Whetted Appetites Read online

  Max said she sounded like a spitfire. Though, he envisioned a much older lady. About fifty or so with her graying hair twisted into a tight bun.

  According to Max, she was already wound tight enough.

  But the truth was that Victoria has every reason to be acrimonious with his company. It was obvious she had let it slide. If the shoe was on the other foot, he would feel exactly the same way she did. Super ticked at the company for letting him down.

  It worked both ways. Without their business, they would be out of business. And without hers, they would be packing up as well. In the end, they had to work out compromises and keep each other balanced and happy.

  So tomorrow, when she dropped by at three, he would apologize and let her know that he would help her out in any way possible.

  He would not say anything to hurt her feelings or form impetuous opinions of her.

  He mentally kicked himself. He did that earlier when he pictured an older woman running the bakery. It wasn’t a bad picture but, nonetheless, he formed a picture of her based on personality and he wouldn’t do it again.

  Hadn’t he been ridiculed enough in school to know he didn’t like that feeling? It hurt. It hurt even worse than the bruises he had gotten from the school bullies.

  Victoria was a valued customer. He prided himself on working extremely hard for all of his buyers. It left little time to sit back and relax but he was now financially secure.

  He lounged back in his chair as his early childhood memories flooded his mind.

  He knew he came from a poor family. His mom and his two brothers and sister had to live on welfare and food stamps for a number of years. And that had just barely gotten them by. He was skinny because his mom had to make the food last longer. They had to ration food until they only got a few spoons apiece.

  He had to get his clothes at a thrift store or the Good Will. He took meticulous care of them. He knew, eventually, his clothes would go to his other brothers once he grew out of them.

  He was made fun of because of his frame, his clothes and the fact that they had government help.

  Eventually, he grew tired of the bullying and as soon as he turned twelve years old, he found odd jobs to do. Cutting grass for the neighbors. Walking dogs. Raking leaves. Painting fences. Anything to earn money to save for college.

  He also worked intensively at school. Doing extra credit. Even some extra-curricular activities to earn scholarships to go to business school.

  By the time he was sixteen, he had gotten a job at the local grocery store a few blocks from his home. Good thing, because he couldn’t afford a car of any kind at the time.

  He worked hard, putting in overtime as much as possible until he was promoted to assistant manager.

  All of that back breaking work finally paid off. He earned the scholarship to go to the University for Business Management. The fact that he had been assistant manager for over a year at Tom’s Grocery Store gave him some experience in the management field.

  Working his way to the top, Dalton ultimately reached the president position for a catering company. Not long after, he bought out the other partner and renamed the company, ‘Hughes’ Catering Supplies, Inc.’

  Not bad for a thirty-five year old poor boy. He smiled, mentally patting himself on the back.

  But the only saddening part about it was that his father wasn’t here to see him. His father died when Dalton was only nine.

  His dad’s life was taken at such a young age. Thirty-one. Killed by a drunk driver as he was coming home from work.

  He remembered the times he could hear his mother crying in her room when he was younger. At that age, how was he supposed to comfort her? He was too hurt by it all and was grieving just as much as she was.

  He also remembered the anger he had felt when his mother had told him that the driver had been drinking. After learning that awful news, Dalton had never touched alcohol in all his years of living. He equated alcohol with trouble. It was branded in his brain. He didn’t want to end up killing himself or some innocent driver or pedestrian. He knew he could be a responsible drinker, but it still scared him. Maybe on day he would try a glass of wine or something light. But not right now. It was still too soon.

  Eventually, he learned to move on. He was healthy and had a lot going for him.

  Except one thing.

  The love of a good woman.

  He hadn’t had a date in so long; he probably forgot how to go on one. And what about the sex? He certainly hoped they hadn’t changed it from the last time he’s had it.

  For one wild night, he wouldn’t mind having a hot, vibrant woman to make him forget about work for a few hours. On hot-blooded female to seduce him and ride him senseless.

  But since he knew he wasn’t the type for a one-night stand, the probability of burying himself in a sexy woman was nada. Zilch. Zero.

  Running his hand over his face, he got up, grabbed his jacket and keys and locked up his office. No use in wishing about what he couldn’t have.

  Dalton stepped out of the building after making sure everyone was gone. He got into his Lexus and drove to his lonely house where the only date he had was with a shower, a sandwich and some television.

  Talk about a hot date.

  Victoria examined the contents in her closet, looking for a business-type suit. Nothing too formal but nothing too casual either. After a few minutes of searching, she found what she was looking for.

  “Perfect,” she said as she took the garments off the hangers and placed them on her bed.

  A soft, baby powder blue blouse with her gray slacks and matching jacket would do the job.

  She went back to her closet and rummaged around for her bone colored pumps. After unearthing them from the very back, she set them beside her clothes. She walked over to her bureau and grabbed her nude thigh-highs and her with lace bra and panty set.

  She gathered everything up neatly and arranged them on her love seat beside her bedroom window.

  She stopped and pondered for a second. She noticed that she had always performed the same ritual. Selecting her clothes, shoes and underwear and arranging them just so the day before an appointment, party or social gathering.

  She started to chuckle. That was the only good trait she had gotten from her mother. Sad to say, she had also gotten her impatient streak. Though not nearly as horrible. She certainly didn’t inherit her mother’s snobbery. All the good things she had learned were from the maids and butlers. Lessons on kindness and treating people with respect.

  She thanked God she wasn’t like her mother. She wanted friends. Not friends out of fear or because she had money. She wanted friends that stuck by you through everything.

  She could count Melissa as one of her truest friends. Melissa helped her with the bakery, the cooking, the designing and the accounts.

  Melissa didn’t give one snit about Victoria’s wealth. She actually treated her like a human being. Anyone could consider themselves lucky to have Melissa by their side.

  Melissa was also lucky in love. Her boyfriend, Eric, was fortunate to have her. He kissed the ground she walked on. He adored her and treated her like a queen.

  Every day that Melissa came in to work, she had stars in her eyes and a blush on her cheeks.

  Very lucky, Victoria thought without a trace of bitterness or jealousy. She was happy for Melissa and Eric. She was glad they had found each other.

  Maybe one day, she’ll find that special bond, that instant connection. She wasn’t in any kind of a hurry when it came to love. She was twenty-seven, single, sexy and fun to be with. She wasn’t looking for something in the way of a permanent situation right now. She was happy just dating a variety of men. That is if she could find a man worth more than a few days of her time. If the man in her life couldn’t spark her interest beyond a week, she got bored and wanted to move on.

  She enjoyed living life to the fullest and she wanted a man with the same attitude. She loved to have fun and she wouldn’t mind taking a man
along for the ride. A man that could take her breath away with a mere glance. Make her hot and wet with a single touch, a kiss or embrace. A man that could make her knees turn to jelly at the sound of her name rolling off his sexy, pouty lips. A man who would suck, nip, taste…….devour. A man who could give it as good as he’s got. And then some.

  She wasn’t really a vulgar person but she just wanted a man who would bend her over and turn her inside out; a man who wasn’t afraid of going into to the unknown. She needed a man who was just fine with being a daredevil in the bedroom. Or anywhere else in her house, for that matter. Was that too much to ask?

  All of this hot thinking was making her very antsy. She could feel her clitoris pulsating with need.

  Victoria went to her private stash and took out a fresh pack of batteries.

  A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.

  “Melissa.” Victoria called into the kitchen of her bakery. “I’ve already taken out the sticky buns from the first over. The other batch had twenty minutes left. When they’re all done and cooled, I need them iced and boxed in the new gold boxes for the Weston’s party.”

  Melissa came to the front of the store where she found Victoria painstakingly placing petit fours into blue tins. “Got it.” She smiled as she finished helping Victoria pack the artfully decorated mini-cakes. “How many dozens of sticky buns did the Weston’s order?”

  “Six.” Victoria leaned over to Melissa as if intending to whisper a secret. “There are two extra on the pan.”

  “Oh, you’re a saint,” Melissa started. “You’re also the devil,” she admonished playfully. “You know I can’t resist your sticky buns. If I keep it up, I’ll be as big as the broad side of a barn,” she guffawed.

  “Please,” Victoria said in mock exasperation. “You never gain an ounce. I don’t see how you keep so fit.”

  “Must be all the sex,” Melissa said, feigning seriousness.

  Victoria’s eyes widened in astonishment until Melissa burst out into a fit of laughter. Victoria joined in the playful camaraderie.

  “You’re too much, Melissa,” Victoria said when her laughter died down to an occasional giggle.

  Victoria and Melissa finished packing all the sweets when Victoria looked up at the clock. Two.

  They both went into the office and sat down with cups of coffee and sticky buns.

  “Melissa, would you mind holding down the store for a couple of hours?” she inquired as she broke off a bite of her treat. “I need to ride over to the Hughes’ Catering Supplies to have a little chat with the president.”

  Melissa gave her a knowing glance. “Sure. No problem. I hope they will finally be able to get this delivery stuff in order.”

  “Me, too.” Victoria polished off her snack and got her clothes out of the office closet and started changing out of her baker’s uniform and into the suit she had picked out the previous day.

  Finished, she reached for her purse and car keys and bid Melissa good-bye.

  Melissa gave her a thumbs-up before Victoria walked out the door, determination in her gait.

  “I’m sick and tired…..no, that won’t do at all,” Victoria shook her head. She had only a few more minutes to practice what she was going to say to Mr. Dalton Hughes. “I don’t appreciate being let down like this again. Is this how you do business? How do you stay in business with all of the mistakes you’ve been making?”

  Victoria smiled, pleased with the later part of her speech.

  She pulled into the parking lot of the supply company and got out. She held her head up high and marched through the glass doors of the building.

  She walked up to the secretary, whose name was Beth. She smiled as politely as she could. “Hello. I have an appointment with a Mr. Dalton Hughes at three.”

  Beth returned her smile. “Can I have your name, please?”

  “Victoria Bradley.”

  Beth got up from her desk. “Right this way.”

  “Thank you,” Victoria smiled urbanely, but inside she was ready to confront Mr. Hughes with somewhat mild indignation.

  The secretary pointed to Mr. Hughes’ office door. “Through the door.”

  Victoria nodded and Beth left her to go back to her desk.

  Victoria took a few deep breaths, had her speech ready in her head and opened his door.

  And everything she had just rehearsed went straight out the window.

  Chapter Two

  Oh. My. Word. What a fine piece of…..

  “May I help you?” Dalton inquired courteously to the woman standing just inside his door.

  Can you ever, Victoria’s dirty side thought as she observed Dalton appreciatively. He had to be over six feet tall. Nice, clean cut, dark black hair with a hint of a beard to match. Light green eyes a woman could get lost in. Shoulders broad enough to carry plenty of burdens for a lifetime. Long, sinewy arms bulging from his shirt, begging to be fondled. And those hard pecs showing through his dress shirt? It was enough to make her mouth water. That plus his evenly tanned skin made for one hot man. Yummy.

  Oh, and when he smiled……..It could definitely melt her butter and make her heart jump into her throat and pound like crazy.

  He kind of reminded her of that British actor on her favorite horror series. God knows how many times she’d fantasized about him in her bed, thinking about all the things she’d like to do to him.

  When she looked at Mr. Hughes, her mind conjured up quite a few naughty things she would just love to do to him.

  Victoria was yanked out of her reverie when he cleared his throat.

  Oh, wow. I must have been staring at him like some kind of nincompoop. Not that she was embarrassed. Not much could make her blush. She wasn’t that childish. She thought only insecure, sheltered virgins blushed. She was neither of these things.

  It was evident that she was looking, because he smiled knowingly.

  What a smile! Straight, white teeth and full lips.

  Okay, Victoria, she lectured herself. Breathe. Just breathe. Don’t lose sight about why you have come here today.

  She blinked a few times, lifted her chin a notch and introduced herself.

  “I’m Victoria Bradley.” She walked closer to his desk until she was near enough to touch it. That’s when she smelled his clean, woodsy scent. It smelled heavenly. It was almost sufficient to say, “The hell with my speech. Give it to me. Right here. Right now. On your desk”.

  Dalton stood up and reached out his hand to hers. “Hello, Miss Bradley.” His voice was smooth with just enough roughness around the edges to make her tingle in all the right places.

  Dalton watched as her slender hand grabbed his in a firm, business-like handshake.

  Well, well, Dalton thought as he let go of her hand. This is Miss Victoria Bradley.

  She was not at all like he pictured in his mind yesterday. Standing before him was a beautiful, sexy woman. Soft, wavy dark hair spilling just over her shoulder. High, defined cheekbones setting off her big doe-brown eyes. Satin, creamy skin just peeking out of her light blue blouse.

  The gray suit, though conservative, was still sexy as hell on her. It hugged her curves just right, accentuating them instead of covering them and without being too tight or frumpy. This was not some old lady with her gray hair in a tight bun. Her skin was smooth and flawless without a trace of crow’s feet or a wrinkle.

  Spitfire. He recalled Max’s word to depict her. Yeah, he could see that in her eyes.

  As for her panties being in a twist? Maybe, but he wouldn’t mind untwisting them for her. Even if it meant he’d have to slip them down those long legs. Legs he’d like wrapped around his----

  He stopped himself short of the thought. He didn’t want to mortify himself in front of Miss Bradley by his cock straining to escape his fly.

  Not a good first impression. He wouldn’t want to scare her. But, somehow, he knew that was a preposterous assumption. Victoria didn’t look like she scared very easily or at all.

  “Miss Bradle
y,” Dalton said a little too unsteadily. “Won’t you please sit down?” He hoped she didn’t notice the waver in his voice.

  Apparently she didn’t or either she didn’t care to comment. She did, however, notice that he waited for her to sit down before he followed suit.

  A gentleman, Victoria observed. Impressive.

  Dalton laced his fingers on his desk. “What can I do for you?”

  Do for me? Victoria thought about a few things he could do for her. Or to her, is more like it.

  She studied him for a moment. He didn’t look like a wild and crazy man. He appeared a tad too stiff—uh, moderate. Withdrawn. Edgy. But he also looked sexy, sophisticated and nice.

  Nice? More like overly polite. Too sweet; subtle. He didn’t seem to have an untamed bone in his hard-muscled body. She certainly wouldn’t mind stripping him down and finding it, though.

  Victoria crossed her legs slowly and noticed Dalton’s eyes glance down her body briefly. She saw a quick flicker of fire.

  Backtrack. There was more to him than she thought. Maybe he did have a little ‘wild’ in him somewhere. She smiled. And she was the perfect person to bring it out of him.

  Shoot, from the first minute she’d seen him, she wanted him. And by the looks he was giving her, it wouldn’t be too hard to get him into her bed.

  She quickly re-thought her speech. New strategy: Get hot hunk, Dalton Hughes. She wanted him. And she meant to have him.

  “Mr. Hughes,” she began as she laced her fingers over her knee. A move she purposely intended, knowing it pushed her ample sized C breasts up. A move Dalton did not take for granted. His eyes briefly took in the sight of the creamy swell of her cleavage before he looked back up into her eyes. He cleared his throat and nervously started to clench and unclench his hands.

  Victoria grinned inwardly. Good. She went on with her new speech. “I’m the owner of the new bakery called ‘The SweetTooth’. We specialize in confections, cakes and candies. I’ve only been in business for about six months and it’s going really well.” She licked her lips slowly. “People really to love my goodies.”