Page 6 of The Sweetest Season
Beatrice was still laughing.“Don’t be absurd.Lemon wouldn’t pair well with most flavors.”
“I could eat it withanything, Miss Holliday,” he repeated with more intensity in his eyes.It seemed that in wakening one sense in him, she’d also stirred another.And worse, she’d woken it in herself too, because she suddenly wanted to indulge in tasting all manner of things she should not…namely, him.
And the way he was sucking the last traces of lemon curd off his finger wasn’t doing anything to calm her down.Just looking at his lips circled around his finger made her want to lick her own lips.
He caught her gaze and stopped in the act, his own eyes widening for moment.He seemed to realize all at once that he wasn’t exactly behaving according to expectations.He pulled his finger out of his mouth, looking abashed.“Sorry.Forgot my manners.”
“You wouldn’t be the first,” she replied, thinking of children pressing their faces to the glass of the shop, but also more distant memories of certain men who put pleasure over propriety.
“I didn’t come to steal samples, I promise,” he said, now looking everywhere but at her.“You’ve refused when my secretary asked, so I thought I’d try a more direct plea.Would you come to Northwind?”
Beatrice instantly felt her guard go up.“For what purpose?”
“To cater a Christmas party, of course,” he replied with just enough surprise in his tone to make Beatrice embarrassed that she’d eventhoughthe’d intended some sordid purpose…such as one that involved a bed, for example.He went on, “I mean to say, my household staff is competent when it comes to typical dishes, but in terms of fine desserts, their skills are nowhere near yours.When I host something, I want to do it properly.Christmas should be…magical.Like your creations.”
“Oh.”Beatrice felt the shame creeping up her face as she realized that she’d completely misread the man.“Yes.I would do that.Or Ivy would.”
“You.I mean, both of you,” he said immediately.“It would be a large affair.”
“How large?”
“However large it needs to be to require you both to be there.”
Beatrice rolled her eyes.Mr Forrest had an answer for everything.
Recalling how she ought to be behaving, she pointed to the doorway and ushered him out into the front of the shop.“This is where customers belong, Mr Forrest.If you hadn’t let your man abscond with Miss Shepherd, I’d have her take down the details of your event so we could plan for it.”
“It was not difficult to get her to go,” Mr Forrest admitted.“And I must say Mr Marley has been quite enthusiastic about buying the chocolates, not complaining once about being sent so often.Miss Shepherd must be the reason.”
“She has certainly made quite sure that the shop remains open until he arrives.”Beatrice sighed.“I suppose I am going to lose her soon, if this courtship continues apace.Young women always have their heads in the clouds when it comes to romance.”
“You don’t approve of romance?”
“Oh, it’s fine for Ivy,” Beatrice clarified, even as she wondered how they’d started talking about catering a party, yet now they were discussing romance.“She’s young and beautiful and she’s meant for marriage.”
“You speak as if you are not.”
“I am neither of those things, sir.I am twenty-eight, I know what I look like, and I have more scars than skin, thanks to my work in kitchens.”
Mr Forrest gave her a long, considering look, and then said, “You will permit me my own opinion, Miss Holliday.”
“As you like, sir.Now I must wish you good day.”
“Of course.”He took her hand in his, and raised it to his mouth.There was nothing unusual in that, exactly.Nor should his lips brushing her knuckles cause her heart to suddenly race and for her to want to lick her own lips in anticipation.He held her hand for a moment, studying it with interest.His fingertips traced a few tiny raised scars, relics of touching a hot stove or a cast iron pan without protection.
“As I said, I have scars from my work,” she said, feeling defensive.
“We both do,” he replied, his eyes rising to meet hers.“I don’t think I’d like a person without any.”
It was not what she expected to hear, but then, Mr Forrest had been surprising from the start.She said, “I really must attend to my curd.”
He smiled in total delight.“I’ve never been dismissed like that before.Then again, it’s been a while since I’ve gone out.But I’m glad I did today.”
He released her hand with obvious reluctance.“I look forward to seeing you at Northwind.”And with that entirely too confident pronouncement, he walked out.
* * * *
After he left the shop, Noel couldn’t get Miss Holliday out of his head.He’d had no idea what to expect, even with Emmanuel’s reports.As it turned out, Emmanuel could recite every detail of what the shop assistant, Miss Shepherd, said or did, but not nearly as much about the actual owner.
