Page 26 of A Love So Sweet
“Chaz. I called to see if you’d gone in early. I wanted to surprise you.”
“Sneaky. I like that. You’re very good at surprises, by the way.” She took a sip and closed her eyes, savoring the taste. “Mm-mm. Delicious.” When she opened them, Treat’s hungry gaze bored into her.
“The way you just looked?” He made a greedy, utterlymalesound. “Thatwas delicious.”
She giggled and hugged him.
“Better be careful pressing your gorgeous body against me.” He gave her a seductive look. “I’ve got several weeks of fantasizing about you built up inside me.”
“Sorry,” she whispered as she stepped back. She wrinkled her nose and said, “Not really.”
He hauled her against him and said, “Me either,” before taking her in a penetrating kiss that she felt all the way to her toes.
“I’m not going to be able to walk down the stairs if you keep kissing me like that.”
He chuckled. “I know you’re in a hurry, but I couldn’t wait another minute to see you. Overnight was far too long.”
She sighed, wishing she had more time.
“I’ll walk you to your car.” On the way down, he handed her the bakery bag. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I brought you a few choices.”
She peered into the bag, surveying the muffins and croissants. “These look amazing. Do you want some?”
“Yes.” He winked and said, “But not what’s in that bag.”
“Oh boy,” she said breathily. “I’m supposed to work all day withthatlook in my head?” She reached into the bag as her feet hit the pavement. “Hm. I notice there’s nothing chocolate in here.”
“I might have stacked the deck in my favor.” He set his coffee on the roof of her car and took her keys to unlock her door.
“Ah, no substitutes for the real thing, huh?” Tingles of anticipation climbed up her chest. She’d dreamed about him all night. Dark, erotic dreams about his hands and mouth all over her and hers all over him. The kind of dreams that, if she were awake, would have made her entire body blush. She’d woken up hot and bothered, and now, as she thought about them again, she felt the tightening of arousal low in her belly.
“Look under the napkins.”
She reached into the bag, and beneath the pastries and napkins she found a chocolate croissant. She held it up for him to take a bite. “A hidden crutch?”
“I’ll never pressure youorleave you hanging. But where you’re concerned, I can’t help dreaming big.”
TREAT PACED BY the windows in his father’s home office later that afternoon while on a conference call, discussing the possible acquisition of a resort in Brewster, Massachusetts, that he’d had his eye on for several years. The Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club was the largest luxury resort on the Cape and had been owned by the same family for more than twenty-five years. It was only a short drive from Treat’s property in Wellfleet. He’d tried to acquire the resort on multiple occasions, but the family was hell bent on keeping it in their hands. Treat had it on good authority that the family would be shifting their focus to international properties in the next twelve months, making it the perfect time for him to get a foot in the door before they had a chance to go public. He’d spent the day completely immersed in logistics, legalities, and finances as he considered both the Ocean Edge Resort and the Thailand resort.
After dinner, he helped his father and Rex with the evening ranch chores, finding that he enjoyed getting his hands dirty again, but the evening still ticked by too slowly. It took all his willpower not to drive over to the fairgrounds just so he could see Max sooner.
Once his father turned in for the night and Rex took off for who knew where, Treat finally headed over to Max’s apartment. She answered the door looking radiant. Her hair framed her beautiful face in lustrous waves. She wore a pair of dark jeans tucked into knee-high leather boots and a soft gray sweater. A long silver necklace with a heart charm hung between her breasts. On anyone else the simple outfit might look just that—simple. But Max had a gentle and overwhelming beauty. She could be wrapped in a burlap bag and make it look exquisite. Her smile climbed up her delicate features, bringing stars to her eyes as Treat reached for her hand, drawing her into his arms, and she went up on her toes, her smile widening as their mouths came together wordlessly, passionately.
Desperately.
When they parted, her cheeks were brighter, her lips glistening pink. He’d never seen Max wear lipstick, and he was glad. Not only did she have the most perfect lips, but it meant he could kiss her all he wanted. The longing in her eyes brought his mouth to hers again. His hands traveled up her back and into her hair. He loved her hair. It wasn’t full of sticky product or overly fluffed. Her silky locks were as natural as she was, and in a world where women vamped themselves up like hurricanes, she was a summer breeze, and he wanted to disappear into her.
“Hi,” she said breathlessly.
“Hello, beautiful.” He took her hand and said, “I missed you today.”
“I missed you, too. I’m not used to missing anyone.”
“I’m taking that as a compliment.”
Max grabbed her purse and they went down to his car. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
