, not planning on spending another minute in this house. I must have been a lunatic to come here in the first place.

  “Zach lost his girlfriend two years ago,” Brandon said, stopping me in my tracks. “That’s why he’s a little…rough. He’s shut down ever since, isolated himself here. He barely talks to anyone. You should have seen him before.” Brandon sighed. “I’ve always been the cranky one. He was…happy.”

  A contradicting mix of emotions hit me. Sympathy. Confusion. Sadness. Anger. I turned, unsure how to respond.

  “When I got divorced, I moved in with him. That’s when he barely got back to himself. Kyle and I have been doing everything we can to get him out there to meet new people,” Brandon explained. “And when Kyle made you that proposition today, honestly, I thought it was a bad idea. But when I saw it was you…a respectable, educated, beautiful person like you, I thought, yeah, this could be really good. That’s exactly what Zach needs.” He stepped toward me. “I know you shouldn’t be concerned with any of this, but if you just give him a chance… He’s trying, Miss Gibson.”

  “Please, call me Keera,” I said.

  He smiled at me. Damn. Why wasn’t he the one who needed the date? “Keera…would you please sit with my brother again?”

  Chapter Four

  Zach

  Fuck this shit. I told them I wouldn’t go to the wedding, and if I did, I’d go alone. There was nothing wrong about being alone. Especially when it came to a motherfucker like me.

  This…person…was nothing like I’d expected. I thought she’d be ugly. Or had mosquito bites for tits. She’d be glad to lose it, enjoy free cake at the wedding and be gone.

  But she was nothing like that.

  The way her dark hair fell around her shoulders, her clothes, her makeup, everything about her was simple and elegant. She wasn’t only beautiful and graceful with enough tits to fill my big hands. There was an innocence to her that called to me. Nagged me, sending a stupid urge to take her in my arms and protect her. Because she looked so delicate, like she might fly away if a breeze blew through the room.

  What the hell was wrong with her? What the hell was wrong with me?

  I knew what was wrong with me. They would be telling her all about it now, and it would drive her away. Or worse. She’d come back out of pity.

  But what was wrong with her?

  Any fucker with a dick would want a piece of that. Why wouldn’t her boyfriends touch that pussy?

  Did it smell? Bite?

  Heels clicked my way. Was she coming back or just leaving?

  The next heartbeat, she was in the room, but her hard face wouldn’t give me the answer. I stood, staring back at her, still trying to put my finger on what was wrong with her.

  Kyle put on his ugly smirk. “Zach, we’ve managed to—”

  “I didn’t mean to call you a bitch,” I interrupted him.

  “Okay…” She moved around the couch. Would she sit? “What did you mean to say when you did?”

  “You’re too hot to stay a virgin. I thought you must be this terrible, awful woman that couldn’t keep a guy for a day or two. Because that’s the longest I could have waited to fuck you if you were mine.”

  She blushed. The color added to her innocent allure. Her head whipped to my brother and cousin. “I can use that drink now.”

  Both of them looked too fucking surprised she wasn’t running for the door. “Sure,” one of the said, and then they excused themselves.

  Her eyes, blue, striking against her dark hair, returned to me. “Do you always speak like that?”

  Ever since I’d started to speak again in the past couple of years. “Pretty much.”

  Her ass found the couch. “Because you want to drive people away? Or because saying something nice and not offensive at the same time makes you vulnerable? You know, because it gets people to maybe like you, get attached to you, and you them?”

  Something stirred inside me. Something that had been dormant for two years. I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that at all. Time for some more damage. Hopefully, this time it would be irreversible. “You have a smart mouth. I see now why no one wants to fuck you.”

  She shook her head. “Thank you.”

  My nose scrunched. “Thank me?”

  “I was on the fence, but you’re making this way easier for me.” She rose to her feet and walked to the curtains, looking at the snow. “When I came here, I wasn’t just going to…you know… I had another bargain in mind. I was going to ask for a Valentine’s date in exchange for the wedding date. And then if it worked—”

  I snorted. “You want romance. You want your first time to be perfect.”

  She pressed her palms and nose to the glass. Her breath fogged on the cool surface. “Yes.”

  My gaze dragged from her mouth to her neck down across her body to the way her ass stuck out. I felt far too warm, far too…hard. “No body’s first time is perfect.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe because it happens when they’re young, and they don’t know what they want or how to ask for it. But I’m old enough, and the man who is going to do it will be too, with enough experience to please a woman, I hope.” Her eyes met mine. “I’ve waited for so long. I don’t mind to wait some more if that’s what it takes to have this perfect moment I’ve always wanted.”

  “You might wind up waiting for too long,”

  She pursed her lips, moving away from the glass. “It is what it is.”

  Brandon and Kyle were back in the room with drinks. She just passed them and headed out.

  “What happened here?” my brother asked as if he didn’t see that coming.

  “She’s been left alone with Zach Beastly for two minutes. That’s what happened,” Kyle scoffed and went after her. “Keera?”

  I wanted to go after her, too. Instead, I poured myself some whiskey. “Let her go.”

  Chapter Five

  Brandon

  “I made dinner.” I didn’t know what else to say to stop her from l
eaving. Miss Gibson—Keera—was a very sweet person. Kind and adorable. Great with kids. Samantha loved her. Zach had ruined all his chances beyond repair. The least I could do was make it up to her.

  She grabbed her coat off the hanger. “That’s nice of you, but I really have to go. I have to work tomorrow.”

  “But—”

  “Look, coming here was a mistake. This will never work. I understand Zach might not be the awful person he’s tried to make me believe he is, but he clearly doesn’t want to be with anyone. Maybe you should give him more time to heal.”

  “It’s been two years.”

  “Everybody heals at their own pace. You can’t just force him.”

  “Maybe you’re right. But, please, can you just stay for dinner? You came all this way. It’s a long drive. You must be hungry.”

  “I’ll eat at home.”

  “But it’s a long way back. Longer in this weather. Please…it’s the least I can do.”

  “Consider it an apology. If you’re kind enough to accept one from us.” Kyle came down the hall and stopped a couple steps from her. “Brandon is an excellent cook.”

  A gorgeous smile stretched her lips, and she sighed. “Sure. Thank you.”

  My skin prickled with heat. A fuzzy sensation washed over me when she hung back that beautiful, red coat. It looked like something that belonged here. She looked like she belonged here.

  She spread her hands in the air. “How can I help?”

  I was too distracted to speak, musing in fantasies I’d never had before. Never wanted to admit that I had. They all included my daughter’s teacher.

  She’s my daughter’s teacher. Damn it.

  “You’re our guest. You should just enjoy a drink while we serve dinner,” Kyle said.

  She was still looking at me. “I insist. Where’s the kitchen?”

  “This way.” I led her to the other side of the cabin that she hadn’t seen yet. “Would you like a tour first?”

  “Maybe some other time. I really don’t want to be late,” she said.

  In the kitchen, she leaned against the counter as I checked on the chicken in the oven. “Smells really good.” She spied the veggies on the table. “You need help with the salad?”