The Holiday Sweet Spot: An opposites attract, gorgeous, feel-good romantic comedy (Falcons in Love Book 2)

by Sophia Knightly

  Her lips curved upward as she peeked at him beneath the sweep of lush sable lashes. “Not me, but I think you are.”

  “You’re right,” he confirmed.

  Charmed by the guileless smile hovering on her lips, Jake went to the bar and came back bearing two tall glass mugs filled with boozy concoctions.

  “Thanks.” She sipped her drink through a straw, then dipped it in the marshmallow meringue and scooped some out. She licked the creamy topping and sighed dreamily.

  A stab of lust jabbed Jake so intensely he had to look away.

  “Mmmm, so yummy,” she crooned, oblivious to her rousing effect on him. “Did you like working in The Sweet Spot today?”

  “I did. I’m impressed by how much candy we made in one day. It’s making a lot of dentists rich in this town.”

  “Don’t be a Scrooge,” she quipped.

  He shook his head. “No Scrooge here. I saw how hard the employees work, and I enjoyed getting to know them better. I have a greater appreciation of their situation because of you.”

  She tipped her head to the side. “Me?”

  “Yeah, if you hadn’t pointed out their circumstances, I wouldn’t have realized it. It’s a good thing Mom’s hosting the employee party this Sunday. Gracie looks like she’s about to pop.”

  “Her baby will be here soon,” Pilar predicted, her eyes bright with anticipation. “I can’t wait to see her baby girl. I love babies.”

  “I can see that,” he said, enjoying her enthusiasm. She had put in a long day’s work, yet her face glowed with fresh enchantment at the thought of Gracie’s baby being born.

  “My sister Erica called this morning to tell me that my brother Gabe and his wife, Lily, are having their second baby. We’re all ecstatic about it.”

  “I’ll bet. My mom would be over the moon if I ever gave her a grandkid.”

  “Ever?” Pilar’s brow wrinkled as she eyed him thoughtfully. “Don’t you want kids—ever?”

  “Someday, but with my current schedule, it wouldn’t work. Kids want and need their parents around. I always looked forward to the days my dad was in town. Those days were like holidays for me.” She looked saddened by his admission, so he changed the subject. “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

  “Three. Gabe, Erica and Nico. We’re all different in personalities, but we’re close. Sometimes we fight and bicker, but there’s a lot of love between us.”

  “You’re lucky to have a big family.”

  She smiled. “Maybe you’ll meet them someday.”

  “I’d like that very much.” He picked up the menu and handed it to her. “I’ll bet you’re hungry. Let’s order some tapas. Choose what you like and make sure it’s enough to carry us for the evening.”

  “OK.” She gave him a curious look. “But why does it need to carry us for the evening?”

  “We have tickets to see the nine o’clock “Christmas Show” at Radio City Hall.”

  Her eyes lit up like sparklers. “The show with the Rockettes?”

  When he nodded, she let out an eager squeal like a little kid.

  Jake laughed. “I’m glad you’re excited about it. I haven’t seen the show since I was 12.”

  “That long? What prompted you to go now?”

  “You.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her bright smile illuminating the room.

  Jake gazed at her, entranced by her exotic almond eyes and very glad that they were in a secluded booth. The molten depths of her dark eyes reeled him in, and his gaze dipped to her mouth. Her pink tongue darted out and licked her lips. He had to taste her sweetness.

  He took the drink from her hands and set it on the table, then leaned in and nuzzled the side of her neck. His lips brushed against her warm, fragrant skin. He inhaled her sweet, seductive scent, the combination of rum and caramel igniting a fierce hunger inside him.

  She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, giving him access to the downy spot behind her ear. Her breasts rose and fell with shallow pants as his lips trailed along her silken jawline. When his mouth hovered at her lips, she watched him with languorous dark eyes.

  Her cheeks were tinged pink and they felt incredibly soft in his hands as he cradled her face. His lips met hers gently, but firmly, pressing kisses on the lovely contours. He grazed her cupid bow’s upper lip and nipped at her fleshy lower one, pulling it into his mouth for a quick suck. A halting moan slid from her mouth and lust blazed through his veins.

  “I want to taste you,” he murmured against her mouth. He wanted to do more than taste, he wanted to devour her. He savored every inch of her honeyed lips until she parted them, and he slid his tongue inside, commencing a voluptuous exploration that had her moaning into his mouth.

  Moments later, he pulled back and gazed at her swollen, pleasure-stung lips and imagined how gorgeously sated she’d look after he made love to her.

  Chapter 8

  When he returned from his morning run in Central Park, Jake heard his mother call out, “Morning, Jake! Come join me for breakfast.”

  He popped his head in the kitchen and said, “I will after I shower.”

  “How about a cheese omelet, bacon and toast?” Emily offered with a happy smile. She opened the refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs and a package of bacon.

  “That sounds great. Thanks.”

  He continued down the hall, humming a tune until he realized it was “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” He stopped abruptly, his upper lip curled at the irony. Pilar’s Christmas cheer was rubbing off on him. If he didn’t watch out, he’d end up a soft-hearted sap humming corny Christmas carols, but he had to admit, he’d had a lot of fun with her last night.

  The exotic beauty had been on his mind since he first met her and after last night, he craved more of her. He recalled how she’d melted into him when he’d kissed her, her opulent mouth pliable beneath his as he’d taken his pleasure tasting her. She’d matched his ardor and by the time they left the bar, her lips looked bee-stung from his deep, passionate kisses.

  After they’d gotten back from the show, he’d restlessly tossed and turned in bed, aroused and unable to sleep knowing that she was in the room next to his.

  Passing the open guestroom, he looked in and noticed the bed was neatly made. She’d left early this Saturday morning, and he hadn’t had a chance to see her yet. He was already planning another outing tonight to snatch some alone time with her.

  The smell of frying bacon propelled him to take a quick shower and don jeans and a flannel shirt. Pulling a crew necked sweater over his damp hair, he headed for the kitchen, eager for breakfast. Mom’s good cooking was a huge perk of coming home.

  She knew him well, indulging his craving for protein by offering an omelet and bacon instead of her specialty, buttermilk pancakes with wild blueberry compote.

  “Sit down, hon. Everything’s ready,” Emily said when he walked in. She plated the omelet and bacon she had kept warm in the oven and buttered two slices of toasted multigrain bread. She carried it to the counter and set it down beside a large glass of orange juice. “Dig in. I’ll brew us some coffee.”

  “Thanks, Mom. There’s nothing like your home cooking,” Jake said, cutting into the fluffy, golden omelet with anticipation. It was exactly what his body craved after the grueling morning run.

  “You’re welcome. You know I enjoy doing it.” She joined him at the counter with two mugs of steaming coffee and sat beside him.

  He lifted a mug to his lips. “So good,” he said, drinking deeply of her perfectly brewed strong coffee.

  “Where did you take Pilar last night?” Emily asked.

  “I took her to the Midnight Blue Lounge for drinks and dinner, and then we went to the Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall.”

  Emily’s eyes radiated joy. “You did? How festive of you.”

  Jake nodded, pleased with his selections. “She loved all of it. You should have seen her face at the show when Santa came out with the Rockettes. She litera
lly bounced in her seat with excitement.”

  Emily smiled. “I love how genuine she is. The team has come to respect our Chef Pilar. She’s a born leader that one—creative, talented and direct, but calm and kind to her co-workers. She draws people to her. Even quirky Myla, who’s in her own world most of the time, gets along great with her.”

  Jake remained silent as she rained praises on Pilar. He didn’t add anything, or his mother would get ahead of herself.

  “They’re going to miss her when she’s gone.” She paused slyly. “Will you?”

  “We all will.”

  Emily sipped her coffee thoughtfully. “I wonder why she left so early this morning. Saturdays are for sleeping in, except for certain diehard athletes who jog at an ungodly hour,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Suzette is still curled up on her little pouf. It’s too cold for her to go outside. She’s getting up in years like I am.”

  “Just think,” Jake said, seizing the moment to change the subject from Pilar. “Next year at this time, we’ll be in sunny Naples instead of freezing New York.”

  She set her mug down squinted at him. “Why are you bringing that up now?”

  Jake made a project of spreading apricot jam on his toast and avoiding her shrewd gaze. “It’s time you stopped working so hard and started having fun,” he said, keeping his tone light.

  “Who says I’m not having fun while I work?” Emily countered.

  “Mom,” he said patiently. “We’ve already gone over the reasons why you need to retire. Ideally next month.”

  “Please refresh my aging memory,” she said in a frosty tone.

  He heaved a sigh. “It’s time to sell The Sweet Spot. We both know the reasons why.” He bit into the toast and let her digest what he’d said.

  She pushed back from the counter and got up. Agitated, she paced the kitchen and then turned to him with narrowed eyes. “What’s the rush? This week has brought the best sales to date. Ever since Pilar arrived, business is booming—better than usual.” She stopped pacing and jabbed her pointer finger in the air. “Could be incidental, but I think that lovely girl brought us some magic.”

  Jake gave a short laugh. “Pilar may be a Christmas angel, but she can’t work miracles. Don’t look at me like that. I’ve seen the numbers for the past years,” he reminded her when she fixed him with an obstinate stare.

  “The past few years were a challenge with your father’s declining health,” she reminded him.

  “That’s true,” he conceded gently. “You were stressed to the max physically and emotionally. But to make a real profit you have to expand the business, and when we last spoke about it, you were against it.”

  “I still am. If we expand, we run the danger of losing our brand appeal. Our customers love The Sweet Spot because it’s a boutique and an experience. They go to it seeking a whimsical escape, not just for the artisan chocolates.”

  “True, but the competition is exploding all over the city. Chocolatiers are outsourcing and having their chocolates made in Brooklyn to cut costs. You need more volume and scale to offset the rising price of supplies, cacao and shipping. It has skyrocketed this year.”

  “Yes, but if we come up with a strategy to—”

  “There’s also the issue of the rent,” he cut in before she started brainstorming. His mind was set. It was high time she saw reason. He knew his father would agree with him. “Who knows how long you’ll be able to hang onto the sweetheart lease deal with Tom?”

  She went silent, but the unsinkable Emily Radcliffe wasn’t easily deterred. The shrewd gleam in her eyes told him her mind was fervently working to find a way to keep the shop open and double her profits.

  “Don’t you want to move down to Naples and begin enjoying life?” he said pleasantly.

  “I do love Naples, but I’m not ready to retire and live there full time.”

  “Changes take adjustments, but you’ll be happier in the long run,” he said in an encouraging, but decisive tone.

  “This is too sudden. I don’t want to pack up everything in three weeks and move. I’m not ready to put my home on the market either. What if I decide I don’t want to live in Naples? I’ll have lost my beautiful home.”

  “You can hold off on that if you like,” he said reasonably.

  “You’re darn right I will,” she huffed. “Where were you planning for me to live in Naples? The high season starts in January. It will be near impossible to find a decent rental. Everything is booked a year in advance.”

  “There are always cancellations. I’m sure a good realtor will be able to come up with a nice place for you.” He got up and put his arm around her, feeling her stiffen. “Mom, I don’t mean to upset you, but I have limited time to help you with the move before I leave. I set aside these next few weeks to make your transition as smooth as possible.”

  “That barely gives us enough time to get through the holidays. Can you work remotely?”

  “Unfortunately, I can’t. I need to get back to Shanghai. I’m very close to closing the deal in Asia.”

  “What are your plans after that?” she demanded. “Are you ever going to put down roots?”

  He shrugged. “Someday, but when this deal goes through, I’ll be developing my new health monitoring app. I already have interested investors for it.”

  She sniffed. “I appreciate your efforts to help me, and I realize you have a demanding global career. But put yourself in my shoes. I’ve built this business from the ground up for 25 years with the help of my employees.”

  “I realize that.”

  “Yet, you want me to drop everything here and run down to Naples,” she continued heatedly. “What about my team?” Her eyes flashed with indignation. “I can’t—and won’t—sweep the carpet out from under them.”

  “Don’t worry. I plan to make the transition smooth for them, including helping them find employment elsewhere,” Jake assured her, gently squeezing her shoulder.

  “You’re making a lot of promises.” Emily’s chin shot up and her lips pressed together in a tight line. Jake knew that look meant she was going to fight his idea tooth and nail. “I am not going to run out on my loyal team. They depend on me, and they trust me. Your father might have bequeathed his half of the shares to you, but I own the other half.”

  The sound of the front door chime signaled Pilar’s arrival. “We’ll continue this discussion later,” Emily uttered in a harsh whisper.

  Pilar wandered into the kitchen with a radiant smile on her face. Her wide eyes gleamed like black diamonds in a face tinged pink from the cold. The captivating dimple in her cheek winked at him, and he wondered how soon he could get her alone for more kisses.

  “Good morning,” she said cheerfully.

  “Morning,” Jake answered. Pilar’s arrival was the burst of fresh air they needed to clear the high tension in the room, Jake thought, glancing at his tense mother.

  “Good morning, dear,” Emily said quietly.

  Pilar’s brow furrowed as she looked from Emily to Jake. “I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?”

  “No, not at all,” Emily said, summoning a smile. “Have you eaten breakfast?”

  “Yes, before I went out,” Pilar said. “I love walking in the city early in the morning.”

  “You two are such early birds. Jake just got back from jogging in the park,” Emily said. “Help yourself to some coffee. I made a fresh pot. I’m going to take Suzette for a walk, and then I have to leave.”

  “Where are you going?” Jake said.

  “I’m going to check on Choco Bear and make sure he’s well enough to come to the party tomorrow.”

  Emily wasn’t fooling Jake—she could easily check on Choco Bear with a phone call. He knew his wily mom too well. Most likely, she had a plan up her sleeve and was hoping to enlist the help of her longtime friend and ally.

  “Please tell him I hope he gets better soon,” Pilar said.

  “I will.” Emily smiled at Pilar. “What are you planning to do to
day?”

  “I need to get everything for tomorrow’s dinner party. Where is the best place to buy groceries nearby?”

  “There’s a Whole Foods a few blocks from here,” Jake said. “I’ll take you there and help carry the groceries back.”

  “Thanks, I’d appreciate that.” Pilar sent him a warm smile—one that wasn’t lost on Emily. Jake noticed how she eyed the two of them speculatively.

  “The wine will be delivered this afternoon, but I’ll be back by then,” Emily said. “Jake will pay for the groceries from my account. Also, Aletha, my housekeeper will come early tomorrow to help you set up. And she’ll serve and clean up afterward so you can enjoy the party as a guest.”

  “That’s very thoughtful of you,” Pilar said. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. See you later,” Emily said before she left the room.

  Jake patted the barstool beside him. “Come sit with me. Do you want some coffee?”

  “No, thanks. I’m good.” Pilar took off her gloves and beanie and laid them on the counter as she sat beside him. She ran her fingers through her hair. The long strands of silky straight hair glistened like satin ribbons under the bright kitchen lights.

  A vision of kissing her flashed in Jake’s mind as he gazed at her luscious mouth. The sweet softness of those lips, the silky feel of her tongue, her honeyed taste—remembering those intoxicating sensations set his senses ablaze. Instantly aroused, he looked away.

  “Did I walk in on something earlier?” Pilar said, touching his forearm. “Your mom assured me that I didn’t, but I got the feeling she was upset.”

  “She is.” Jake pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a labored breath. “I had a tough and sensitive discussion with her about selling The Sweet Spot.”

  “Oh.” Pilar’s anxious eyes searched his, waiting for him to elaborate.

  “She’s still resisting the idea, but we’re running out of time. She has an emotional attachment to the years she put into building her business, and she’s worried about how it will affect her employees when she sells it.”

  “That’s understandable, Jake,” Pilar said sympathetically.