Candy Store (7 page)

“And these people will love my truffles and hot cocoa so much that they’ll want to order more from my web site when they get home?”

“Exactly,” Tobey said, pleased that Callie was letting herself be open to the array of possibilities for her business.

Shyly she looked at him. “Thanks,” she said, her lips turning up in an uncertain smile. “I never would have thought to do any of this without you. The web site. Being here today. Getting plans together for a special Valentine’s Day gift box. It would have all seemed so hard without you.”

Tobey tried to mask his delight at her thank you. He strode over to the cooler and opened it up, pulling out boxes of truffles and putting them on their sales table.

Callie had no idea what hard was. Not in the least. His cock was huge and ready to plunge into her cunt. Even during their brief phone calls, he had gotten so overheated he’d had to walk out of his office in just his shirt and slacks until the cold weather had frozen him completely through. Only then could he concentrate on business again.

Thirty minutes later, just before the doors to the rink opened up to the crowd that had gathered in the parking lot outside, Tobey and Callie had finished setting up the temporary Callie’s Candies booth, complete with steaming hot cocoa and truffles in ten 46

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different flavors. Callie had packed toffees, taffies and lollipops into small wicker baskets on the table.

They took a few steps back to check over their candy display.

“Looks great,” Callie said, not quite meeting his eyes.

Tobey nodded and smiled at the top of her head. “It certainly does. The table is colorful and inviting. I’m certain that Callie’s Candies is going to make a huge splash with both the locals and the out-of-towners today.”

Callie walked back to the table and fussed needlessly with the display. Tobey knew she was feeling nervous around him.

The problem was, everything was said that needed to be said, and yet none of the important things were being said at all. Thus, an uncomfortable silence fell between them.

It was taking every ounce of control for Tobey to keep his mind on business, when all he really wanted to do was strip off Callie’s winter clothes. It was so cold he was starting to add intense visions about hot tubs and saunas to his previous beach and bikini fantasies.

Not for the first time that day, Tobey gave thanks that they were conducting their business together in the frigid outdoors. He didn’t think he could keep himself from tearing her clothes off if they were alone and indoors. Even as it was, the cold wasn’t working its magic on his overcharged libido.

Callie’s pull was just too damn strong.

* * * * *

Callie looked at her watch and prayed that her twelve-year-old niece would show up already. She had asked Ellen to help them sell candy as a buffer. Being alone with Tobey was harder than she had ever thought it would be. And she had thought that it was going to be pretty damn hard.

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He was so dark and tall and gorgeous, her breath caught in her chest every time she looked at him. She wanted to drag him behind a tree and pull him down onto the fresh snow with her. She wanted to feel his heavy weight on her, his thick penis plunging in and out of her.

But it didn’t matter what Callie wanted. Simply put, the facts were not in her favor.

Fact: He was her hired consultant. It would be morally wrong for her to engage in sexual acts with one of her employees. Under no circumstances did she want him to feel that he had to sleep with her or else she’d bad mouth him in the candy industry.

Fact: He wasn’t the least bit interested in her anyway, so all of the high and mighty morals she was desperately trying to cling to didn’t matter for much at all. She would have had to have been blind not to notice that since the day they had fucked in her kitchen, he had made it a point to keep away from her. Even his phone calls were oh-so-brief, as if he could hardly stand to talk to her again. Every time she thought about the way she had stuck her tongue down his throat in her store, with absolutely no provocation on his part, every time she remembered the way she had stripped off her clothes and begged him to touch her, Callie felt more and more ashamed by her behavior.

“Aunt Callie, I’m here.”

Callie spun around and hugged her little teenage salvation just a little too hard.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry, honey. I’m just so glad to see you.”

Ellen raised an eyebrow, looking far older than twelve. “Yeah. Whatever. Hey,” she said, elbowing Callie in the ribs, “who’s the hot guy? Your new boyfriend?”

Callie turned a hundred shades of pink. “No,” she insisted, but Tobey was already making the introductions.

“I’m Tobey,” he said, as he reached out his hand to shake Ellen’s. “I’ve been working with Callie on her business. I’m a candy company consultant.”

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Ellen smiled and then looked back at Callie. “That’s cool. I’m Ellen,” she said. Callie thought she was off the hook, but then Ellen added, “I just thought you were her new boyfriend or something, ‘cause she always goes for guys who look like you.”

Tobey grinned and trapped Callie with his hot gaze before turning back to Ellen for more information. “So Callie likes guys who look like me, huh?”

Ellen shrugged. “Big. Brown hair. Lots of muscles. They usually treat her like dirt, though, so I guess it’s a good thing you aren’t her boyfriend after all.” Not realizing that she’d said anything out of line at all, Ellen turned to Callie, “So, what do you need me to do?”

Callie was having trouble keeping on her feet at that moment, so she certainly couldn’t open up her mouth to reply. Tobey, bless his heart, stepped in and saved her.

“We need your help selling the candy and the hot cocoa on the table. Make sure that you tell everyone who buys something about the web site and hand them one of Callie’s cards.”

Ellen nodded. “That sounds easy.” She looked up and saw the web site address on the banner. “When did you get a web site, Callie? I’ll check it out when I get home.

You’re practically gonna be famous now.”

Callie still couldn’t get any of her synapses to fire. Ellen’s words kept playing in her head.
They usually treat her like dirt, so I guess it’s a good thing you aren’t her boyfriend after
all.

Was she really that bad at choosing boyfriends? How sad it was that she was only getting a clear picture of her bad choices out of the mouth of a babe.

The doors to the rink opened and within a matter of minutes, Callie, Tobey and Ellen were swarmed with skaters. People started with the hot chocolate to try and warm up, but then after they exclaimed with rapture over the exotic flavor of Callie’s cocoa, and after the adults inquired about purchasing the mix to take home, people turned to truffles and toffee and taffy. Tobey made several trips to Callie’s car as their boxes of backup supplies quickly disappeared. Between bites of candy and sips of 49

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cocoa, Callie heard snippets of conversation: “Did you know that she has a web site?”

and “I’m going to tell all of my friends out in California about her.” and “This is the best truffle I’ve ever had. I wonder if she does gift baskets?”

Between sales Callie stole glances at Tobey. Her breath went as she watched him joke with the customers. He was so warm and engaging, he had everyone eating out of his hands. She had to hand it to him. He had most certainly earned his Candy King title.

His love for candy came through in everything he did and his quick mind and charming personality sealed the deal.

It was too bad he obviously didn’t want to kiss her ever again. Because she couldn’t think of anything she wanted to do more.

* * * * *

Several hours later, when the initial crowds had finally died down and Callie was busy mixing up a new batch of hot cocoa, Tobey whispered to Ellen, “Can you hold down the fort for a little while? Your Aunt Callie didn’t want to leave you here all alone, but she’s been dying to go ice skating with me. And you’ve been doing the best job out of the three of us. I know a candy selling natural when I see one.”

Ellen nodded, clearly pleased to be left in charge of the Callie’s Candies booth.

“Sure thing, Tobey,” she whispered back. “By the way, I think Aunt Callie kind of likes you.”

“Really?” he whispered back, enjoying the conspiracy. “What makes you say that?”

“Every time she looks at you she gets all dreamy eyed.”

Tobey grinned and started to get up, but Ellen grabbed the elbow of his jacket.

“You’re not gonna break her heart too, are you?”

Tobey sat back down, suddenly serious. “I don’t intend to.”

Ellen stared him down and he was surprised by the intensity in her young eyes.

“Promise? ‘Cause I really like you.”

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Callie’s niece sure loved her, Tobey thought, to be giving out such stern warnings to prospective boyfriends. His face solemn, he said, “I promise. And I really like you too.”

Ellen grinned and turned to greet a new customer who had just walked up to the table. Tobey waited until Callie put the top back on her metal pot of cocoa and then grabbed her hand.

“What’s going on?” she asked, trying to pull her hand back out of his. “Where are we going?”

Over his shoulder he said, “It’s time for a little break, Miss Callie.”

“A break? Now? But what about Ellen?”

“Ellen’s got it covered. Now tell me,” he said, “What size are you?”

Callie flushed and looked down at her chest. “What size am I? What kind of a question is that?”

Tobey mock-leared at her breasts. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Miss Callie.”

She turned pink and he said, “What size shoe do you wear?”

“Six, but what does it have to do with…” Her words fell away as he let go of her hand and picked up one set of rental skates in a six for her and twelve for himself.

Dangling the skates from his fingertips he said, “You and I are going skating.”

Callie shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Tobey grabbed her hand again and steered her over to a bench. “Put ‘em on.

Consultant’s orders.”

Callie giggled uncertainly, but took the skates from him. Staring at them, she said,

“I haven’t skated in years.”

“No time like the present,” Tobey said, as he quickly removed his shoes and slipped his feet into the skates. “Besides, you deserve a reward for all of your hard work today.”

Tobey hoped that Callie would let herself have a little fun. With him. He saw her shoulders relax a little and breathed out an inaudible sigh of relief. And when she shot 51

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him her pixie grin, he made a new decision—to forget all about his earlier decision about not mixing business with pleasure.

If ever there was a time for pleasure, it was now.

And by god, he was going to take it.

* * * * *

Callie had just finished tying the laces on her skates when Tobey whirled her out onto the crowded ice skating rink. Her legs wobbled beneath her and she found herself holding onto Tobey just a little too tightly.

“I need to get my skating legs back,” she said by way of explanation, letting herself enjoy the feel of Tobey’s warmth pressed up against hers while she could. He had one arm firmly wrapped around her waist and she could feel his warm breath on her forehead. His arms were heaven to her.

“No rush,” he said, pulling her closer to him.

They skated several circles around the rink in a comfortable rhythm and for the first time all day Callie let down her guard. If she was able to contain her raging hormones even now, she thought she just might be able to keep it together until she could get home and play with the new dildo she had bought on Tuesday. Cold vibrating plastic wasn’t nearly as good as Tobey, but Callie was realistic enough to accept that it would have to do.

Suddenly, Tobey steered them over to the far, deserted edge of the rink and pointed to the sky. “Did you see that bald eagle over there?”

“Where?” Callie shaded her eyes with her hands, but all she could see on the pine trees was white powder from the fresh snowfall.

“In the forest. Come with me.”

Tobey grabbed her hand and pulled her into the dense forest with him. Callie’s skates sank into the snow, but Tobey was moving so fast, she didn’t have a chance to get stuck as she tried to keep up.

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By the time he stopped, they were far enough from the skating rink that the sounds of children playing had completely faded away. Not letting go of her hand, he turned and looked into her eyes. “I guess he flew away.”

Callie found herself laughing. “Was there really a bald eagle out here?”

Tobey pulled her into him and leaned his face down close to hers. “Maybe there was, but all I’ve been able to focus on today is you.”

Callie breathed in his scent, unable to mask the raw need his words aroused. “Don’t tease me Tobey,” she said, her voice thick.

“Not even if it makes you feel good?”

“How good?”

Callie felt the familiar liquid rush building up between her legs, pooling at the tip of her breasts.

“Let me show you.”

He guided her over to a patch of ground far beneath the huge canopy of an oak tree and pressed her back into the bark of the tree, then leaned into her, shielding her from the cold. “One day we’re going to have to do this lying down. Properly. Warm and cozy in bed.”

Callie shivered at the thought of getting to do this with Tobey one more time. In a bed, even. It was too delicious to believe. But then again so was the velvet feel of his lips as they stole her breath away. Feeling bold, she said between kisses, “I like doing it standing up. I like being bad with you.”

Tobey smiled against her lips. “Me too, sweetheart. I love the way you wrap your legs around me. How slick you get when I’m pumping in and out of you. How ready you are for me all the time.”

Callie swallowed and licked her lips. “I’m ready now,” she whispered.