Sweet for You: A BBW Billionaire Romance

by Harper Ashe

  Now Stephen was rambling and Abby’s head was spinning. She was crushed to learn that the most amazing kiss of her life was nothing more than a drunken embarrassment to the man who had kissed her. The only thing that lessened the sting was him calling her ideas ‘brilliant.’

  “I’m not going to file a complaint,” she said, her glossy lips tight. “Things got a little heated, in more ways than one, and we both got carried away. As far as I’m concerned, that whole evening never happened.”

  He visibly relaxed. “I must say that I’m relieved by your understanding of the situation.”

  “Let’s just say you’re not the first guy I’ve been with who woke up the next morning with second thoughts.”

  “Been with? I didn’t...we didn’t?”

  “We didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re wondering, Mr. Blake.” But we would have if I hadn’t screwed things up!

  “Of course we didn’t. That’s not something I could possibly forget, could I?”

  Abby was thinking that her boss was treading dangerously close to offensive territory again and she needed to change the subject before she was humiliated any further. “You were saying something about my ideas being brilliant?”

  Chapter 8

  Abby and Jenna arrived early for the 10 o’clock meeting and found Martha setting up in the conference room. “Can I do something to help?” Jenna asked eagerly.

  “Thank you for the offer, dear, but I’m just about done,” Martha responded. “Why don’t you and Abby take a seat? The others should be arriving soon.”

  Martha was right. The rest of the small team trickled in, including Chef Laurent and Tom Parker, taking seats around the oval table in the middle of the room. At 10:01, Stephen walked through the door, and Jenna nudged Abby’s arm. “Mr. Blake looks tired today. Did your dinner run late?”

  “Not really,” Abby responded. “I’m sure he just has a lot on his mind with this whole diet desserts thing.”

  “You’re probably right,” Jenna said, unable to hide her disappointment. Abby was sure that she was hoping for some sort of juicy tidbit about her evening with Stephen, but she wasn’t about to share the details of what had happened.

  Stephen cleared this throat and all side chatter went silent. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called this meeting on such short notice. My reasons are twofold. First, I wanted to officially welcome Abby Branson to the product team.” He nodded in her direction and all eyes turned toward her. Abby smiled nervously. She was warmly welcomed by everyone in the room except Tom, who wore his perpetual scowl.

  When the greetings were done, he continued. “I also realized this morning that I’ve been far too removed from this project and will be taking a more active role going forward. I’m optimistic that, with stronger leadership and the addition of Miss Branson to the team, we can turn our diet desserts line into something spectacular.”

  “Let’s hear it for the big girl,” Tom mumbled under his breath, loud enough for Abby to hear. Her shoulders stiffened and her face turned a deep shade of crimson. Embarrassed, she glanced around the room to see if anyone else had heard.

  Stephen looked angry. “Did you have something to say, Mr. Parker?” he asked in a clipped tone.

  “Yes, I believe I do,” Tom said defiantly.

  “Well then, let’s hear it,” Stephen challenged.

  “I’ve been in charge of new product development at Blake Foods for over a decade and my leadership has never been questioned until she came along.” He pointed at Abby. “She may represent the diet industry demographic, but that doesn’t make her an expert at bringing a new product line to market.”

  Stephen stood up. “Considering that our last two product launches were met with mediocre success, I’m not sure your expertise in this area is something to brag about.”

  Now it was Tom’s face that turned crimson. “If you have so little confidence in me, Mr. Bake, then maybe I should resign from my position in your company.”

  Abby watched as Stephen’s face contorted into an almost chilling half-smile. “That may be the best idea you’ve had in years, Mr. Parker. Martha, please escort Tom out of the building. If he gives you any trouble, call security.”

  “I can’t believe this is what I get after ten years of loyalty,” Tom yelled as he stood up and gathered his things. “Fired over a fat piece of ass!”

  When Tom was gone, Stephen addressed the remaining team members. “Does anyone else in the room feel the same way as Tom Parker?” His pause was met with absolute silence. “Good. Now that that nasty business is settled, let’s take a short break and reconvene in 20 minutes.”

  ~~~

  Stephen Blake sat in the empty conference room, trying to figure out what had just happened. He had never chastised an employee so publicly before, but he simply couldn’t allow this type of insubordination to go unchecked. Tom Parker had been completely out of line. Not only had he questioned his judgment as the company’s CEO, he had cruelly lashed out at Miss Branson in the process.

  Stephen wasn’t exactly known for being protective, but seeing the pained look on Abby’s face after Tom’s callous remark triggered something raw, protective and primal inside of him. Something he hadn’t felt since he was a young boy holding his dying mother in his small arms after the car accident. Something that felt suspiciously like...love.

  Nonsense! He was definitely attracted to Abby Branson; there was no doubt about that. But he barely knew the young woman; how could he be in love with her? This was Martha’s doing. All her talk of needs and emotions was clouding his thinking – and his judgment.

  “Speak of the devil,” he muttered when she entered the conference room.

  “That was certainly a pleasant, yet unexpected, turn of events,” Martha said. “I never cared much for Tom. Always found him to be a bit crude.”

  “I could have handled the situation better,” he replied.

  “I thought you were quite gallant, Stephen. I could tell that Abby thought so, too.”

  “Gallant? Please! I was merely removing a rotten banana before he spoiled the entire bunch.”

  Martha laughed in delight. “Oh, Stephen, if that were true, you would have gotten rid of Tom a long time ago. Why don’t you just admit that you’re sweet for Abby Branson? Then you can get on with the business of courting her.”

  “Courting her? What is this, the middle ages?”

  “It might as well be, the way you’re acting. Why must you be so prim and proper all the time? We both know you want to throw her over your shoulder like a barbarian and carry her off to bed.”

  Mr. Blake couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the primitive, yet tantalizing, visual Martha painted, although his amusement was short lived. “But I’m not a barbarian, Martha. I’m the owner of a multi-billion dollar company and I have a job to do. I can’t afford to let my infatuation with a pretty blonde get in the way of my responsibilities.”

  Martha’s own smile faded away. “The way I see it, Stephen, I’m not sure you can afford not to.”

  ~~~

  When the product team reconvened, nervous energy filled the conference room. After the uncomfortable outburst where Abby was the target of Tom’s wrath and Stephen came to her rescue, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But he looked just as cool and composed as ever.

  Does anything rattle that man?

  She was glad that Tom was gone. He was the kind of insecure guy who thrived on making other people feel bad. From their first meeting, Abby could tell that he viewed her as a threat. In the end, maybe he was right about that.

  “Welcome back, everyone,” Stephen said, getting back to business. “With Mr. Parker out of the picture, I’ll be taking over as team lead. From this point forward, all decisions go through me. Miss Branson has presented me with some very innovative ideas for improving this product line.” He turned his attention to Abby. “Miss Branson, would you care to share your ideas with the team?”

  Abby was taken aback. “Me? Really? S
ure. I guess.” Although she knew her ideas front and back, she stalled for time by shuffling the papers in front of her while she gathered her courage. This was the kind of professional opportunity she had always wanted, and she didn’t want to mess it up.

  “As Tom so eloquently pointed out, I am the target demographic for Blake Foods’ diet desserts line,” she said with a wink. Her statement was met with grins and chuckles, and she hoped the team was laughing with her rather than at her. “From my experienced dieter’s perspective, the company has been approaching this desserts concept all wrong.”

  Abby stood up and began pacing the length of the conference room, thinking through the words in her mind before speaking them out loud. “No woman wants to be reminded that she is – or should be – on a diet. And eating something that tastes like, well, diet food, is exactly the kind of reminder that we want to avoid. Women, large and small, want real food that tastes amazing because it’s made from quality ingredients. So how do you reconcile the issue of diet and taste?”

  She turned dramatically and clapped her hands on the conference table for emphasis. “Portion control! That’s right. I propose that we do away with the concept of diet altogether and produce high quality desserts made from real ingredients that are portioned to fit a dieter’s calorie restrictions. Let’s give our customers a taste of sweet, gourmet heaven, which is exactly what they’ve come to expect from Bake Foods. They will appreciate the taste and if we scale down the portions, it won’t make them feel bad when they eat it.”

  Chef Laurent jumped up from his seat, clearly caught up in Abby’s excitement. “We can use healthy ingredients like coconut oil, agave syrup, and all-natural colors and flavors to pack each bite-sized dessert with nutrition!”

  “We can have our graphic designers work up some concepts so the desserts will look as good as they taste,” Molly Adams, the product team’s marketing lead, added.

  “Yes!” Abby exclaimed. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

  “Our product line still needs a name and tagline,” Molly added.

  “You’re right,” Abby said thoughtfully. “I think it should have ‘sweet’ in the name somewhere.”

  “Sweet Tooth?” one team member suggested.

  Abby shook her head. “Makes me think of the dentist.”

  “Sweet Nothings?” Chef Laurent said.

  “Too negative,” Molly responded.

  “Sweet for You,” Mr. Blake said quietly. A hush fell over the room.

  Abby smiled, nodding slowly. “The only dessert you’ll ever desire, now and forever,” she said softly, her eyes meeting his.

  “Sweet for You: Now and Forever,” Molly restated for emphasis. “I can’t think of a more fitting name and tagline. Is everyone in agreement?”

  Abby hardly noticed when the entire team nodded in unison.

  Chapter 9

  Stephen sat in his office, answering emails and planning the rest of his day. He marveled at the progress of Sweet for You. After that initial meeting, everything just seemed to fall into place. As soon as the final desserts were tasted and approved by Abby, he would set and announce an official launch date. To get around the shelf stability issue, the desserts would be flash-frozen. The thaw-and-serve preparation would deliver fresh desserts free of preservatives and other unfortunate additives.

  As soon as the Blake Foods diet desserts line had a name, tagline, and new direction, the product development team had sprung into action.

  Chef Laurent experimented with new recipes and, with Abby Branson leading the way, each tasting was a delicious experience. Her unrestrained enthusiasm was contagious. On several occasions, Stephen was surprised to realize how rewarding it was to have a business partner he could bounce ideas off. A partner who challenged him to reach beyond his confined world. A partner who invariably made him laugh at himself and at life. It was a new experience for him, and one that he definitely relished.

  Energized by the defined scope of the new Blake Foods diet desserts line, the marketing team began working on logo concepts, advertising copy, and dessert designs. The manufacturing group started building the production line. As the weeks flew by, Stephen reveled in the excitement of being at the heart of the action – and working side-by-side with Abby Branson.

  Even though he had been at the helm of Blake Foods for almost 15 years, he had never taken a hands-on, in-the-trenches role at his company. His father had taught him to sit at the head of the table, bark orders, and focus on ways to make more money. But he realized now how flawed and isolating that was. Being a figurehead was simply a way to detach from emotion and avoid human interaction. A way to hide his hurt and protect himself from getting too close to others.

  Stephen could now see that Martha had recognized this flaw long before he did. And he was only beginning to reconcile her gentle prodding of him to open up with his newfound insights. While he wasn’t quite ready to step completely out of his shell, his executive assistant seemed to sense the crack in his tough exterior and used her powers of observation to slowly widen the chasm. And for the first time in their working relationship, he let her. Maybe it was because he was tired of living such an empty life.

  With Abby on his team, every day had become an adventure. Even though Stephen was in charge, Abby was leading the way forward. He couldn’t wait to get to the office each morning to see what she had in store for him. It was exciting because he never knew what she would come up with next.

  There was that time when she dragged him on a tour of her favorite bakeries in the city, where they sampled baked goods until they were almost sick. Another time, she took him on a guided tour of the gourmet foods section in a dozen grocery stores so he could see how his products were positioned compared to the ones from the boutique producers. She even convinced him to do away with formality and start addressing each other on a first name basis. This immediately changed the dynamic between them. Instead of being employer and employee, they became more like friends sharing a grand journey toward an unknown destination.

  What was most surprising about all the changes in his life was that he was actually enjoying himself. Miss Branson had a flare for turning the most mundane and ordinary task into something stimulating, whether they were tasting a new recipe, reviewing ad designs, or doing a walk-though of the production facility.

  A knock on his door interrupted his internal reverie. He looked up from his desk and spontaneously smiled. It was Abby.

  “Chef Laurent is ready for us, Stephen,” she said. This was going to be the final tasting before the production lines were fired up.

  “Is Molly coming?” Mr. Blake asked.

  “She can’t make it, but Martha’s coming.” Abby approached Stephen’s desk and lowered her voice. “I think the chef is sweet for her.” She winked at him. “Pun intended.”

  “How can you tell?” Stephen responded, wondering if Abby could also tell that he was sweet for her.

  “It’s obvious from the way he looks at her and does little things to make her feel special, like bringing lunch to her desk a couple times a week. And I think she likes him, too. They would make a great couple. After all, Martha’s an attractive woman and Chef is so jolly and fun.”

  It dawned on him that he didn’t do much of anything to make Abby feel special. That needed to change if he was going to convince her to see him as more than just her boss. “Chef Laurent and Martha; I never would have guessed. But now that you point it out, I suppose I can see the subtle signs.”

  Abby perched on the edge of his desk and leaned forward. “We should do something to get them together,” she whispered. Stephen was temporarily lost in the twinkling of her mischievous blue eyes.

  “You want to play matchmaker between Chef Laurent and Martha?” He laughed at the irony. Why did women always feel the need to poke their noses in other people’s romantic business? “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. If they were meant to be together, it will happen naturally.”

  Abby’s lips fo
rmed into a pout. “Fine, be a spoilsport. But if nature doesn’t take its course soon, I just might have to give it a nudge!”

  ~~~

  In the test kitchen, Abby made sure that Martha was seated closest to the chef, who greeted the older woman with a warm smile and friendly hug. She threw Stephen a knowing smile and he shook his head, as if to say, “Stay out of it!”

  “Are you ready for me to unveil the desserts?” Chef Laurent asked.

  “More than ready,” Martha eagerly responded before Abby did. “My mouth is watering just thinking of the delicious morsels you have prepared for us to taste.”

  Abby bit back a smile at the surprised look on Stephen’s face as he watched the interaction between the other pair. “Me, too,” she said. “Show us what you’ve got, Chef.”

  The chef removed the cover from the large tray on the counter to reveal a stunning presentation of miniature cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and pies. Abby clapped her hands with delight. “They’re beautiful!”

  Chef Laurent beamed with pride. “That’s quite an honor coming from you, Miss Branson,” he said. “I just hope that their test exceeds your expectations. Which dessert would you like to start with?”

  Stephen responded before Abby had a chance to. “Let’s start with the cheesecake.”

  The chef served each taster a tiny triangle of sweetened cheese filing nestled on a thin layer of graham cracker crust and topped with fresh, antioxidant-rich blueberries. Abby’s mind momentarily flashed back to her original tasting experience, and she decided to put on a similar show for Mr. Blake.

  Let’s see if he can maintain his cool after this!

  All eyes turned toward Abby as she picked up the bite-sized cheesecake and brought it slowly toward her lips.

  ~~~

  Stephen watched, mesmerized, as Abby Branson made love to the cheesecake, flicking out her tongue to taste the confection and draw a single blueberry into her mouth before parting her lush, pink lips and letting her pearly white teeth sink into the creamy center. He groaned inwardly as she closed her eyes and let her head tilt back slightly, savoring the morsel with abandon.