Sweeter Pleasures Read online

  It was almost midnight when I glanced at my phone. Fuck I had to get home. Tomorrow was my morning meeting and I was supposed to be at the bakery at five am.

  “Shit, Drake. I got to go.” My words came out a bit slurred and Drake raised an eyebrow at me.

  “I think I’m going to drive you home. You’re a bit toasted.” Drake said, his eyes staring into my own, making my heart do flip flops.

  “And you’re not?” We both laughed. “Fuck, I need to be at the bakery in like five hours. I should just walk over there now and start the damn bread.” The bakery was only right down the street from this bar, a five-minute walk maybe.

  “I’ll go with you then.” Drake said, getting out his wallet.

  Wait, what?

  “I…I was kidding. Here, let me help pay. We can get a cab home, then I’ll have Julie come get me in the morning and bring me to my car. We can pick you up too seeing as your supposed to be at work at five too right?” I grinned at him, winking flirtatiously as I got my wallet out, looking for my cash.

  Drake’s large hand covered my own hand, as he shook his head. “Bree, you are not paying for tonight. It’s my treat, so put that cash away. And a cab home? How boring. Let’s go bake that bread. Have some fun. And we will be ready for tomorrow and can sleep later.” Now he winked at me and I couldn’t help but beam back at him. This was going to be fun.

  Our walk to the bakery was quick, the cold air causing us to stumble and laugh all the way there. I lost count how many times Drake grabbed my arm as I almost tripped and fell to the ground. By the time we got to the bakery, my cheeks were flushed and I had the uncontrollable giggles. I unlocked the back door and pushed my way in, the sweet smell of the bakery filling my nose.

  Drake’s hands wrapped around my waist, pulling my back to his front. I melted against him, as his mouth found my neck. He trailed kisses along it, leaving a hot trail, heat flaring between my legs.

  “I thought we were here to work?” I choked out, the giggles still escaping my throat as they now mixed with hot desire.

  “Mmm…” Was all Drake said, as he kept kissing along my neck, trailing down my shoulder.

  I broke away, darting from him as I flicked on the kitchen lights. I grinned. “Calm down, there boy. Let’s get to work.” I loved teasing him. He was so handsome with his clean cut hair; the dark brown locks a bit shaggy at the top. His eyes were still those deep brown eyes I remembered from so long ago, and he was clean shaven with just a bit of a goatee starting. I could see some five o’clock shadow and I wanted to run my fingers along it, tracing the fine lines of his jaw. He was so well built, his frame tall and wider at the top, thick muscles lining his arms. I knew he must have a dynamite body under those clothes and I wanted to lick and taste every part of him.

  I felt like he was out of my league. Sure, I wasn’t bad to look at, but I was not gorgeous like he made me feel. My light brown hair fell down my back in long flowing waves, which half the time I had up high in a bun, and I had the same dark brown color in my eyes as he did but mine were more almond where his were rounder. I tried to keep myself in shape and not eat too many of the bakery treats but that didn’t always happen. I had extra meat on my hips, ass, and thighs, but Drake sure didn’t seem to mind. His hands were roaming all over those areas earlier.

  Drake’s sexy, deep voice broke my thoughts, and suddenly, he was in front of me once again, pushing my back against the work table. “Are you just going to stand there and drool?” He tilted my chin up with his finger, and our eyes met, neither of us saying anything.

  “And what if I do?” I whispered, butterflies beginning to flutter in my belly.

  “At least let me drool back,” he whispered back, his breath smelling like all the beer we just consumed. I wanted to taste him so bad again.

  “Go ahead then. You can drool all you want, but who says you can touch?”

  He laughed, then lifted me up onto the table, causing me to squeal. I threw my head back in laughter. I was still so drunk and he was making me feel amazing. I hadn’t felt like this with a man in so long, with any man even. Kyle didn’t make me feel this way. This was something else, something pure and lustful, dark and carnal. But in a fucking astoundingly good way. Drake made me feel wanted and protected. Like I was the only woman that existed.

  Drake used that opportunity of my neck being exposed to latch right onto it, kissing, licking, and sucking. He pushed my legs apart, standing between them and I wrapped them around him. He trailed his mouth up to mine and consumed it like he had never tasted me before. Like I was his lifeline, his air, his breath.

  I don’t know how long we went on for but we couldn’t stop. Our hands roamed all over each other and our mouths explored each other so deeply. When we finally broke away, we were both gasping for air, our foreheads pressed together.

  Fuck. I was done for.

  I glanced at the clock and it was now close to one. Shit!

  Drake’s eyes followed mine and he stepped back, grabbing my waist and lifting me off the table. “Let’s get to work, we can play later.”

  He winked at me and pulled me to the fridge where the preparation list hung, ready with Saturday’s orders and stock list. My heart was pounding and my body was on fire. Play later? God damn, I was ready now.

  Drake

  I had let myself slip, let myself taste her forbidden fruit. I couldn’t help myself and I was right, she was just as fucking delicious as I thought she would be. I would never get enough of her. I wanted more now, the craving so deep, I felt it in my bones. A woman had never made me feel these types of things before and it was driving me crazy, invading my thoughts, keeping me awake at night. I had to be careful. Time was passing and every day that passed meant they could be closer. She could be closer. I had to do something. I couldn’t keep living this way. I’ve had enough.

  Chapter Eleven

  It was now almost four in the morning and Drake and I were almost done with everything we needed to prep. He took care of the bread and I did the pastries. But damn if it wasn’t one of the best times I’ve had in there. We kept flirting, brushing up against each other and giggling like two smitten hormonal teenagers. At one point, we had a bit of a food fight when Drake decided to take my pastry filling and trail it across my face with his fingers. I had to get him back of course.

  I took a heaping spoonful of pastry filling with my hand and planted it on his cheek with my entire hand, as if he was getting hit in the face with a whipped cream pie. Drake’s face filled with shock and then he broke out into a huge fit of laughter and came after me. I shrieked, running away but he caught me, pinning me against the refrigerator.

  “Did you enjoy that?” He breathed down at me, my entire body tingling from his closeness.

  I reached up, scooping some filling off his face, bringing to my mouth to then suck it off. Drake’s eyes grew dark and hooded as he watched me and the temperature in the room must have risen at least a thousand degrees. Next thing I knew, his mouth was on mine, and we were kissing with such a hunger, such passion, our feelings for each other pouring into that kiss. When we finally broke away, both of us panting for air, I knew I would never feel the same about another man the way I felt about Drake.

  Drake

  Fuck, she was absolutely the most fucking amazing woman I have ever met. This has been one of the best nights of my life. The fun we have together, the laughter we share, it’s something I’ve never shared with a woman before. Sure, I’ve had some passion before, hell I’ve even loved before, but nothing has come close to this. How we just connected on every level, our personalities matching so well. I wanted to scoop her up and run away with her. Far from any danger. Because I was being a selfish prick. I knew my danger was going to come unless I took care of it-her- the main problem. I had to get rid of her before she ruined my life. I was done hiding, done living this way. Not when this beautiful woman was standing before me, who deserved so much love, probably so much more than I could even give her, but I had to
try, because she was all I wanted.

  After cleaning up, I called us a cab. I didn’t want to leave, I had one of the best nights of my life. From dinner, to the bar, to here, it had been fun and I haven’t felt this happy in so long. If the night ended, it was back to reality-avoiding love, avoiding getting hurt, keeping my strong wall intact.

  But alas, moments do end and now the cab is dropping him off at his apartment, and he turned, brushing his lips against mine ever so softly. It only made me burn for more. “See you later?” He whispered, his breath smelling like my sweet berry pastry filling. It just made me want to eat him. Not that I didn’t want to already.

  I nodded. “Julie and I will be by around quarter of eight okay? We have our Saturday team meeting at eight, you remembered right?”

  Drake just winked and then he was out of the cab. I watched him walk up to his apartment door, his ass looking so unbelievably good in those jeans of his. Fuck me. I was completely and utterly caught up in this man and I didn’t want to be let go.

  The cab dropped me off about ten minutes later and I stripped my clothes and crawled into bed. I sent Julie a quick text, letting her know what was going on as she was opening at six, set my alarm, and then pulled my covers over my head, Drake’s gorgeous face is the last image I see.

  “Bree!! Bree open the damn door already!!” I could faintly hear some banging and my name being called but I didn’t want to break out of my dream. Drake was just about to pull me into a hot shower…his hot mouth trailing down my neck…

  I jumped, the covers going flying when the next bang came. Shit!

  “Bree get the fuck up before I call the police to come break down your door!”

  I rolled my eyes and ran my hands over my face. Oh my God. I felt like I hadn’t slept a wink and now I had to work? Was it really time? I wished I could cancel the meeting this morning and sleep longer.

  “I’m coming, I’m coming,” I called back, standing and making my way to the door. I opened it, seeing Julie standing there fresh as a daisy and super wide awake and I just wanted to go back to bed.

  I grinned at her and then turned and began to walk to the bathroom. I had to pee so bad and I knew she would follow with her twenty questions.

  “Um, Bree, I want deets now! Getting home at 4 in the morning after havng spent the night with Drake?? What happened girl? Oh and Liz is manning the bakery right now so no worries.”

  I went into the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth, Julie standing at the door, sipping her coffee. She had placed mine on the bathroom counter and I couldn’t wait to take a sip. In between spits, I told her, “Drake asked if I wanted to get some dinner and drinks as just friends and things sort of happened from there.”

  Julie’s eyebrows shot up and her entire face broke into a huge smile, “Things happened? What things happened Bree?”

  I grabbed my coffee and scooted past her, heading to the bedroom to get dressed. I needed a shower desperately but that was going to have to wait. “Oh you know, drinking, talking, kissing…” I trailed off as I waited for it…one…two…three…

  “Ahhhhhh!!!” Julie screamed, jumping up and down. “I knew it; I knew it was going to happen! Tell me, tell me all about it! Was it good? Hot? It must have been super-hot.” She looked like I just made her damn year and told her she won the lottery. Her good mood was infectious; I couldn’t help but beam back at her.

  “Oh God Julie. It was unlike anything I have ever had before. His mouth devoured mine like I was giving him his air to breath. I swear, I almost had a fucking orgasm.” My knees began to buckle just thinking about it. Drake was so fucking amazing. How was I going to act normal around him today when all I would be able to think about was kissing his gorgeous mouth?

  Julie’s eyes looked like they had stars in them as she seemed just as smitten as me. “Fuck Bree. That’s how it is when I kiss Blake. The fireworks, the intensity. It’s so good, isn’t it? And so addicting.”

  I nodded as I got dressed. I remembered all of Julie’s stories of her and Blake. They were still so head over heels in love, it was adorable. After pulling on my top, I sat on the bed, sipping my coffee as a million thoughts ran through my head.

  “So are you going to continue seeing him?” Julie asked, her eyes searching mine for answers.

  I shrugged lightly, unsure of what to say. “I don’t know, Julie. I feel so conflicted. I am just so scared of what happened with Kyle. And now working with Drake-that isn’t such a good idea to get involved with him. What if things were to end? How could we work together after that?”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa Bree honey. You need to take a step back and just enjoy the moment. Don’t think about Kyle and what happened with him. He’s an asshole who didn’t deserve you and a real man who truly loves you would never hurt you like that. And you can’t think about things ending when they have only just begun. No one is saying go run off into the sunset together. You don’t even have to be a couple. Just have fun together and see where it goes.”

  I set my coffee down and pulled Julie into a hug. “Thank you, you always know just want to say.”

  I felt her nod against me, as her hands rubbed my back. “That’s what I’m here for babe, I just want you to be happy.” She pulled away and grinned at me. “But, inquiring minds need to know. What the fuck were you doing until 4 in the morning?”

  I laughed loudly, standing to grab my coffee and purse. “Come on, I’ll tell you on the ride over.” I winked at her as she stood to follow me. “We are going to be late for the meeting and we need to pick up Drake on the way.”

  “What??” Julie exclaimed, her mouth dropping open.

  Chapter Twelve

  When we arrived at Drake’s apartment, he wouldn’t answer the damn door. I kept banging and then tried his cell but he wasn’t answering. He must have passed out hard. Julie and I couldn’t wait much longer so we said fuck it and took off. He would pay for that later.

  The Saturday morning meeting went well even though my brain was so hazy and I could barely see through my sleep fog. The girls didn’t even notice as sometimes they were just as bad or even worse. Maybe I should change the day of these fucking meetings. Everyone agreed Drake was doing a fantastic job and when the meeting ended at eight, Julie said she would take over while I went and got Drake. She offered to drive me to my car but I wanted the walk to clear my head. He had texted me during the meeting that he slept through his alarm but he was very sorry. Mmmhmm, he was definitely going to be making that up to me.

  The air was quite cold this morning and I pulled a hat down over my ears, burying my hands in my fleece jacket pockets. As I began walking at a quick pace, the cold making me feel more awake, I thought about the events of last night. Everything that happened felt crazy. Unbelievable. Drake, then Kyle, then Drake punching Kyle’s face in, and then the rest of the magical evening with Drake, his hot mouth, his amazing kisses…I shivered just thinking about how hot and heavy we had been and we hadn’t even taken each other’s clothes off yet. I could only imagine how the sex was going to be.

  Slow it down, Bree. Who said you are having sex with him? Fuck it, I am sure I will be. I chuckled to myself because I knew I was going to fuck his brains out. I wouldn’t be able to resist him, not after the evening we shared last night. We connected, unlike anything I’ve ever had before. Before we even began kissing, our conversation just flowed. And of course the beers helped. But I think I would have enjoyed him even without the alcohol. Drake was just so sweet and funny and…

  Sigh. Fuck my broken heart. I am damaged goods still. It made me so sad that way I still thought about myself, still felt about myself. I shouldn’t feel this way. I should be able to move on and want to move on from Kyle. It’s not that I wanted him again. Seeing him the first time, I did admit, all of my feelings came rushing back, all of our memories together. But soon after, those feelings were replaced by my anger, my sadness, but most of all my hurt. My heart being ripped to shreds, destroying the life I had wanted. Or at least tho
ught I had wanted. I knew now I didn’t want Kyle back. There had been too much time, too much left unsaid, way too much scar tissue. We never worked through anything and I could never trust him again. I mean, cheating on our fucking honeymoon? Besides, crawling back here when he couldn’t work shit out with his slut from Hawaii was pathetic.

  A part of me was ready to be done with this town. I wanted to expand anyway; why not open a Sweet Bites somewhere else? Maybe Julie would want this one? I could take my parents with me and we could go somewhere warmer…or just somewhere quieter where no one knew us…

  I sighed as I approached my car, my body feeling heavy. All I wanted to do was go home and sleep. Forget about all these feelings, all of these thoughts. My mind was swirling in a million directions and I felt ready to scream. A perfect night had ended and reality flooded in, leaving me feeling completely drained.

  I slid into my car, locking and shutting the door, then starting it up and letting it sit idle for a few moments to warm it up. Resting my head against the headrest, I closed my eyes. They were burning with exhaustion and I realized I was too fucking old to be out that late anymore. Especially when I have a bakery to run. My head was throbbing, the hangover kicking my ass.

  I headed to Drake’s apartment, arriving there about ten minutes later. I sent him a quick text that I was outside. Nerves began to pump through my bloodstream, making my heart pound. What this man did to me. He could make me come undone which was just fucking scary. I wasn’t sure I if I liked it or not. I couldn’t lose control, or I would be hurt again, and Drake was making me lose control.

  But at the same time, I wanted it so bad. I wanted to be ravished by him, his tongue licking a hot trail down the side of my neck, making his way lower and lower…

  I jumped and let out a loud shriek when a sharp knock sounded on the passenger window. Damn, guess I had gotten really caught up in my fantasy and didn’t see Drake come out. He was standing by the door, waiting for me to unlock it. I grinned at him, fumbling with the lock, my nerves getting the better of me.