Indulgence Read online

  “Well, dare I say they know each other, being Greek and all? It’s a small, small world, here.”

  “But I told him how I felt about that shop. Why would he even go over there? And look, she handed him something to drink.” The two girls watched Khristos hug the owner as a second car pulled up. The so-called temporary assistant and another male, who Zoey assumed was his brother, stepped out of the car and strode inside. Dariea hugged the dick-in-the-face-slapped woman and thumped Khristos’s brother on the ear. Zoey couldn’t hear words, but an obviously heated conversation began taking place. Marie even abandoned her post to get her own look-see of what was going down.

  “I bet it’s nothing, girl. They have to know each other. Look, he’s not even paying that woman a bit of attention, nor is she trying to grab his. Lysandros looks good enough to eat, if I may.”

  “Shut it. There is no talk about going over there to grab him. Then they’ll know we’re watching them.”

  “You seriously need to get laid, Zoey girl. Might loosen up your oh-so-charming disposition. Besides, Lysandros has been watching us watching them, from under his shades. He’s on to us, and big brother is too. See? He just turned to look our way. So, what now, stalker boss?”

  Zoey grabbed her cup of coffee and stood up. “We get back to work, that’s what. Our customers will be in soon.”

  “So we’re going to ‘pretend’,” her friend used air quotes, “that we haven’t been watching them for the past fifteen minutes and don’t have questions?” Marie joined her behind the counter.

  “We’re going to go on like everything is normal. We don’t have questions. What they’re doing over there is irrelevant. We’re not a couple, neither of us. Well, you may be a fuck-buddy with delusions of grandeur of a big, splashy wedding to the Greek God’s little brother. I don’t give a solitary fuck.”

  “Is that really how you feel?”

  The crack of his baritone voice froze her, halted her venomous barbs at Marie. In that instant, not only did she feel bad for unleashing on her friend, she also felt like the biggest bitch. Zoey turned to face Khristos. “Welcome to Indulgence, what can I get you?” She pasted a fake smile on her face. Fake it ’til you make it. Cry on the inside like a winner, and all. Marie glared at her and stomped off to the back, leaving her in the hands of the very devil. Only the devil would tempt her so, make her stomach flutter, make her mind crazy. Make her irrational.

  He raked a gaze over her, leaving nothing to the imagination. Zoey glanced down to make sure she had a bra on and was fully dressed, as he stripped her naked with his hawkish, unrelenting regard.

  “Good morning Iliahtida, I’d like my usual black coffee.” He pulled out his wallet and slid a five-dollar bill onto her counter top.

  Zoey waited for the punchline, as she poured his large cup of coffee, slid a heat protective sleeve on, then the lid, before turning to face him. Did he have to be so beautiful, it hurt to stay mad? “I don’t want your money.” She pushed the bill back at him.

  “Iliahtida, if I pay for my things at my sister Dariea’s shop, do you really think I’d not do the same here or anywhere else?”

  “Your sister? I thought, well, I don’t know what I thought.”

  “I remember the word irrelevant coming out of your gorgeous mouth. Being that you said what I was doing there was none of your business, you don’t get to be mad at me.”

  Zoey crossed her arms. “I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me she was your sister, when I accused her of stealing my customers.” Thinking before speaking prevented her from accusing him of spying on her to help his sister’s business. He wouldn’t need to do that, considering what he did for a living. Still, omissions were a type of lie.

  “It’s killing you, isn’t it? That brain of yours is going a mile a minute while you process in your pretty head what you don’t want to think about. The fact that the incident in my office took place, how you don’t want to want me, but can’t help the driving force pulling us together. I knew the moment you saw me with my sister without even looking in your direction. I’ll be brutally honest with you. I feel the same way. You’re one big-ass complication I don’t need, but damned if I can get you out of my head.”

  Zoey made change in the register and slid it over to him, avoiding physically touching him. Khristos’s thumb grazed the side of her hand. Tiny electric frissons tingled up her arm, giving her the chills. Her world teetered upside down and inside out. The scent of his cologne washed over her every time he leaned into her, making her want to burrow her face in his neck and inhale, saying “fuck the complications.” Deep down they felt right, he probably knew it, and she did too, but fought tooth and nail, using any excuse to keep him at arm’s length.

  “The beauty of feeling like I’ve known you forever is knowing when to back off instead of push. My family is having a brunch this week, and my mother has requested that I bring the woman who’s been on my mind.” He pulled out a business card. “Take my number and call me any time, any day, any hour. I’ll answer or call back if I’m unavailable. Have a good day, Sunshine of mine. This week has been stressful without your pretty face.” He leaned over, brushed his lips over hers, trailed a hand down her jawline, stepped back, and with one hand holding his coffee, his other in his pocket, he strolled out of her shop. He used his back to push open the door, his gaze never leaving hers. After a brief nod her way, he headed for his sleek, black sports car.

  When he pulled away, she gripped the counter and took a deep breath. The business card taunted her on the burgundy countertop. She picked up the card stock paper and flipped it over to glance at his scrawl. His personal number, and the address for the brunch faced her.

  Marie reappeared and silently moved up to stand behind the counter with her to fill orders as customers streamed in. They worked in companionable silence until the rush passed. With a few straggling customers conversing or perusing the newspapers she kept on hand daily, Zoey turned to her friend. “I’m sorry. What I said was rude and just plain bitchzilla. You’re right about me punking out. Friends, still?” she held out her pinkie finger.

  “Always.” Marie hooked her finger around Zoey’s in their standard after-fight make-up, friendship pinkie swear.

  “Your man looked good enough to eat with those black slacks on, and that crisp dress shirt, and olive-green tie. Who knew olive looked better on anything other than the outside of a house? Are you going to the brunch? Lysandros called and invited me to go. Personally, I really think he only did it because if I go, most likely you’ll go.”

  “Nah. He’d be crazy not to want you there with him. Just don’t bring the wedding scrapbook examples just yet,” Zoey teased.

  “Puh-lease. I’ve been updating that book since I was like ten. No one sees it but me. Ever.”

  “You should go. He’s a decent sort. If you don’t, and someone else snatches him up, you’re going to be devastated. You can’t even function with a miscommunication between you. Do you think you can handle not having him in your life at all? Hell, his brother left a double whammy on me, which I’m not sure I’ll ever recover from. He gives me the silly, stupid giggles and a blank mind.”

  Zoey took her cell phone out of her apron pocket and called Khristos, who answered on the second ring.

  “Sunshine.”

  “I’ll be there, and Khristos, I’m sorry for the past week. I just don’t know how to meet you halfway.”

  “This works, even if it’s later than I wished. I don’t give up easily. Nothing easy is worth having, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Gotta get back to work. I look forward to seeing you and Marie, who I’ve warned my brother to not be his usual self with.”

  Zoey laughed. “I think Marie can handle your brother just fine. But thank you for looking out for her. I thought he only asked her to force my hand in going.”

  “We’re not like that. He’s into your friend. Listen. I’d be all ears just to have you on the phone, but I have to run. You have
my number and address. Call me later, or come by if you want to, before I traumatize you with my overly intrusive mother and sister.”

  “I’ll think about it. Bye, Khristos.” Zoey powered off her phone and slipped it into her apron pocket. If she kept it on, she’d be tempted to text or call, probably both. Mr. Simms stood at the counter, waiting for a refill of his coffee.

  “Darlin’ you got bit by the love bug on me? Why you wanna go do that? Now I wont’ be able to flirt with you as I get my coffee.”

  Mr. Simms tickled her fancy. The older man, with his cane and bright blue eyes, always had a story to tell. His flirting never went beyond appropriate. All harmless and he made her smile. “Now, why would you wanna quit flirting and all? You know I live for your cheesy one-liners.” A blush crept up his face as he took his coffee from her and dropped her fifty-cent tip on the counter. He, along with five other men who frequented her shop, always had at least four cups of coffee, and each insisted on paying for refills and giving her a fifty cent tip per refill. They liked to call her their favorite bartender of caffeine.

  “We see that young man moonin’ over you. Want us to ask him his intentions? We will, ya know. We may be old, but we’re all ex-military, we know how to shake a man down.”

  Zoey grinned. “I’m touched and all, but I think I can handle Khristos on my own. I promise I’ll whisper if I need a hand, though. Deal?”

  “Mm-hm.” The salt and pepper haired man shuffled over to the table to sit with his friends.

  “What was that about?”

  “Marie, the cutest thing ever. I think our guys are looking out for our non-existent virtue.”

  “They’ve been coming every morning since you opened this shop three years ago. I’d bet if we opened on Sunday, they’d come then, too.”

  “I enjoy them almost the most, and the cute couples that come in together and order the same thing daily, sharing pastries or chocolate, too.”

  “I’ve been thinking, and don’t kill the messenger, that maybe there’s an upside to Pastry Goddess. We could market our chocolate there, give her an option to use ours in her products. That way, new customers will know about us, and the customers who frequent both can have variety. We could charge her.”

  “I’m not ready to think about Dareia just yet, I’m still processing that he didn’t tell me, you know.”

  Marie snorted. “You are so open minded with everything else, and close minded when it comes to matters of the heart. There are hard choices to be made. Imagine being stuck between you, the woman he wants to have, and the sister who depends on him and who he loves. That poor man was in a no-win situation, especially with you spouting off about how she’s wrecking your business. I mean, what was he supposed to do, offer up, ‘that’s my sister’s store’?”

  Zoey bit her lip, grabbed the coffeepot, filled her cup, and added a shot of espresso. “When you put it that way, I see what you mean. But we’ve made out, what was he gonna do, wait ’til you know what to tell me?”

  “I think you ruined the open line of communication when you bashed his sister.” Marie laughed and snuck a cupcake out of the display case. “What? You ruined my chance of getting some this morning.”

  “It’s just, I mean, we’ve had one humongous misunderstanding, some hot petting and makeout sessions, then dick-in-the-face, and now this. What else is he hiding?”

  “Besides being filthy rich, nothing. He’s all over the web, well, his family is, and Lysandros really is. I’m hoping to change his bad boy reputation and be the goddess who tames the untamable.”

  “The man exudes good breeding, sophistication and power. Of course he’s filthy rich, which brings me to another point. We’re barely above the red with this shop. Why would he want to latch himself to someone who doesn’t come from money? Upbringing as different as night and day?”

  “You are CEO of your own place, a college grad, you’re super smart, sexy as all get-out, and self sufficient. In baser terms, either you intimidate the hell out of a man, or a man is drawn to your qualities as his equal, not in monetary terms, but in drive and ambition. If only you could see what others do about you, and how you built your own brand from the love of your grandmother.”

  “I guess I don’t see all that. I see a business that I love running, but which exhausts me.” Zoey sighed and took a sip of her cup of wake-me-up.

  “Hire someone else to help, so you can get out of here earlier. There’s enough wiggle room, and you deserve to delegate.”

  “I like prepping everything, and don’t really want anyone knowing my recipes. They’ve been in the family for generations, and now and then I like to play and add new ideas and spices to the chocolate base.”

  “So, hire someone to make the basics that we use in cupcakes and cakes. You and I can prepare the super secret stuff together, you know. I should kick you out. I can handle the shop for the day. Remember when you had the flu and it was me all by myself for a week?”

  “Yeah, I could go home and get ready to go to Khristos’ place.” The offer to take over came at the perfect time, if she’d let go and take a break from her baby.

  “Go. I got this.”

  “No closet sex with Lysandros, wait ’til you get off and get home.”

  “Fine, busybody. But really, you should let big brother bang you here, I’m telling you, you’ll love it.”

  Zoey shook her head, moved her phone from her apron to her pocket, lifted the frilly, bright decoration over her head, placed it on the counter, and folded it. “Fine. Not to the latter, but to leaving. Call me if you can’t hang.”

  “Aye-aye, El Cap-i-tan.”

  Zoey stopped by Mr. Simms’ regular table on her way out. “Have a good day, gentlemen, I will return tomorrow. Marie will make sure you get your refills.”

  “Oh, the sassy one. I like her. Roger, I was telling you we should let them both do our refills, it’s not fair Miss Zoey gets all our attention.”

  “She’s a mighty perky thang, we can discuss it over breakfast and coffee tomorrow. Have a wonderful time away, darlin’, you deserve it now and then. Be safe though, can’t tell ya young women enough times these days.”

  She smiled and walked out the door, powered on her phone, and dialed Khristos. His baritone voice rasped a sexy “Hello, Sunshine,” making her melt. Clutching the phone to her ear, she spoke before backing out of the door. “I’m free for the day and night. Marie kicked me out of the shop.”

  “You’re killing me, beautiful. Give me a second, okay? Don’t hang up.” He put her on hold before she could utter a reply. Time ticked so slowly, seconds felt like forever. She ambled over to a bench near her shop and took a seat, crossing one leg over the other.

  “Where are you now?”

  “Sitting on a bench in front of my store, why?”

  “I’m swinging by to pick you up. Change of plans, we’ll head out to my other place a few hours away.”

  “Kidnapping me?”

  “Something like that. Do you have time to pack some clothes and things you need? I’ll be wrapping up what I’m working on within the hour.”

  “Sure, that gives me the perfect time to grab what I need.” And shave and things, she hadn’t been expecting an overnight getaway. Dashing to the side entrance of her shop, she ran up the stairs to her apartment, kicked off her heels, and slammed into the bathroom with the clock ticking.

  You can do this.

  The pep talk didn’t help, she stared at the mirror, trying to decide what to do first, pack so she wouldn’t forget anything, or shower and shave quickly. She opted for shower and shave, and completed the task at warp speed, making Trekkies proud. Looking in the mirror, she lathered on lotion, scrubbed her toenail polish off, and then applied a fresh coat. Her hair a hot mess, she ran the flat iron over it to smooth out the frizz, and applied light makeup.

  Her phone chimed, giving her a five-minute warning that time was running out. She wrapped the towel around her body, dashed to her tiny bedroom, and began whipping thi
ngs out of her dresser and closet. She called Marie. “I don’t know what to take with me to wear. Khristos cleared his day, and is taking me to his house a few hours away, not the one here in town.”

  “Calm down, sister. Now, take a casual outfit, a nice dress, and heels, in case you go out to dinner, and every man loves a woman in T-shirt and panties, wear that to bed like you do every night, unless you’ve changed and have pj’s now.”

  “No. I sleep in band T-shirts and underwear. Okay, I’ll wear a shirt and yoga pants, they make my ass look great, with some flip flops, and will bring my little black number and the silver-and-black zebra-striped peep-toe stilettos, and a band T-shirt.”

  “And at least two pairs of underwear, don’t forget your toothbrush and vitamins, take some light, but sexy, perfume too, and you’re good to go. Leave the b.o.b. at home, if you get lucky, you won’t need the fake one.”

  Zoey laughed. “I would never play with that in front of him. That’s something a girl does alone.”

  “Or with a partner, the right one. Have fun and for heaven’s sake, please take condoms with you, in case he forgets. Does he know how to get to the apartment?”

  “No. Why?”

  “He just walked in and waved.”

  “Tell him I’ll be right down.” Zoey squealed and ended the call. She grabbed her empty duffel bag and began stuffing toiletries in it. Then she added her sleep shirt, underwear, and extra shoes, folded the dress, and placed it on top, hoping it didn’t wrinkle too badly.

  After locking up her apartment, she jogged down the stairs, and to the front of the store. Seeing him took her rational thought away. He’d changed from a power suit to a tight T-shirt and body-conforming jeans, that hugged all his masculine yumminess to perfection.

  “Ready, Iliahtida?”

  “Should I be afraid?”

  Khristos chuckled. “Not at all. If you’d rather stay here in town, that’s fine. The place is not as spacious, and I share it with Lysandros when he’s in town from Greece or New York.”