The Baker's Touch (2 page)

Laughter spilled from the bathroom and she stiffened. She felt him shift, his jacket brushing her arm.

“Are they pretty?”

“I guess, if a man likes the starving model look.” His warm breath fluttered a curl on her face. “Did they say something to you?”

“One of them is sleeping with Sam,” she muttered.

A sharp intake of breath followed. She inclined her head and stepped forward. It wouldn’t be difficult to find her way out of the hotel. Hell, it was New Year’s Eve and there were a fleet of taxis lined up to take partygoers home. She could hail one of those. A firm hand on her shoulder halted her forward momentum.

“Then you’re better off without him.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” She shook off his hand and continued walking. There were forty steps between where she was and the ballroom. Finding Sam and smacking him across the shins would be another matter.

“What are you doing?”

“Going to give that cheating bastard a piece of my mind and then have a glass of champagne.”

****

“There you are,” Sam said as soon as she stepped into the busy ballroom.

“You actually noticed I was gone?”

“There’s someone I’d like to introduce you to.” Sam all but pulled her away from her mystery man, then folded her cane. “You don’t need this here.” Contempt oozed from his voice.

Penelope dug in her heels. She wasn’t going to let him drag her all over a crowded ballroom. “Actually, I do. I’m sure if you look around you’ll find others with similar visual aids. I believe there are a few service animals here as well.”

“But they are not with me. I had no idea there were so many broken people in the world.” He jerked her forward and she stumbled to keep up. “There is someone I need you to meet then you can go back to mingling with your kind.”

“My kind?” She was too taken aback by his statement to do more than sputter. A soft floral scent drifted to her nostrils and she stiffened.

“Penny, I’d like you to meet Sheila. My company just hired her as one of its researchers.”

“Sam is being modest,” Sheila said. “I’ve been staring at your dress all evening. It is to die for.”

Penelope bit the inside of her cheek and plastered what she hoped was a genial smile on her face. “That’s a lovely fragrance you’re wearing, Sheila. Jasmine, isn’t it?”

A startled gasp reached her ears and Sam shifted beside her.

“Why, yes. How did you know, Penny?”

“Penelope.”

“Penelope,” Sheila repeated.

“It’s a very distinctive fragrance and one I’ve smelled on more than one occasion.”

Sam cleared his throat. “Penny...”

“Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean the rest of my senses don’t work. If you wanted out of the relationship all you had to do was say so. I didn’t need to overhear the exploits of my boyfriend broadcast in the ladies’ room.” She stared in Sam’s general direction. She’d loved to see the expression on his face right now. Instead, she listened to him swallowing and tugging at his clothes.

“Really, Penny, you’re imagining things.”

She jerked away from him. “Sheila’s perfume is all over your clothes, Sam. Now I know why you wanted to be here this evening, and I’m glad it had nothing to do with me.” Penelope spun on her heel, stepped forward and met a solid wall of muscle. Heat burned her cheeks. On top of everything else, she couldn’t even storm out of the ball room without running into someone.

“Ready for that champagne?” her mystery man said close to her ear.

She swallowed. “You saw everything?”

He lifted her hand and placed her palm on his cheek. His head bobbed up and down, but there was more. His jaw was tight and a corner of his mouth drooped. Was he upset on her behalf? The thought pricked her feminine pride, but at the same time he’d witnessed a moment of humiliation.

She lowered her head.

“No, don’t do that. Keep your head up.”

Excitement buzzed around them and cheers rose. The crowd began counting down.

“He is absolutely not worth your time and he didn’t appreciate you.”

A tear slipped beneath her lashes.

“I want you to know one thing, Penelope.”

“Not fair. I don’t even know your name.”

He hooked an arm around her waist and drew her against his solid frame. “All you need to know is this.” And as the crowd screamed “one” his mouth met hers.

She stood frozen, lost in a kiss that melted her soul, stirred her desire and mended her heart. He coaxed her lips apart, his tongue darting along the seam. She curled her fingers in the lapels of his jacket as she opened for him, their tongues dueled for supremacy until she finally submitted.

Time stood still, the chorus of voices singing
Auld Lang Syne
faded as he cinched her tighter. His mouth never stopped moving on hers, becoming the very air she breathed. To stay in this stranger’s embrace would be just what she needed, but a dance and a kiss did not a relationship make. Still, she wanted the passion and acceptance he offered.

“Happy New Year,” he muttered against her lips.

“Same to you. What’s your name?”

He kissed her again. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

Before she could protest, she was alone in the crowd. She touched her lips. If she didn’t do anything this year, she would at least find out who she just kissed.

Chapter Two

Penelope allowed her head to fall forward as softness swept her skin in a caress. Each deliberate stroke sent a trickle of desire down her thighs. She squeezed her legs together in an effort to relieve the ache building. The small movement earned her a sharp slap on her bare behind. She bit back a gasp as the pleasure/pain rolled through her.

“Be still.” His whispered command left her wanton, while his warm breath tickled her ear. He soothed away the sting with the palm of his hand and she fought her body’s urge to press against him. “Tell me what you want.”

She bit her lip as he rubbed his chest to her back. The cotton of his shirt scraped across her sensitized flesh. One hand drifted up, over her ribcage to cup her breast. The other went south and dipped a skillful finger into her damp heat. Her head fell against his shoulder. She widened her stance to give him better access. He lingered for a moment. Rolling her nipple between his index finger and thumb, plunging a finger in and out of her slick heat and his lips grazed the spot just below her ear. A whimper left her lips.

“My beautiful Penelope, you are so sexy to me,” he murmured against her skin. The rasp of his tongue sent more delicious tingles racing down her spine. She tugged on the fur-lined cuffs binding her wrists over her head. Abruptly, he stepped away.

She tensed. Her heart skipping a beat as she realized, she’d moved.

“You’re learning.”

She could hear the smile in his voice. He brought his hand down on the rounded portion of her behind. The momentary sting rolled into pleasure. He spanked her, each smack a little harder than the one before.

A gasp escaped as her butt warmed. She wanted more. Relished the bit of pain with passion. He pressed his front to her back and cupped her breasts. His erection wedged between the crack of her behind, while the coarse material of his slacks rubbed her tender cheeks just right. She couldn’t stop from curving into the heat of his body.

“Please.” She needed release, needed to feel his hands everywhere, bringing her to ecstasy and beyond.

He palmed her mons, before plunging two fingers into her heat. “Is that what you want?”

She moved against his hand, a moan stuck in the back of her throat. “Yes.”

He tapped her clit with his thumb. “Or more of this?”

Pleasure rippled through her veins and pulsed between her legs. “Yes.”

Slowly he thrust in and out, while he teased her nipple. His mouth found hers. His lips cool and commanding as they coaxed hers apart. Their tongues dueled, fighting for dominance. He released her breast to drift up her torso and rest at her throat.

Muffled ringing filtered through the silence. No. Now was not the time for interruptions. Already his touch was fading. The shrill noise grew louder. “Damn!” Penelope sat upright, snatching the intrusive object from her nightstand. “This better be good.” It never failed. The same dream. For the last few weeks, ever since that New Year’s Eve kiss, she’d had the same sexy dream. Whenever she got to the good part with her dream lover, she was always interrupted before she climaxed. Even now her body hummed for release.

“This is your security company. An alarm has been triggered at your place of business. Would you like me to dispatch the police?” the calm efficient voice purred in her ear.

Her shop? “Yes. Do that and I’ll meet them there. Thank you.” She kicked the covers off, the erotic dream momentarily forgotten. Penelope fumbled for the clock. Her fingers finding the button.

“2:47,” the mechanical voice blurted.

“Ugh.” She pushed to her feet. This was not how she wanted to spend her morning. First her sex dream with the mystery man from New Year’s Eve and now her shop. She moved to the phone, felt for the tiny raised bumps and pushed one. The phone on the other end rang several times before it was answered.

“Did you mean to call me this early, Miss Penelope?” the gravelly voice on the other end mumbled.

“Yes, James, I did. I’m sorry to wake you, but the alarm went off in the shop. I need to be there.”

“I’ll be out front in ten minutes.” He sounded more alert now.

“Thank you.” She hung up the phone.

Head held high, she slowly made her way from her bedroom down the hall to the bathroom. Showered and dressed, she met James on the front porch. Early morning cold permeated her still damp hair. She shivered as she struggled into her coat.

“Miss Penelope, you’ll catch your death walking out here in the dead of cold with wet hair and no coat on.” James grabbed the collar of her heavy jacket and draped it on her shoulders. “Has Mrs. Tilman seen you?” He sighed. “Probably not if you’re out here like this.”

She stifled a chuckle. “I didn’t want to wake her for this. I left her a message that I had an emergency at the shop.” She allowed James to lead her down the slippery walk. Salt crunched beneath her booted feet. She misstepped on a slick spot and would’ve fallen if not for the gentleman’s strong grip.

“Careful.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. Once inside the vehicle, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was just too damn cold in the middle of February. Winters in Michigan were the worst for early morning bakery hours. The shop would be stone cold until the ovens warmed the kitchen.

By the time she arrived at the shop she’d warmed considerably.

“There are a couple of police cars sitting out front. The glass on the door is busted,” James said as he pulled the vehicle to the curb.

Tension gripped her. They kept very little cash on the premises. The previous day’s deposit had been dropped in the night drop at the bank, so she wasn’t concerned about that, but there were other things. Equipment, heavy and expensive, or the smaller items which were just as valuable. And product. What if any of the cakes or other candy creations had been damaged. Some of the pieces could not be duplicated in a matter of hours.

“Can you tell if someone has been in the shop, James?” She couldn’t keep the anxiety from her voice.

“Not from here, Miss. Did you call Avery?” James turned off the car, exited and came around to her.

Penelope shivered in the sudden blast of air, but was ready for it when James opened her door. “He’ll probably be upset that I’m here and didn’t wait.”

“He takes his responsibility seriously. He knows how much this shop means to you.” James gripped her elbow as she stepped from the vehicle. “Hold tight to my arm Miss Penelope. Doesn’t look like they’ve gotten out to shovel and salt the walks yet.”

She gripped his arm as they carefully moved forward. Snow crunched and skittered over her feet. A gust of arctic air cut through her thick layers and she ducked her head.

“This is the worst part about being a baker. Getting up in the middle of the night to get bombarded by frigid air,” she muttered.

James chuckled beside her. “Yes, ma’am, much agreed.” He paused. “There’s a bit of glass here. Don’t touch anything.”

“Okay.” She allowed herself to be maneuvered around the trouble area and into relative warmth. The hum of refrigeration units was loud in the silent shop. A hand gripped hers.

“Miss Bishop. Officer Rogers here,” a soft almost feminine voice said.

“Oh. Hello.”

“My partner is with your assistant. It appears most of the damage was to the door and no one actually entered the shop, but they’re checking to make sure.”

“Okay. That doesn’t sound too bad,” Penelope said.

“Other businesses have been vandalized in the area over the last several weeks and we’re not quite sure as to why.”

She could only nod at the information. Her shop wasn’t in a bad part of town; on the contrary, it was in downtown Ann Arbor. The bakery drew patrons from the surrounding office buildings as well as the few hotels and local college. Lots of people to keep the businesses going.

“I thought I heard you out here.”

Penelope sucked in a gasp. Every time she heard her assistant’s voice she was reminded of aged whiskey, smooth and mellow. And a man with that type of dulcet tone had to have a body to go with it. For a moment she squashed the fantasy of running her hands over his sinewy flesh.

“Yes, I’m here.”

“I was telling Officer Buck we’re missing a couple of blocks of chocolate and, of course, the door.”

She scratched her head. “Did you say chocolate?”

“Yeah. One dark, one milk and two white.”

“Give us a moment to get you a claim number and we’ll get out of your way.” That had to be the other officer. His voice was gravelly, like he was a heavy smoker.

Clothes rustled and static crackled as the officers moved around the shop. Wind whipped against her ankles as they exited. Throat clearing had her turning to her left.

“If you don’t mind, Miss Penelope, I’ll help clean things a bit and make them safer for you to navigate,” James said. “Everything else looks good around here.”