“Coffee please,” he replied.
As she poured his coffee, he looked at the different pastries and chocolates she had on display. It was better than any bakery he had been to. This was more of a goody shop than a plain old bakery. She set his coffee cup beside the to-go box and rang him up. After paying, he wasn’t in a rush to leave. Her smile had him drawn in like a mosquito to a bug light. She was beautiful. Her chestnut brown hair had strands of gray that shone like glitter when it caught the light from the window.
“You have a wide variety of sweets and breads,” he commented.
“You have to have variety to stay in business these days. My grandfather only sold bread like generations before him. My mother added pies when she took over, and I added sweet treats to the mix.” Suddenly, she closed her mouth. “I’m sorry, I seem to be rambling.”
“You did well by adding the treats. I never realized this place was here,” he commented, trying to stay in her presence just a little longer.
“It’s been here for generations,” she told him. “You just haven’t been looking close enough.”
“I won’t overlook it again.”
He needed to get to work, but he’d definitely be back. It wasn’t until he was on the way to Heads N’ Tails that he realized he didn’t get her name. What he really wanted to do was cancel his date for tonight and ask out the woman at the bakery. Being a man of his word, he’d go on that date tonight. Without the promise of a second date, he could go back to Bite My Bagel and ask the baker out himself.
Five
BJ was wiping down the tables when Annette and Braelynn came bouncing in like youthful school girls. BJ admired their youthful energy.
“Put down the rag,” Braelynn ordered. “It’s time to get ready for your date.”
“That’s not until 7:30. I don’t close the bakery for another hour,” BJ protested.
“Not today.” Annette flipped the sign to say closed. “Today you’re going to let us treat you.”
“For what? I’m not a girly girl,” BJ admitted.
“You haven’t been on a date in years. Let us do this for you,” Braelynn pleaded.
“Fine, but I swear if you two try and put curlers in my hair I’ll strangle you.” BJ pointed at each one in turn.
“We promise, no curlers,” Annette agreed.
“We have something better planned,” Braelynn grinned. “Come on or we’ll be late for our appointment.”
“Appointment?” BJ questioned.
“I talked Ronan into getting us reservations at Cherise’s Spa,” Braelynn told her. “It’s not a full complete body work up with a massage, but it’s pampering none the less.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Oh, don’t start thanking her yet,” Annette laughed.
“I have a feeling I’m not going to like this.” BJ grabbed her keys and left the bakery with Annette and Braelynn, locking the doors behind them.
On the way to the spa BJ tried prying information from Annette and Braelynn about what they had planned. She hated surprises of any kind. She’d rather know what she was getting into.
“It will be fun. We’re all going to do it together,” Braelynn said, pulling into the parking lot across from the spa.
“Let’s get this over with.” BJ got out of the car. “What’s first on the agenda?”
“Waxing,” Braelynn said as she held open the door to the spa.
“What?” BJ’s eyes widened. “I barely have any hair on my legs as it is.”
“It’s not for your legs.” Braelynn grinned. “Well, not just your legs.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be shitting me!”
“It was all Braelynn’s idea,” Annette admitted with her hands up in surrender.
“Oh, I’m sure this is all her doing.” BJ rolled her eyes as they approached the counter.
“Good evening, Mrs. Styles,” a woman greeted Braelynn. “We have a room all set up for you lovely ladies.”
“Thank you, Yvette.” Braelynn looked back at BJ and winked.
“Just follow Vivian, and she’ll get you all settled.” Yvette motioned toward Vivian as she came closer.
Vivian led them to a room with three massage beds set up a few feet from each other. White sheets covered each one, and pink robes were laid out across them. Shit just got real, BJ admitted to herself.
“We normally do this in separate rooms, on more comfortable beds,” Vivian told them. “Undress at least from your waist down, put on the robes, and climb on the beds. All heads facing the center of the room.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” BJ said once Vivian walked out.
“Your date will love it.” Braelynn unbuttoned her pants and pulled them off.
“Not tonight he won’t.” BJ kicked off her shoes. She slipped the robe on then stripped her pants and panties off.
“Is this about the guy from this morning?” Annette asked, changing into her robe.
“What guy?” Braelynn asked as they climbed onto the beds.
There was a knock on the door before BJ could answer Braelynn. The door opened and three women came in, each holding a tray of supplies. They instructed them on how to lay.
“The things I do for you girls.” BJ’s breath hitched when the cold cleaning spray touched her skin. “Never thought I’d be on a table with a woman between my legs other than my gyno.”
The warmth of the wax wasn’t as hot as BJ expected. She knew the time was coming to rip that sucker off and she wasn’t looking forward to it. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
“Whoa! What the fuck?” BJ yelled out as the first stripe was ripped off. “You two actually enjoy this?”
“It has its benefits,” Annette laughed.
“It’s torture, that’s what it is.” BJ took a deep breath and waited for the next strip to come off.
“Just relax,” Braelynn insisted. “Tell me about that guy Annette mentioned earlier.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” BJ shrugged. “I don’t know anything about him, but damn, he was good looking. His eyes were glacier blue. His hair flowed passed his shoulders. A lot like Dave’s hair was, but different colors.”
“Maybe he’ll come in again.”
“What would I do with a man like that? He had to be in his early thirties at the latest. What would he want with an old broad like me?” BJ hissed as another strip came off.
“BJ, you still have a lot to offer,” Annette told her.
“It doesn’t matter, I didn’t get his number. Hell, I didn’t even get his name. All I can do is hope he comes in again. Besides, I have a date already.”
“It’s just one date,” Annette reminded her.
“Consider it practice for when the man you really want pops up.” Braelynn smiled through her own torture. “What are you going to wear?”
“I have some dresses you can look through,” Annette offered.
“I’m not putting on a damn dress. That’s not me, and I won’t pretend it is. I have a nice outfit to wear.”
Once their torture was over, they each got a manicure. Annette and Braelynn agreed to be at the restaurant having dinner at the same time as BJ’s date. Though BJ was sure it was out of pure curiosity rather than being her back-up in case something went wrong.
They dropped BJ back off at the bakery. She went straight upstairs to her apartment. She still had plenty of time before her date. A long hot shower is what she needed. Hopefully, it would take away the sting from the torture session. Once she was out of the shower, she dried off and pulled out her pants outfit.
Before getting dressed, BJ put lotion on her legs. She had to admit her legs were smoother than she’d ever gotten by shaving. It would be a shame to cover her legs with pants. BJ went to her closet and flipped through her clothes until she came across a black skirt. She hadn’t worn a skirt in years. She was surprised when it slipped easily over her hips. The skirt made her feel sexy. Now, she needed a shirt that made her feel sexy too. She
had the perfect one in mind, a green silk blouse that showed off her cleavage. After checking herself out in the mirror, BJ left her apartment through the bakery.
****
BJ used the membership card Annette gave her to get to the restaurant at Heads N’ Tails. The elevator ride up to the eighteenth level had her nerves rising. She wasn’t nervous about going to the restaurant more about going on a date after years of being alone. Especially with someone she hadn’t met before.
“Welcome to Heads N’ Tails,” the hostess greeted her. “How many?”
“I have a reservation under Elwood,” BJ told her.
“The other member of your party has already arrived. Follow me.” The hostess turned and led her through the restaurant.
BJ spotted Annette and Braelynn having drinks at a table near the bar. She hoped they would stay in view when she got to her table. The thought vanished the second she saw her customer from this morning sitting at a table looking straight at her. His lips were apart. Was the surprised look on his face good or bad? Earlier at the bakery, she thought he was into her. Now she wasn’t too sure. Maybe she was just too old for him. As she approached the table, he stood up. He walked to the other side of the table and pulled a chair out for her.
“Thank you,” she spoke softly as she sat down.
“It’s a nice surprise to see you again.” He sat down across from her. “I’m Darrow Forester. People just call me Dare.”
“Betty Jean Elwood,” she introduced herself. “I prefer to be called BJ though.”
“BJ it is.” He smiled.
A waitress came by and took their drink orders. BJ kept looking across the table at Dare as he looked over the menu. His hair hung low in his face. He caught her looking and smiled.
“I’m actually really surprised you’re my date for tonight,” BJ said honestly.
“Why is that?” he asked.
“To be honest, I was expecting someone older. More my age.” She shrugged.
“I’ve been told I look good for my age.” He smiled, flashing his pearly whites. “I’m not as young as you may think.”
“How old are you then?” BJ asked.
“I’m only 53 years young.”
“No, you’re not!” BJ looked at him in disbelief. “You look to be in your early thirties. You’re just trying to make me feel better.”
“I swear it,” he laughed. “Shifters age slower. It compensates for our longevity.”
“Are you immortal?”
“No, just age slower than humans. I hope to still have 100 years left,” Dare explained.
“Wow, I can’t imagine living to be 150 years old.”
“If I aged the way humans do, I wouldn’t want to either.”
The waitress came by with their drinks and took their food order. Conversation continued the moment she stepped away from the table. BJ couldn’t believe her luck. What were the chances that he would walk into her bakery on the same day as their blind date with each other?”
“What made you come to the bakery this morning?” she asked him.
“Gerri told me about your amazing cinnamon rolls and suggested I stop for one,” he told her.
“I figured Gerri had something to do with it,” she admitted. “What is it you do for a living?”
“I’m a carpenter who specializes in wood carving. Right now, I’m working on the twelfth level of Heads N’ Tails.”
“Annette was talking about that one the other day. She said it should be open in a couple of weeks.”
“That’s the plan.” Dare nodded. “I’ll have to bring you by once all the carving is done.”
“That’d be nice.” She smiled, and her cheeks warmed. That meant he had to see her again.
“How do you know Annette?”
“I’ve known Annette since she was little. I used to babysit her and her friend Braelynn,” she explained.
“I met Annette when Tony brought her in to see the place.”
The waitress brought their food to the table. Conversation flowed as easily as a waterfall. They took turns telling each other a little about themselves. BJ stayed clear of mentioning Dave. Talking about her late husband would certainly kill the mood.
When their plates were cleared the waitress came back to take their plates, leaving a dessert menu on the table in their place. BJ wasn’t ready for the night to end. It’d been a long time since she had enjoyed the company of a man. She looked over the menu, but kept thinking that once they were done with dessert the date would be over.
“You said my bakery was on your way home, right?” The question popped out before BJ had much chance to think about it.
“Yes, why?” he asked.
“Because I made a cheesecake that I’m dying to cut into.”
“Cheesecake sounds perfect,” he agreed. “I wouldn’t want you to suffer any longer than you already have.”
Dare paid the bill, leaving extra for a tip. He came around the table and pulled her chair out, offering his arm as she stood. On the way out, BJ looked toward Annette and Braelynn. They had massive grins and were giving her the thumbs up.
****
BJ drove back to her bakery. She glanced in her rearview mirror to make sure Dare was still behind her. Her stomach did flips the closer they got to her building. BJ parked in back in the small parking cove behind the buildings. She quickly got out and walked to the front. Dare parked in front of her bakery. He was getting out of his truck as she rounded the corner of the building. The streetlight lit up the front of her building, making it easy to unlock the door. Once they were both inside, she locked the door so no one would think the bakery was open.
“I’ll get a pot of coffee going.” BJ dropped her keys on the counter and turned on the lights in the kitchen area.
While the coffee was brewing, she went to the walk-in refrigerator to pull out the cheesecake. She hadn’t put on any toppings since Annette and Braelynn had her close early.
“What topping would you like? I have strawberry, blueberry, and cherry.” She came out of the walk-in and placed the cheesecake on the counter.
“I’ve always been a sucker for strawberries.” He stepped closer to her. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You can grab two plates.” She pointed to the shelf above the coffeemaker.
She grabbed the strawberry topping from the walk-in refrigerator. Dare pulled two small plates from the shelf and set them by the cheesecake. BJ drizzled the strawberry topping on the cheesecake. As soon as the coffee pot finished brewing, Dare poured them both a cup of coffee while she cut two pieces of cheesecake and set them on the plates.
“Wow, that looks delicious.” He handed her a mug.
“Wait until you taste it.” She handed him a fork and took a bite of her own cheesecake. Dare took a bite and let out a moan.
“I believe this is the best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted,” he commented.
“Thanks, I’m glad you like it.” She sipped on her coffee then took another bite.
“You know I almost canceled our date tonight.” Dare took a bite of his cheesecake.
“Why would you do that?” Her heart dropped.
“So, I could come in here and ask you out in the morning.” He winked at her.
“Really?” Relief flooded over her.
“Yeah, I don’t use dating services or anything like that ever. Bryan and Tony insisted I give it a try. Then when Geri suggested I come here. I knew the moment I saw you I wanted to ask you out. I would have done it then but I had this blind date.”
“I hope your blind date didn’t turn out too bad.” She shoved a bite of cheesecake in her mouth to keep from saying something stupid. Instead, strawberry glaze dripped down her lip.
“I think it turned out great. Here, let me get that.” Dare stepped closer to her.
He slowly wiped the glaze off her chin with his thumb. He moved in closer, bending down so he was on her level. His lips captured hers, taking the strawberry glaze from her lower lip. She
didn’t want the kiss to end. It seemed like forever since she’d been kissed. Her body melted into his as he deepened the kiss. It was a kiss unlike any other. It was a first kiss that beat all other first kisses. With that realization, her heart sank. Was this first kiss better than her first kiss with Dave? BJ slowly broke away from the kiss.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he wiped away a tear from her cheek.
“I’m sorry.” BJ turned away quickly. She grabbed some napkins from the other counter while she got herself in check.
“It’s okay, what’s wrong?” His concern was written all over her face. “I thought the kiss was marvelous.”
“It’s not that.” She sat the napkins by their plates. “Truth is I’m not in very good practice.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” Dare smiled at her.
“What I mean is, it’s been over five years since I’ve kissed anyone.” BJ hadn’t planned on talking about Dave but since her emotions were leaving her no choice, she might as well spill it now. “I was married for 22 years.”
“What happened? I’m assuming you aren’t married anymore.”
“No, I’m not. He died in a motorcycle wreck five years ago.”
“I’m sorry, BJ.” He took her hands. “If you’re not ready to start dating again. I completely understand. Sarah, my late wife, died twenty years ago in a fire. Tonight, is my first date since. I understand your grief.”
“I’m sorry to hear about Sarah. I guess we have more in common than I thought.” She looked up at him.
“We can take things as slow as you would like.” He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.
“Thanks for understanding.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.
Dare helped her wash up the plates, then they sat down for another cup of coffee. They sat there and talked over coffee for another hour before Dare decided it was time for him to leave. He didn’t try to push her into doing anything. He even asked her about Dave. She felt like she could tell Dare anything. BJ walked him to the bakery door. She knew he had to get sleep before work the next morning, but she didn’t want him to leave. As he walked out the door, he turned back to her.
Bite My Bengal: Paranormal Dating Agency (Heads N' Tails Book 3) Page 3
