Hard Candy (5 page)

She wanted to be able to spend time with him in person. She needed it.

“
Ah, come on. Don’t be like that. I’ll bring you into town after we get dressed. You can have the run of the store. Speaking of which, we better get over there soon or I’ll be late opening up.”

Penny grinned, before looking up and catching the questioning look in Mack’s gaze. She quickly looked back down, realizing what this probably looked like. She’d just gotten back to Bandit Creek last night and already she was curled up on Craig’s front porch wearing his robe, while Craig was in nothing but a pair of cotton pants. Christ, Mack was probably thinking they’d slept together last night.

Which they had… but that’s all they did. Sleep. Besides, what did it matter what Mack thought of them? She wanted to be with Craig, anyway. The only reason they hadn’t had sex last night was because she’d felt so emotionally bruised. If anyone could heal her, it was Craig.

“
Well, I better get back to the brewery. I’ll catch up with you two later.” Mack backed down the steps with a wave. “Stop in on your way back home, and I’ll give you guys a drink. You can be my first customers.”

“
Sure thing,” Craig replied.

They watched Mack drive away. “Well, that was awkward.”

Craig frowned. “Why?”

“
He thinks we had sex last night.”

“
No he doesn’t.”

“
You saw the way he was watching us.”

“
So what? Say we did have sex last night? Who cares? We’re both adults. He’s not exactly going to judge us. You know how Mack is.”

It was her turn to frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“
Pens, I’ve been friends with the guy for thirty years. His sexuality is, let’s just say it’s fluid. He’s not going to judge anyone for sleeping with anyone else.”

Fluid? What exactly did that mean? Was he gay? She didn’t care one bit, but it was the first she’d heard of it. “I guess you’re right.”

“
Of course I’m right.”

“
Wait. How long has Mack been...fluid? What does that even mean? Is he gay? I don’t care one bit, but how do you even know that?”

Craig started to cough. “We’re friends. Why wouldn’t I know? Besides, I wouldn’t say he’s gay. He’s been with both men and women, so he’s gotta be bi.”

Penny nodded slowly. How much had she missed over the years?

“
Do you have a problem with that?” He glanced at her before staring at the ground.

She wasn’t sure what that look meant. “Of course not. Heck, I’d be a bit of a hypocrite if I judged everyone else for who they fall in love with. If Mack is happy with men, women, or whatever, then that’s great for him.” Besides, two men together was just fucking hot.

“
I agree. In case you were wondering. In fact—”

“
I never doubted you.” Penny grinned. “Hey, didn’t you say you had to work this morning? Shouldn’t we be getting out of here?”

He shrugged. “Yeah. You’re right. Well, come on, lazybones. Up and at ‘em. Let’s go get dressed and I’ll take you downtown.”

Penny laughed. “You know that has a completely different ring to it now that I’ve been living in Houston.”

“
Hey, we may not be the big city, but we do have a downtown. It’s just a little...smaller.”

She snorted, before standing up with a stretch. “First dibs on the shower.”

“
I have more than one.”

“
Yeah, but I’m going to do my damndest to use up all the hot water. You know, with all the soap I plan on using to lather up my entire naked body.” She giggled at his groan.

“
That’s just mean. Seriously.”

“
You’ll live.”

He shook his head. “I don’t remember this mean streak you seem to have now. You used to be so sweet.”

“
Well, if you’re a good boy, I might show you just how sweet I can be.” Penny picked up her suitcase from where Craig had left it the night before. Not sensing him behind her, she turned around.

He’d stopped dead in the kitchen, a heated glint in his gaze as he stared back at her.

“
Down boy. We have to go downtown, remember?”

“
We have all morning,” he drawled.

She couldn’t stop the blush that filled her cheeks at the tone of his voice. Man, he made her body ache with unfulfilled sexual yearning just by looking at her. Add in a drawl and she was a goner.

The good news was that it looked like he was just as affected. Penny put down her suitcase and slipped off the robe he’d given her earlier, and let it drop to the floor behind her.

“
Penny.”

“
That’s my name. I’d rather hear you moan it, though.”

Craig groaned. “Are you just teasing?”

“
I’d never do that to you. Promise.” She started forward with a gliding walk. A dish of candy caught her gaze as she entered the kitchen. It was something his parents had always done, but it gave her very naughty ideas now. She picked up a few of the small cinnamon candies.

He stayed rooted in place, gaze intent on her every movement. Oh, such good behavior deserved to be rewarded. “You’re going to like this. I promise.”

“
Fuck.”

“
Not yet.” Penny grinned before dropping to her knees. She pressed a kiss to his belly and watched the muscles jump in reaction. She’d never been happier to see a guy in just cotton sleep pants. Especially since it was immediately apparent that Craig was happy to see her. She nuzzled against his rising dick with her cheek before glancing up to see him staring down at her.

His hands were fisted at his sides, his knuckles white. She wondered what it would take to make him lose control.

Penny slipped her hand up and toyed with the drawstring on his pants. It was a tight fit but she managed to pull his pants down just enough to let his cock out to play. She licked her lips. Gorgeous. And exactly what she wanted.

“
Oh, man. Pens. Please...”

“
Don’t worry. I’m not going to make you beg this time.”

“
This time?” Craig snorted.

Penny laughed softly. “Behave, or I’m going to discover I have better things to do.”

“
I’ll be good.”

“
I’d rather you be bad.” She popped the candy into her mouth. Instantly, the burst of flavour filled her senses. This was going to be fun.

Penny leaned forward and licked a single path up his shaft. She mouthed his glans, feeling the candy move around the head of his cock. Oh, he liked that. Craig’s hands grasped her shoulders, tightening and releasing. She knew as soon as he felt the first tingles from the cinnamon. He tensed, letting out a heartfelt moan.

She licked around the head before sucking up the fluid leaking from the tip. “Mmm.”

“
Don’t stop,” Craig panted.

Penny couldn’t hold out any longer. Her pussy ached. It was throbbing with unreleased need. She reached down with one hand and pushed her panties aside. Delving her fingers into her slit, she gave herself exactly what she wanted while she did her best to drive Craig nuts.

Speaking of nuts… She moved her lips downward, sucking along his sac and tasting the salty flavor that was uniquely Craig. She loved doing this for him. Hearing his moans and cries. She wanted to be able to drive him crazy just like this over and over again. It was giving her indescribable pleasure to be able to give him something.

“
Penny, I’m close. Shit. I’m gonna…”

She drew back and sucked the head of his cock into her mouth just in time to accept his pulsing seed. With a frantic twirl of her fingers, she reached her own orgasm, crying out around the dick in her mouth.

Swallowing, she drew back when he started to move. She lifted a hand and wiped up the liquid dripping down her chin. “Oops. Missed a bit.”

“
Shit. You’re killing me.”

She grinned. “You liked it.”

“
Hell, yes.”

Penny stood up with Craig’s help and pressed a kiss to his lips.

He folded his arms behind her back. “I’ll never pressure you, you know that? I want you to be happy, and I know you need to figure out what happened with your mom.”

She sighed with relief, before pulling away. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Leaving him at his bedroom door, she continued on down the hall to the spare bathroom. Closing the door behind her she leaned back against it. Craig was right, she needed to figure out what happened to her mom, and she wanted to be able to find that closure soon. She wasn’t sure she could remain in the dark anymore and she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel completely at ease with Craig without it. This was a gnawing ache that constantly battered at her emotions.

She just hoped it ended up being the good kind of closure, and not the kind that resulted in her viewing her father as a murderer. Stupid, it wasn’t as if she determined who she was by who her parents were, but this was huge.

Still...She wanted to be with Craig. Especially after what happened in the hall. She’d never gotten so much pleasure just
giving
before. Whatever happened, she couldn’t string him along. She needed to figure out what she was going to do. Craig was a wonderful man, and he deserved to be treated like gold. Penny raised her hand and touched her lips. She wanted to do that again. She wanted to have sex with him. It’d been too long.
Soon
, she promised herself.

An hour later they were on their way back into the core of Bandit Creek. Craig parked along Main Street beside Ellis Park and she surveyed the familiar sight. The park ran along a large part of Main Street and had the Sherriff’s office and Town Hall along one end and a variety of stores and buildings along each side until it hit the river. The post office, library, the bank, Ma’s Kitchen, The Candy Store. All the same places she’d been back and forth inside when she was younger. She thought the fancy restaurant at the end of Main might be new, but she couldn’t remember.

They walked hand in hand up to the front bay windows of The Candy Store. Penny pressed her face against the window like she always used to.

Craig snickered. “Come on, get inside before you embarrass me or something.”

She stuck her tongue out at him before following him inside. “Now, this looks different.”

“
I bet.” Craig grinned with pride. “What do you think?”

Two long counters ran perpendicular to the entranceway. One entire wall was the same as always, with old-fashioned jars stacked on shelves from floor to ceiling filled to overflowing with different types of candy. The other side of the store was obviously where Craig had his ice cream set up, and that was the most obvious change from when they were younger. Craig’s parents had never sold ice cream. Especially not the homemade flavors that Craig specialized in. Penny was practically drooling just standing inside the doorway.

The familiar cutesy candy décor that she’d always loved made her smile now. Bright bubblegum colors clashed and complimented each other at the same time. It was like a candy bomb had exploded inside the store.

“
Come on, I want to show you everything.”

She followed Craig down the centre aisle and through a door at the back of the store. It led into a kitchen that she definitely wasn’t expecting. It was tight, but stainless steel appliances and gleaming counter tops filled every available space. She wasn’t sure what half of the equipment was but she recognized the two ovens, and the stove tops. Along with the ice cream machine.

“
What are you doing in here?”

“
Well, I’ve been experimenting with candy. I’ve got homemade chocolate that we’ve been mixing up and selling out front. I wasn’t sure what else I wanted to do so I figured when I took over a few years back I should outfit it the way I wanted it to be. It’s not going to waste, trust me. I have Rachel come in every morning to bake. She supplies Lucy and George next door at Ma’s Kitchen with homemade goodies. I’ve already told Mack to talk to her about treats for the brewery when he’s ready for it.”