by Maddie Wade
I sigh, it is impossible to be mad at Ben, he is just too nice. “No don’t be sorry, we kinda of thought you were. I mean Taylor told me every day that she thought you were gay, plus now I have a gay friend that will tell me if my outfit is horrible,” I say with a smile and a wink. “You will keep in touch, right?” I ask him as he pulls me closer for a hug.
“You bet. Where else am I going to get the best Cointreau truffles in London from?” he says as he wraps his arm around my shoulders. “And Brad is going to love you, I’ll bring him round I promise,” he says as we walk to the front of the shop. “I’ll let you get back to work. Bye, Taylor.” He looks over at her and then leaves.
Taylor looks at me. “You were right, he’s gay,” I tell her and there it is, the look that says I told you so, but surprisingly she stays quiet.
“So, this hot mess look you have going on I want to know about that,” she says raising her eyebrows at me. “But before you do, I told you so.” She smiles, pokes her tongue out, and turns to the customer that’s just walked through the door. I take a look at the window display to see if there is anything that needs to be replenished, as Taylor talks to the man, which is good it gives me some time to get my head together. I mean my legs are still weak, from that kiss. I touch my fingers to my lips, the ghost of feeling still lingers.
Drinking some water Taylor turns and looks at me.
“Fine, I’ll tell you. He kissed me, and I don’t mean a little quick kiss on the lips. I mean, a full-on hot kiss that even now just thinking about it, has me all hot and bothered,” I say, leaning back on the counter.
She looks at me her face is a picture of confusion. “Who kissed you?” she asks.
“Jackson, gay Jackson, hot guy at the bar Jackson. He kissed me,” I tell her.
“Hold on, you’ve started this story from the end, start this from the beginning.” She shakes her head at me, and I look at her, her arms are folded over her chest waiting for me to say something to her, so I begin and leave nothing out. How I was going to get coffee for us, what I saw in the coffee shop, and how he kissed me.
“Was it really that hot? Did your lady parts get excited? Could you feel his dick on you?” she asks. I knew she would ask these questions, I mean is there nothing else she can say to me about this?
“Really? That’s all you want to know, but nothing about the fact he’s gay with a daughter, a boyfriend, and kissing me.” I push myself off the counter.
“He said he’s not gay,” Taylor replies.
“Yeah, but I think he only said that because he got caught cheating, and he didn’t know what to do. I don’t know but I’ve seen him three times now getting very friendly with a guy, which all screams he’s gay.” I tell her, and not wanting to have this conversation I start walking to the back of the shop. “I’m going to make some white chocolate bars,” I shout back at her.
“And daydream about him licking it off you,” Taylor shouts back, and I shake my head as a smile appears on my lips.
Now that would be heaven.
*~*~*
I spend the rest of the afternoon in the back making treats ready for the morning. I wanted to stay out of Taylor’s way, so she wouldn’t ask more question, but that didn’t last very long, she kept coming back with a comment or two. I have to admit that some of them even had me laughing. My personal favourite was the one where she referred to Jackson as the wolf, her words were, ‘Come on Ash let’s forget Prince Charming for a change and date the wolf, even if he’s gay, he kissed you. The wolf will see you better, hear you better, and eat you better, just imagine the sex.’ That one had me thinking, but no matter how hot the kiss was, he has a daughter and I am not getting the middle of that.
Taylor came to annoy me a few more times, whenever she thought of a new comment. ‘Was he hard as a rock? Was it big?’ The questions were never-ending. I throw a handful of truffles at her, hitting her on the nose with one which made me laugh so hard, I had tears streaming from my eyes.
Finishing cleaning the kitchen and the whole back room, I head to the front of the store to clean up there ready to close.
“What are you doing here? Do you need to buy some chocolate for your boyfriend, because you have a guilty conscious?” I ask Jackson as he stops talking to Taylor and looks at me.
Taylor walks past me and whispers, “Take the wolf, take the wolf.” Grabbing a box, she turns back around, to walk back to the counter.
“My mum loves this place. I thought I would pick up some of her favourite truffles,” he says. I can see him trying very hard not to smile.
Great, he is good looking, a great kisser, a loving mummy’s boy, and gay. Just my freaking luck.
“Well happy to hear she has good taste,” I say taking the box from Taylor and wrapping a ribbon around it.
“Just like me.” I look up at him and he gives me a wink. “You ran away so quickly I didn’t even get a chance to say anything after that kiss, so….”
“So, nothing. I’m no home wrecker, and as you know I’m not really into gay men.” Placing the box into the bag, I ask in a saccharine sweet voice, “Would you like anything else, Sir?”
“Tinkerbell, I’m not gay, very far from it in fact. I’m more than happy to kiss you again to prove it.” He walks around to the side of the counter. “Because trust me, it would be entirely my pleasure,” he says.
“You give yourself way too much credit, it wasn’t all that. I’ve had better.” I smirk and put the bag between us. “As your mum is a fan, these are on the house,” I say.
His hand brushes mine as he takes the bag, and the electric shock makes me pull my hand away from him. He gives me a smile and his eyes hold mine for a second. My eyes move down to his lips, just remembering them on me brings a shiver through my body.
I take a step back. “Well I hope your mum enjoys the truffles,” I say walking back around the counter. I need to put some space between us.
He leaves the shop looking back a few times at me.
“He is not gay, I don’t care what you think you saw.” Taylor stands next to me. “That man walked out of here with a full hard-on,” she says, and I can’t help but laugh at her.
“What were you looking at?” I ask her, walking to the door and flipping the sign over to close up.
“His package, that’s the first thing you should be looking at too. Why are you not looking at it?” she asks, messing about with the cash drawer.
“Trust me, I know his package is good.” I’d felt it against my stomach when he kissed me, “You still up for the concert on Friday?” I ask her, once again changing the subject from Jackson.
“Yeah, we’ve not missed a year yet,” Taylor says taking her apron off. “Maybe we can find you a sexy man there.” She smiles at me then.
I don’t mind being the third wheel with her and Corey, as I love them both, but I know there are times she wants to go off with him to do things I won’t speak of, but she won’t because of me. “You know I don’t need a man to make me happy.” And on cue we both start singing the Pussycat Dolls song, laughing at the same time.
“I know you don’t, but BOB can only give you so much fun,” she says turning the lights off. BOB is my battery-operated boyfriend, and he does the job just fine.
“Shut up.” I give her a little push. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow,” I say,” as I start walking up the stairs to my apartment. Tonight, I need wine, and maybe BOB.
Grabbing a glass and the wine bottle I sit on the couch and pull my phone out of my pocket.
Ashley: Do you think that a gay man can be attracted to a woman?
I send sexy singer a message it’s so strange that I can talk so freely with someone that I’ve never even met before, and my phone beeps.
Sexy Singer: Yes, if they are as sexy as you.
I smile, as I see more dots appearing on the screen.
Sexy Singer: Did we go pole dancing today?
I start laughing. I might have to take him pole dancing if he keep
s asking me.
Ashley: No. I thought some jelly wrestling was in order today.
I start laughing.
Sexy Singer: Thanks for the picture, I’m sitting in front of my family with a huge smile now. What are you doing?
Ashley: Nothing. Been a long day, need the wine.
Sexy Singer: Why has it been a long day?
Ashley: Not long in work, broke up with my boyfriend, my friend was right he is gay. Then I met this guy at a bar and then found out he is gay, but then he kissed me today.
Filling my glass up again, I watch the dots appear then disappear on the message. Putting my phone on the table I head into the shower as it seems my sexy singer is busy at the moment.
Getting out of the shower, I throw a pizza in the oven and check my phone.
Sexy Singer: Maybe he’s not gay and you’ve misread it.
Ashley: He does keep saying he’s not gay.
Sexy Singer: See? Was he a good kisser?
I look at the message for a moment and think about the question. How can I like Jackson and this mysterious guy at the same time and tell him that I enjoyed the kiss so much?
Ashley: It was one of those kisses that made me lose feeling in my legs.
Sexy Singer: I bet I could make you forget your name.
Chapter 5
Jackson
I throw my phone on the bed and lie down, she thinks the kiss was amazing, it wasn’t just me that thought it. Tinkerbell is becoming an obsession, a sexy, beautiful obsession and I’m going to fuck it up if I keep this double texting up. There has to be a way for me to come out on the good side of this, I just have to find it. I’ve never really gone for women with tattoos or brightly coloured hair and I realise I’ve been playing it safe all this time.
Now I find myself in a predicament. Tinkerbell seems to like my alter ego through texting and yet in person she is convinced I’m gay, cheating on my boyfriend and our daughter. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she thinks Jake is my boyfriend. It’s laughable really. I need to find a way to make Ashely fall for the real Jackson not the text me.
Maybe if I can convince her to go out with me as friends, so I can prove to her that I’m not gay. I sit up, warming to the idea. Yes, I’ll call the shop tomorrow and ask her out as a friend, maybe even let her pick the date, something she wants to do. Of course, it would be easier to text her but ‘Jackson’ doesn’t have her number. Shit. How am I going to explain that I can’t give her my number? Getting off the bed, I walk around the room to think about what I can do. Buy a new phone in the morning? Then I remember the mobile I use for clients. I’ll give her that number.
Laying back down in bed, I switch off the light and my mind wonders to the kiss. It was the best kiss of my life and my dick hardens at the thought of all her soft, lush curves pressed against me. I want to run my tongue over the pattern of her tattoos. Turning over onto my side I try to ignore my almost painfully hard dick, so I can try to get some sleep.
Three long hours later I give in and take care of things quickly and efficiently, with the thought of Tinkerbell as my inspiration, because I know there was no way I was getting any sleep if I didn’t. I return to bed and within minutes I’m asleep.
*~*~*
I wake the next morning feeling like shit, like I have a sex hangover, if I feel like this without even touching her, what the hell am I going to be like when I do? My morning wood is at full mast which is no surprise because after I took care of him last night, I spent the whole night dreaming about her and the most erotic things you could do with chocolate. My poor cock is fully on board and ready for action. Looks like he didn’t get the memo about wooing the girl first, stupid prick.
I shower and ignore the poor thing and then head to the office. Despite my lack of sleep, I have a pep in my step and an eagerness to call Ashley. I wait until noon, as I don’t want to look like the stalker I’m turning into.
I watch the clock on my computer waiting for the time to change, going over what I’m going to say to her. I know that I have to talk fast, and not give her a chance to put the phone down.
I dial the number and wait.
“Good morning, Sweet Heaven, can I help you?”
Someone answers and I know it isn’t her, her voice is in my head all the time, I could tell her voice from a crowd without any trouble. “Good morning, may I speak to Ashley please?” I say. There is a silence on the line and I’m sure I hear an indrawn breath.
“Hold on a sec and I’ll go find her.”
“Thanks,” I reply and wait. A minute goes by and I wonder if she is going to refuse to speak to me, but she doesn’t know it’s me yet, maybe she is baking something in the back room or something.
“Hello, Ashley, speaking.” The sound of her sweet voice sends a shiver of pleasure through me.
“Ashley! Hi, it’s Jackson. Look, I want to apologise for yesterday and see if we could maybe go for a drink or something. You can choose. I just want to explain everything, and the fact is, I like you and we got off on the wrong foot, literally,” I say and laugh. I hear a faint giggle and hope flourishes in my throat. “So, what do you say? Will you go out with me?” I wait, I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head as she hesitates.
“I want to,” she starts, and I can hear the but coming, “but how do I know you’re telling the truth about your boyfriend?” she asks. I thought she might mention that, and I have my answer already planned.
“He isn’t my boyfriend,” I say through gritted teeth. God Jake would piss himself at this. “How about if I find a way to prove it to you?” I ask.
“Okay,” she answers. “If you can prove that you are in fact single and not gay, then I’ll go out with you, but I get to choose.”
“Perfect, here is my number.” I rattle off the number. “Call me when you’re satisfied, and we will arrange it,” I say, hoping that the door is finally opening for me.
“Okay, hopefully talk soon. Bye, Jackson.”
I hear the smile in her voice. “Bye, Tin,” I stop myself hopefully in time. “Bye Ashley,” I say and hang up. Way to go dick head, out yourself before you even have a chance to get to know her.
I sit with my arms behind my head and smile in satisfaction, this feels right. Now I just need to think of a way to convince her that Jake is my brother. I walk to the coffee pot and receive a glare from Lindy. Fuck knows what crawled up her ass this morning.
Plopping back down in my seat, an idea comes to me. The plan unfurls in my head and I smile, pick up the phone, and dial.
Chapter 6
Ashley
Making sure that I have all the chocolate bars level in the tray, I place them in the fridge to set. All morning I’ve been wondering what Jackson has planned to prove to me that he’s not gay. Taking my phone out of my pocket as it pings, I smile.
Sexy Singer: Did you think about me last night because the only person I dreamt about was you.
Ashley: If you look like Matt Bomer then yes, I did.
It’s even worse that I had to use BOB last night, because when I closed my eyes I could feel Jackson lips on me, and it was making my body heat up in ways that it hasn’t in a long time. God, I hope he can prove he’s not gay.
Sexy Singer: Then yes, I look like him :)
Ashley: When can we meet? I would like to put a face to the name.
I stare at the phone for a bit, the dots appear then they disappear, maybe his answer needs to be thought through first? Putting my phone on the counter, I get out some of the moulds to make some chocolate heart treats, and then I have an order for chocolate covered strawberries, which I need to get working on too.
“Hey, the white chocolate and raspberry truffles are selling like hot cakes,” Taylor says filling the tray with some more of them. I spent a week coming up with the recipe for them, and they are not one of my favourites. “Now that you are single, are we ready to give the hot sexy Jackson a shot, because I can already see that, that man knows his way around a woman,” Taylor puts
the tray down, “if you know what I mean.” She sticks her tongue out and makes a V with her fingers and starts licking between them.
“Do you ever think about anything but sex?” I ask her, trying very hard not to laugh as it will only make her do it more.
“You need to start thinking about it more,” she says as she walks back out to the front of the shop.
Shaking my head, I get back to melting the chocolate. I hear my phone vibrate on the counter.
Sexy Singer: Soon, trust me. I want your lips on mine.
Ashley: It’s not fair that you know what I look like, but I don’t have a clue what you look like.
Putting my phone back down, I wonder, if he has blond hair, brown hair, sexy blue eyes, or puppy dog brown eyes.
Sexy Singer: Image is coming now.
I wait for the image to upload, and I smile as I see a picture of Matt Bomer appear.
Ashely: So, I’m talking to Matt Bomer? That means that nothing can happen between us, I think I’m the wrong type for him.
Sexy Singer: No. I just look like him. Trust me you’re my type.
I don’t reply back to him, and continue to melt the chocolate, and finish up all the other things that I need to do this morning. I like to spend my afternoons in the front of the store, as I miss talking to customers. Back here it’s just me and it gets a little quiet, even with the music playing.
*~*~*
“What do you and Corey have planned tonight?” I ask, walking around the front of the counter to pick up the empty plates.
“Not much. I’m trying to get him to have a threesome…” I look up at her, I know that she is more adventurous with everything, Taylor’s bi-sexual so I know that she will go back and forth but a threesome, I never thought that. “Relax I’m joking, just wanted to make sure that you’re listening, you’ve been in a daze all day,” Taylor says, taking the plates from me.
“I have not. I’ve just had a busy morning that's all,” I tell her grabbing a bottle of water.
“Yeah, so you thinking about Jackson has nothing to do with it?” She winks at me, I hate her sometimes.
