The Sweetest Kiss

by Candace Shaw

  She couldn’t believe her thought process. Sure, she’d oohed and aahed over men, but they were famous men on the movie screen like Denzel Washington or George Clooney. Never in person to the point of blushing. Tiffani was almost certain her cheeks had turned a rosy pink, and more than likely he’d noticed. She was disappointed when she saw him leave and had hoped perhaps he was just stepping out for a moment. However, she’d glanced over her shoulder before going back into the ballroom to see him handing a slip to the valet.

  “Can you believe Sydney actually changed out of her wedding dress and into a white leather jacket and pants?” Megan asked. “I had no idea she was going to do that.”

  Megan’s question jolted Tiffani from her thoughts, and she was grateful. Daydreaming about a man she would never see again wasn’t on her agenda. No need in getting all hot and bothered for nothing. If he’d wanted to ask her out he would’ve. Apparently he wasn’t interested. Not that she was, but there was a mystery about him she found intriguing, especially now that she’d learned from Megan he was standoffish. He hadn’t exhibited that. Her experience with him had been quite the opposite.

  “I don’t know why you’re surprised. Your twin zoomed in here on the back of a Harley. At least she still wore her veil and had her bouquet.”

  “Almost time for the bouquet toss,” Megan sung in an upbeat manner.

  Here we go again, Tiffani thought. At age thirty-two, she wasn’t in the mindset to concern herself with catching bouquets. Yes, she was single but, considering she never wanted to marry again, there wasn’t any point in rushing to the dance floor. Especially with a bunch of women who had the preconceived fairy-tale notion that they would be the next to marry if they were lucky enough to catch the bouquet.

  “I’ll let the young single ladies who really want to get married claw over a bunch of roses.”

  “Tiff, you’re still young. I know you continue to say that you don’t want to ever marry again, though you never know. You remember when Raven confided in us after her husband died that she was done with marriage? Well, now she’s happily married again. It can happen. You never know what is in store for you.”

  Tiffani gazed out onto the floor as her cousin Raven Arrington-Phillips and her husband, Armand, danced. The DJ had just instructed that everyone join the bride and groom for the Electric Slide. True, her cousin had found love again after losing her husband, but their situations were completely different. Raven had been devastatingly heartbroken and never thought she could love again.

  Annoyed with the topic, Tiffani sighed and turned toward Megan. “You know the real reason why I’ve decided not to, so let’s just drop it.”

  Megan nodded and patted Tiffani’s hand. “Okay, end of discussion.”

  Satisfied with her cousin’s answer, Tiffani excused herself to make sure everything was set for the cake cuttings. She already knew it was because she’d checked just before she had met Broderick, but she needed a moment alone. Being reminded of her marriage from hell was always a sore subject.

  Later on that night, the conversation with Megan still lingered in Tiffani’s mind when she kissed her son’s forehead as he slept. Tiffani knew she meant well, but Megan wasn’t the one who had been married to a controlling as well as verbally and mentally abusive man. The thought of having to live through that again wasn’t a life she desired. She was at peace and happier than she’d been in a long time. Plus, the fact that a handsome man had flirted with her that evening reminded her that men still found her attractive. Although she never wanted to remarry, she wasn’t closed off from dating.

  Retreating to her bedroom, she grabbed her laptop from under the bed and posted a few pictures she’d taken at the wedding and some selfies with KJ to her blog “My New Life.” She’d started it a year after her husband had passed. At first, the majority of her posts centered around fun yet inexpensive activities to do with children, hands-on lesson plans for elementary school teachers, how to save on grocery shopping and healthy recipes for the single mother. Once she’d stopped teaching third grade and opened her bakery five months ago, Tiffani began to discuss her transition into the small business world while still maintaining a structured balance for her son.

  She smiled with pride at the huge grin on KJ’s face that matched hers before pressing Send. Shutting off the laptop, Tiffani set it on the nightstand next to the purple and white roses she’d carried in the wedding. Broderick Hollingsworth’s handsome face appeared in her mind. She shook her head with a smirk as she reached out to turn off the bedside lamp and slid under her down comforter. Laughing, she realized how ridiculous she was behaving over a man who probably hadn’t given her a second thought.

  Chapter 2

  Broderick tossed his jacket and tie on the chaise lounge in front of his bed before he strode through to the adjoining cherrywood-paneled study. Leaning over his desk, he flicked on the lamp and turned on his laptop. Pulling out his wallet, he flipped through all of the cards he’d received that night both at the wedding and the business mixer until he found the only one he cared about. The rest of them would go to Josh or his secretary for possible meetings.

  Retreating to the wet bar, Broderick poured a scotch while his computer started. Once settled in his black leather swivel chair, he typed in the website on the pink card and sipped his drink as the Sweet Treats website loaded. Like Tiffani’s personality, it was whimsical and girly with bright colors. A smooth jazz tune played in the background and a variety of cupcakes scrolled on the banner. He glanced at the tabs on the search bar, but the one titled “About the Baker” caught his eye. Considering he already knew what he was going to order, he figured he could look at desserts later. Right now, he wanted to know more about the sexy baker he’d found utterly intriguing. Clicking on the tab, he was elated to see an adorable picture of Tiffani wearing a pink chef’s jacket with a matching chef’s hat while holding a tray of cupcakes. He skimmed over her biography. It discussed her baking experience and expertise but didn’t mention anything personal about her. At the end of the short paragraph, a link titled “My New Life” grabbed his attention and he hoped it would lead to more information about Tiffani.

  “Bingo,” he said, sipping his scotch as he scrolled through the posts that had begun more than two years ago.

  She seemed to post about once or twice a month. Most of them were centered on her son, gardening, recipes and her transition from teaching to opening her bakery five months ago.

  Broderick was impressed with her passion for her business but always making sure to put her son first. On one of the blog posts, she’d discussed her daily routine of dropping KJ off to school at seven, heading to the bakery by eight, then baking and preparing nonstop until the shop opened at ten. Her assistant would arrive at nine and stayed until they closed at five. Tiffani or one of her parents, who were retired, would pick up KJ from school and bring him to the bakery, where he would do homework. They would leave around six and head home unless he had karate or swim lessons. Any time after work was spent with him until his bedtime, after which she’d stay up to bake special orders for the next day.

  Broderick’s thoughts blasted him back to his childhood. Although his mother had loved him, she’d loved drugs and men as well. After she died of an overdose at a crack house when he was eight years old, he found himself bouncing around between different relatives or foster homes until he was eighteen. Glancing at a picture on his desk of his mother and himself during one of her good days, he sighed and shook his head to brush away the hurtful memories. He clicked back to the first page of Tiffani’s blog and was pleasantly surprised to see a new post had uploaded moments before. It was a short write-up about the wedding and a couple of selfies of her and KJ making goofy faces in a mirror. Clicking on the picture, Broderick zoomed in until he only saw Tiffani. Even making fish lips and crossing her eyes, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

  He perused ove
r her website quickly, taking note of the different desserts Sweet Treats offered. Even though the only sweet treat he desired wasn’t on the menu, he was determined to savor it.

  * * *

  The ringing of Tiffani’s cell phone in her apron pocket disrupted her concentration in icing the tops of the German chocolate cupcakes for an order later on that day. Placing the icing bag on the prep station counter, she hurriedly answered the phone before it went to voice mail.

  “Hello, Sweet Treats. This is Tiffani. How may I assist you?” she asked in a fake chipper voice. It was eight o’clock on a Monday morning and she really needed coffee. A pot was brewing and she’d been waiting impatiently for the beep to signify it was ready.

  “Good morning, Tiffani. This is Broderick Hollingsworth. How are you?”

  The sexy, baritone voice in her ear rippled a warm shiver through her veins. Breath escaped her windpipes and floated out into the kitchen of her bakery. He was the last person she was expecting a call from.

  She cleared her throat and hoped when she opened her mouth, her words didn’t sound like gibberish.

  “Hi, Mr. Hollingsworth. I’m well. What can I do for you?” she asked calmly even though butterflies swirled in her stomach.

  “I wanted to place an order for a few dozen cupcakes. Is this a good time?”

  Didn’t Megan say that isn’t his type of thing to do?

  “Of course. Just give me a moment to grab my laptop.” And to grab some ice water. No matter what he said, his deep seductive tone was present. She knew it wasn’t on purpose. That was just how he spoke. Nonetheless, a scorching current rushed through every cell of her body every time he uttered a word. She didn’t know how she was going to concentrate on placing his order with his voice so close, as if he were really present in her shop.

  “Is it okay if I stop by instead?”

  Stop by? Her face flushed with heat at the notion of him striding in wearing a custom-made suit similar to the one he’d worn to the wedding—one that enhanced his manly physique. Her heart hammered rapidly against her chest and her skin crawled with anticipation. She wasn’t sure if she could handle being graced with his overbearing presence in her cozy bakery. Alone.

  “Um...sure you can stop by.” She picked up the icing bag once more to finish the last cupcake from that batch. There were two dozen more cooling on an adjacent prep station that needed to be done by noon.

  “I’ll be there soon.”

  “Okay...” She stopped abruptly as the chime of the doorbell sounded and her pulse raced. “Um...oh you meant really soon.”

  “I just rang the bell,” he stated matter-of-factly in a low, deep tone that was becoming nerve-racking in her ear.

  “I’ll be out front in a moment.” She pressed the end button on her phone just as the coffeemaker beeped. However, she no longer needed it. The fact that Broderick was there had awakened her and also flustered her more than she cared to admit to herself.

  Untying the apron from around her waist, she glanced down at her black velour jogging suit that had flour on the front of the jacket. She wiped it off with her hand but ended up making more of a mess. She took it off and flung it over a bar stool at the prep counter. Then she pushed the kitchen door open and stared straight into the eyes of Broderick, who stood on the other side of the glass door on the sidewalk about a hundred feet away. She’d been correct in her assumption that he would be strikingly dashing in a suit that did nothing to hide his fine, muscular body. The waves of his low cut, jet-black hair and freshly shaven beard gave him a ready-for-the-camera edge.

  As Tiffani neared the front door, she noticed her reflection in the glass and panicked. In her haste to let him in from the October morning chill, she’d forgotten she was wearing a hairnet over a messy ponytail. A scrumptious man stood outside her shop and she looked a hot mess. Dang, she could have at least appeared somewhat presentable. Not only that, she wasn’t wearing a bra under her pink tank top.

  Taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door and hoped the cool air wouldn’t place her nipples on display.

  “Good morning,” he said, passing through as she stood to the side and out of the way of the wind that rushed in along with his enticing scent.

  I was right, Tiffani thought as she closed and locked the door. His presence in her little bakery was indeed overpowering and commanding. This man belonged in a boardroom on the top floor of a skyscraper conducting meetings on how to make more millions, not ordering cupcakes from a place probably smaller than his bathroom.

  His eyes perused the shop for a moment before settling back on her. “Beautiful. Very beautiful, indeed. Reminds me of you.” He gazed around again, this time nodding his head as if he were an inspector.

  Tiffani barely stammered out a meek “thank you” while glancing around as well, as if for the first time. Hot pink walls that displayed blown-up pictures of desserts she’d made and turquoise drapes flanked either side of the glass wall at the front of the shop. On one side of the door was a booth decorated with an array of pastel toss pillows and on the other side, a window seat. A bookshelf on the adjoining wall housed classic children’s books and some of her favorite Harlequin romance novels. On the same wall was a long counter with a glass display that was empty at the moment, but it usually contained cupcakes, pastries and other treats. On the opposite side, eight wrought-iron bistro tables with three chairs each lined the wall. She’d wanted the atmosphere classy and inviting and thanks to Megan it was.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?” he asked, glimpsing at her hairnet.

  Geez. He looked at the hairnet. “No. Just baking as usual. You can have a seat, and I’ll grab my laptop.”

  She hurried into the kitchen and straight back to her office as her heart raced. Men never made her nervous, so she didn’t know why Broderick’s presence was driving her insane. Who was she kidding? She knew why. He was gorgeous, intriguing and downright sexy. Plus, she’d daydreamed about him so much yesterday that she’d burned a batch of chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies that KJ had requested for his teacher’s birthday.

  Tossing the hairnet on her desk, she removed the hairband and shook her curls loose around her shoulders. Exhaling, she grabbed her laptop and headed out to rejoin Broderick. When she returned, his eyes caught hers and an amused smile crossed his face as she sat in the chair in front of him.

  “So how many people are going to be at your party and when is it?” she asked in her most professional tone while opening her laptop to begin filling out the form.

  “About twenty to thirty and it’s Thursday at 7:00 in the evening at my home.”

  “So you need about three dozen cupcakes or was there another dessert you wanted?”

  A cocky grin inched up his right jawline, and he met her eyes in a heated gaze. She gulped as her breath caught in her throat. His hazy, seductive expression admitted he’d heard her words in a completely different way. She froze, waiting for an answer.

  He leaned in toward her. “As a matter fact there is something else I want,” he paused as his stare turned serious.

  “What?” she asked barely above a whisper. She held her body as still as possible to suppress possible shudders that resulted from the fear of him replying “you” as a response to what he wanted.

  “Your sweet potato pie.”

  Surely she’d misheard him.

  “Huh?”

  “I read over the list of other desserts you make, and I’d love to taste your sweet potato pie.”

  “Oh...sure...of course. How many?” she asked, attempting to keep her voice steady.

  “Just one. It’s for me.”

  Relieved that he wasn’t referring to her, Tiffani’s heartbeat slowed to a normal pace—or as normal as possible with him sitting there eyeing her like a hungry animal. “Okay, I’ll add that to your order.” She kept her eyes do
wncast on the computer screen. She could no longer meet his penetrating gaze. However, she had kind of hoped he was going to say “you.” “You want a variety like at the wedding?”

  “Yes, that’s fine. I saw on your website that you also deliver for an extra fee.”

  “Yes, one of my employees can deliver and set up around six o’clock. Does that time work for you?”

  “Um...sure,” he shrugged.

  They spent the next few minutes finishing up his order. She suddenly felt disappointed because she figured he’d soon be leaving. Closing her laptop, she folded her hands on the table. He seemed to be a really nice guy, and he wasn’t standoffish at all. Perhaps Megan had been wrong.

  “Thank you so much for ordering cupcakes for your get-together.”

  “You’re welcome. I like to help out small business owners...especially ones as beautiful as you.”

  “Mr. Hollingsworth...” Her face flushed with heat.

  “No, call me Broderick. And I meant what I said. You’re a beautiful woman. Can I share something with you?”

  “Sure.”

  “I don’t usually order food and whatnot for my events. My secretary or my housekeeper takes care of such things, but I wanted to see you and your sweet smile again.”

  She couldn’t help but smile wide followed by a giggle.

  “Yep, that’s the one.”

  Oh my goodness. I’m acting like a silly teenager with her first crush.

  She cleared her throat. “Thank you. You’re very sweet.”

  Broderick snickered. “Sweet? I’ve been called a lot of things, my dear, but sweet isn’t one of them.”

  Tiffani managed to stifle a gulp as his piercing stare raked over her bare neck and shoulders and down to the top of her cleavage. Heat rose in her cheeks at his perusal of her, and she felt her nipples hardening and pushing on her shirt. She realized she needed to change the subject and quick, especially when he bit his lower lip before resting his mesmerizing eyes back on her face.