Licorice Whips

by Bridget Midway

  “Or maybe you thought if we saw you face to face that we wouldn’t want to sue you.” Nikla crossed her arms over her chest. The fire had been lit under her. She didn’t want it extinguished yet.

  “Sue us?” Edmund damn near choked back a laugh. “My mother may be unorthodox, but she is an excellent businesswoman. I guarantee you that she advised you to seek out other spots if you wanted to, right?”

  Nikla remained quiet. Bobbi had on a couple of occasions told Nikla she could look for other units if she didn’t want to wait for her. Bobbi wasn’t so crazy after all.

  Nikla still dug in her heels. “Your mother represented your company. She kept us waiting for an answer. She had us jumping through hoops. For loss of potential revenue, I should–”

  Sweet cut her off. “Thank you for your time.” He put his hand out to Edmund. “I appreciated the opportunity.” He glanced at Nikla. “I hope you feel the same way, too.” He turned to the door.

  Unsatisfied with his statement, she followed him. “What? That’s it? You’re not as angry as I am? I thought you really wanted the spaces.”

  Sweet stopped by his truck and turned to her. “I thought that’s what I wanted, too. Then I met a crazy woman.”

  Nikla started to open her mouth to refute his statement.

  “Bobbi.”

  Nikla kept her arms crossed until she heard his speech.

  “If it wasn’t for Bobbi, you wouldn’t have pushed yourself to come train with me. And I wouldn’t have gone to a yoga class. I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”

  Nikla’s heartbeat slowed. She loved everything he’d said, but she couldn’t be sucked into his vortex. She didn’t want to lose herself. “That’s great for you. But what about me? I quit my job, and–”

  “You quit?” Sweet smiled. “Good for you.”

  She cocked her head.

  “You needed to do something to push you to action. Bobbi pushed you.”

  “Out of a job.”

  Sweet shook his head. “You hated it. If you didn’t, you would have done what you could to work it out.” He dropped his gaze as though he’d realized what Nikla did. What he said applied to the two of them. “You’re resourceful. You’re smart. You’ll figure something out.”

  “And you? What will you do?”

  Sweet stared at her. He raised his hand as though he wanted to brush a curl from her face, but he stopped himself. “Do you want to be my submissive?”

  Nikla never suspected he would ask her that question still, not now, not after all they had been through lately. “I can’t answer that right now.”

  Sweet nodded. “I know I want to continue disciplining you. But I also know I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I should have never accused you of going to the health inspector. I can’t apologize enough for that.”

  Nikla started opening her mouth again and, again, Sweet stopped her.

  “Even if you did, it’s still my fault. I should have enough restraint to respect you and my business.” He took a step closer to her. “I apologize for what I did at your apartment. As a Dom, I need to learn discipline.”

  Nikla smiled and allowed him to finish.

  “As a result of my actions, I’ll be stepping down as owner of Decadent Treats.”

  “Because of me?” Nikla covered her mouth.

  Sweet shook his head. “Now who’s not listening?” He smiled. “Because of me.” He glanced around. “You want to go for coffee? Just sit and talk?”

  Nikla grinned. “I’d like that.”

  Sweet glanced behind them at the building. “I wouldn’t leave your car here. Follow me.”

  Nikla did. She followed him to a lovely little coffee shop near the area. Even in his jeans and pullover V-neck sweater, he acted and treated her like he wore a tuxedo. He opened every door for her and pulled out her chair.

  When it came time to order, like she’d done before, she’d told Sweet what she wanted and he ordered for her.

  “So after the incident between us, where did you go?” Sweet began.

  “I drove up to Maryland and saw my mother.” Nikla watched Sweet’s expression go very cold and serious.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “Better than okay actually. I learned the real reason why she left. All of these years, I thought it had to do with me.” She ran her hand over her hair. “I also discovered we have a lot in common. It was a great trip.” Nikla took a sip of her coffee. The aroma of cinnamon tickled her nose. “You’re different now.”

  Sweet looked pensive before speaking. “I’m learning to look before I leap. I was a man who thought and acted as though I had nothing to lose. Then I lost it all, my home, my lifestyle, the business,” he looked at her, “you. So I had to do some deep soul searching. Figure out my life. Maybe listen to some advice now and then. Listening will make me a better Dominant.” He placed his hand on the table a few centimeters from hers. “I make no apologies for being a Dom.”

  When Sweet stared at Nikla, it felt like he dared her to disagree. Too consumed in hearing what he had to say, she remained quiet.

  “I figured out a long time ago what I want in a submissive, in a woman. The last time I saw you, you said I only talked about what I wanted and needed. Damn right.”

  Nikla didn’t expect that response. The more he spoke, the more she realized that maybe she should have.

  The chattering around her in the coffee shop quieted in her head. Her full focus went into the words Sweet spoke. She stared at the shape of his lips, how they curled at the end the longer he talked. She even stopped her bouncing knee to concentrate on the man sitting across from her.

  “I want a woman so sure of herself, she makes no excuses or apologizes for what she does for me. I want a woman who knows herself enough to know her limits, but still wants to push past them. I want a woman who would have no problem getting on her hands and knees and crawling to me if that’s what I wanted her to do. I want a woman who needs me to be her man.” Sweet leaned forward. He stared into her eyes so that she could catch his intent. “I need to be your man.” He paused, took a breath, and said again, “I need to be your man, Nikla.”

  That last statement took Nikla’s breath away. She could barely swallow.

  “I missed you.” He lowered his deep voice, forcing her to move in closer to him. “You know what I miss about you?”

  Nikla shrugged. She kept her hands flat on the table as she listened to him.

  “You probably think I’m going to say sex, especially with the way I approached you the last time. Or maybe you think it’s the playing, which I do miss, but that’s not it. I loved it when you called me when you needed someone to talk to. I missed you needing me, all of me.”

  Nikla imagined the two of them pressed against his truck kissing each other so hard that their mouths would become sore. She wanted him to take her right there at the table. She felt the heat coming from his hand.

  Nikla licked her lips. Daring to break this intense scene, she inched her pinky finger closer to him. She didn’t even bother dropping her gaze when her flesh touched his.

  Sweet pulled back. “Acting impulsively got me in this mess. I can’t keep being the way I was because I’m not getting what I want. I love you. I wanted to tell you that on the morning where it all came to a head. I should have, instead of accusing you of betraying me.” He pushed his chair back from the table and stood. “I’ll be at Decadent Treats until this Friday evening. You have my number. Call me if you want to talk.”

  Finding her strength to finally say something, Nikla spoke. “And that’s it? You tell me you love me and now you’re leaving?”

  Sweet braced his hands on the back of the wrought-iron chair before nodding. “Yes. I know what I want. I’ve told you what I want. You need to decide what it is you want in life, in your relationship. Everything. You really need to think about it. The ball is in your court now.” He winked.

  Before she could argue against his new plan, Sweet left. When he disappeared from her view
, Nikla exhaled. She put her hand to her chest to feel her pounding heart.

  No man had ever spoken so passionately about her, about his need to have her. He’d given her a lot to contemplate. Could she bring him back into her life after all the pain he’d given her?

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “To Sweet!” Masaun raised his glass of champagne along with everyone else at Decadent Treats once the placed closed down. “May he be a pain in someone else’s ass.”

  “Here, here!” Connie and Hanson replied in unison.

  Sweet laughed. “I can really feel the love in this room.”

  Hanson approached Sweet first. “Seriously, man, we’ll miss you.” He leaned in to him. “Women came here to see you, and I would get your castoffs all the time.”

  “Hey, that makes me sound like a pimp or something.” He punched his former employee playfully on his shoulder.

  “Or something. You’re going to have to tell me your secret on how you get women to fall all over you.”

  Sweet took a step back. “Do you see any women around me?” The glares from Connie and Kindle made him adjust his statement. “Besides my former employee and my brother’s fiancée?”

  “Oh, no. You’ve got to be kidding me.” Connie sat her glass on the counter. “I can’t believe she even comes here at night.”

  Sweet turned around and faced the locked door. He saw Nikla standing on the other side. The world around him froze as soon as his stare connected to hers. With the pitch darkness behind her, and the overhead light casting a white glow down on her body, she appeared like an angel. To keep his hands hidden and occupied, he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Hanson, will you open the door for her, please?” Sweet nodded toward the door.

  “Are you kidding?” Hanson snickered. “The lone protester? You’re going to let her–”

  “Now!” Sweet barked.

  As Hanson went to the door, Masaun stood next to his brother. “Do you know what this is about?”

  Sweet kept his stare on Nikla as he addressed his brother. “I left her alone. That might have something to do with it.”

  Hanson opened the door. Nikla took one step into the store and stopped.

  The distance between her and Sweet felt like miles. He kept his gaze on her, hoping to draw her further into the store, closer to him.

  “This is a private party,” Connie began. “Don’t come in here and ruin it for–”

  “Connie, be quiet.” Sweet maintained his same position although every fiber of his being wanted to rush to her and scoop her up in his arms.

  “I need to first apologize to you and your brother.” Nikla cleared her throat. “It was my fault about the health inspector. I told my best friend about me and Sweet. She told my ex-boyfriend, who then ran and told my father. My father was the one who made the call. For that, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

  “Apology accepted.” Masaun nodded and took a step back to stand with Kindle.

  “Was that all?” Sweet asked, hoping she wanted more.

  She shook her head. “To your employees, I’m sorry for my mini protest in front of your workplace. I should have never done that no matter the reason.”

  “Thank you,” Connie said.

  “You didn’t bother me not one bit. You can come here at any time, day or night.” Hanson lifted his arm to put around her shoulders.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Sweet said before his young employee could make contact.

  “Okay, let me just go get my drink.” Hanson went back to his original spot and picked up his champagne again.

  “Anything else?” Sweet asked again.

  Nikla cleared her throat. “For a long time, I’ve been living in fear. I was afraid of failing my father. I feared that because of me, my mother couldn’t stand being home with us and had to leave.” She stared at Sweet. “I was afraid of being my true self.” Nikla took a deep breath. “I was afraid I couldn’t be enough for you.”

  Sweet’s heart thudded. Before he could refute her assumption, she continued.

  “You pushed me to do things that brought me out of my comfort zone. For that, I’m no longer afraid. I figured out what it is I want.”

  “You have?” Sweet felt his heart pounding. He clenched his jaw as he waited for what she would say or do.

  She nodded. Without a word, Nikla lowered herself to her knees, then dropped to her hands on the floor.

  Sweet heard Kindle gasp behind him but he didn’t turn away from the beauty crawling over the floor to him.

  “What the hell is she doing?” Hanson asked.

  Sweet ignored him. He kept his full attention to the love of his life exposing herself, showing what she would do for him.

  Nikla made it to his feet and kept her head down as she sat on her haunches.

  “Up,” Sweet said.

  Nikla rose to her feet but still kept her head down. “I need you. I need you to be my man. I need to be with you. I only figured out who I was after I met you.”

  “Look at me.”

  She brought her face up and stared at him. “I could never do that before, show someone how much I care without thinking of what others would think.” Her voice sounded so strong and confident. “I love you.”

  This time Sweet heard Connie gasping.

  Nikla smiled. “I love that you push me and you make me uncomfortable in a good way. I love that you protect me but allow me to be me. I love that you’re not afraid to try new things. I love that you now listen to me.”

  He smiled.

  “And I love the new you. But there are parts of the old you I really miss.” She chewed her lower lip. She held up her hand and showed off her candy bracelet. “I still want to be your Sugar Baby.”

  Sweet reached up and held her wrist. His fingers twirled around the bracelet. In one hard snag, he ripped it from her wrist, sending candy beads everywhere in the room.

  “Oh, God!” Nikla started to turn to leave.

  Sweet saw the tears cresting on her lower lids, but he refused to let her hand go. “Wait!” He pulled her back. When he dropped down to one knee, the room fell silent. “It feels like I have waited a lifetime for a woman like you. You’re smart. You’re funny. You’re the sexiest thing on two legs. And you accept me for me.” He reached into his pocket. “I’ve been carrying this around for a couple of weeks.” He pulled out a tennis bracelet adorned with yellow, pink, white, and black diamonds. “Candy doesn’t suit you. You need something more substantial. With these different colored diamonds, this is as close as I could get to candy.” Before he wrapped the jewelry around her wrist, he asked, “Will you be my submissive?”

  “His what?” Connie asked. “That didn’t sound like ‘wife.’ What did he say?”

  “Yes, I will.” Nikla wiped her face with her free hand.

  Sweet secured the bracelet around her wrist. “Good. It makes asking this next question so much easier.” From his other pocket he retrieved a red velvet box. He opened it to reveal the matching engagement ring. “Nikla Dearwood, will you marry me? You’ve already made me the happiest Dom on the planet.”

  “Happiest what? Did he say ‘man’ or Don? Oh, God! Are you two in the mafia?” Connie asked.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you, Swithin Hawkes.”

  “Who?” Connie and Hanson asked in unison.

  Sweet slipped the ring on her finger, stood, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  Before he could kiss her, she said, “I don’t have a job.”

  “I don’t care.” He lowered his head.

  “You marry me, you get my dad.”

  “I can deal with that.” He continued lowering his head to connect to her lips.

  “I’ll want you to do yoga with me every day.”

  Sweet smiled and put his face next to hers to whisper in her ear, “I’ll be sure to stretch you out daily.” He felt her trembling in his arms.

  Before she could say another word, Sweet kissed her. The intimate crowd behind him ch
eered in their approval.

  “Looks like we’ll have two weddings,” Kindle said. “I’ll get a sister!”

  “Me, too,” Masaun said.

  “And I get to make the wedding cake and the candy arrangements.” Connie jumped up and down.

  Sweet and Masaun looked at their employee at the same time.

  “You two are doing a candy-themed wedding, right?” Connie furrowed her eyebrows.

  “Connie, we’re more than just candy makers.” Sweet brought his gaze back to Nikla.

  “You got that right.” Nikla wrapped her arms around Sweet’s waist. “Too bad we can’t get married at The Dollhouse.”

  Sweet shrugged. “I don’t know. Anything’s possible.”

  “This calls for another toast.” Hanson raised his glass. “To the Hawkes brothers. May this be the start of some great new beginnings.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Nikla squeezed Sweet, who offered her his drink. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. “Can we go upstairs?”

  He shook his head. “This is my party. It would be rude of me to leave early.”

  She nodded.

  “Plus I don’t live up there anymore. I’m renting a place for now while I look for a house.” He kissed the shell of her ear. He held up his glass. “I need champagne.”

  ****

  Nikla glanced at the glass, then at Sweet. Now that she figured out what she wanted in her life, in her man, Nikla accepted the glass. “Anything for you.”

  Before Sweet, Nikla couldn’t even hold hands with a man in public without feeling self-conscious. After Sweet’s impassioned speech at the coffee shop a couple of days before, Nikla recognized her need to be with him, her need to serve him, serve her Master Sweet.

  She poured more champagne into a glass and brought it back to him. “Your drink.”

  Sweet accepted it, brushing his fingers over hers. “Thank you.”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist. Before taking a sip, he placed the glass to her lips and allowed her to drink. The sweet bubbles popped on her tongue as she held the amber liquid in her mouth a brief second before swallowing.