EXCERPT “Zephyr.”
“What?” He turned away from the door to look at her impatiently.
“She’s locked us in.”
“I know, but I don’t understand.”
“Here.” She handed the dry erase board to him. She watched as he read the note.
“I guess there’s one good thing.”
“What’s that?” He looked at her warily.
“Well, two actually. One is that I’m locked in my favorite chocolate shop which
means you get to feed me all kinds of yummy things. And two, I’ll have time to
finish the rest of your paperwork.”
“Wait a minute. What do you know about doing financial or accounting
paperwork?” He frowned.
“Everything! Where you may be the master of chocolate, Zephyrus, I am the
master of finance.”
When he continued to look at her as if she had grown three heads, she frowned,
“What? I’m a financial advisor, and yes, I am degreed and licensed.”
“Okay.” He watched her turn back towards the kitchen. “Where are you going?”
“To get my fee.”
“What!” He reluctantly followed her into the kitchen. He found her at the work
counter where he had just finished coating his raspberry brownies. She had one
in her hand and had it halfway to her temptingly open mouth.
“What do you think you are doing?” He watched her take a bite out of the
brownie. When she moaned softly, he stilled. Was this how she always reacted to
his brownies? Annabelle turned towards the shocked man standing in the doorway,
swallowed her little taste of heaven first, then smiled broadly at him.
“You make the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. As for what I’m doing, well, your
sister and I made an agreement–I do your books and get the financial details in
order and she feeds me your chocolates.”
“Is this how you always react to my brownies?” His eyes turned darker as desire
flared in them.
“You mean as if I’ve died and gone to heaven? I’m sure I’m not the first to
tell you that. You know that you are damn good at making chocolate delights and
other yummies.” She caught her breath in response to his heated stare.
“Well, I try.” He watched her take another bite out of the brownie; when she
moaned again, he felt himself harden behind the fly of his jeans. |