Chocolate

It was a Saturday, the busiest day of the week, not to mention that it was Valentine's Day and everyone loves chocolate coated delicacies on the day of love. Chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cupcakes were of high demand and running low, so Serena Tanner struggled to put an eager husband on hold.

"I'm sorry, sir, I'll go check on them and be right back," she wiped the sweat on her hands onto her pink Charlotte's Chocolate work shirt, hastily making her way to the back kitchen. "What the hell is taking the cupcakes and strawberries so long?" she spat, not meaning to be so intentionally harsh.

Polly, a wide eyed strawberry blonde worker jumped up from a stool in the corner. "Oh no, oh Serena, I'm sorry, here they are!" she shoved a tray of boxed cupcakes and strawberries at Serena, her eyes wide like puppy dogs. Without anything but an aggravated sigh, Serena snagged the tray and proceeded to the front.

"Here you are, sir. Sorry for the wait," she handed a box to the customer in exchange for $15. "Have a great day!" she called, but the ticked off man was already halfway out the door. The flow continued the same for the entirety of the day, until 8 o'clock came around and the shop died down. Only an hour more and Serena would be able to join her comforting bed in a romantic Valentines Day date. Polly returned with a jar of lollipops, set them on the counter, then left with a, "I just want to sleep."

"You're telling me," Serena mumbled condescendingly under her breath, snagging a red heart shaped lolly. The cupcakes grew more and more tempting with every growl of her stomach, being that she hadn't been able to eat dinner throughout the long day. Charlotte's Chocolate was small, very small, especially with a load of demanding customers on Valentine's Day and only two cashiers. Serena agreed to work from 12-8. She needed the money.

A Devil's Food cupcake found way to her mouth. She relished each bite of chocolate cake, savoring the heavy buttercream icing. She became immensely consumed in the cupcake, like a baby in a toy, or a cat in a strand of yarn. The jingling of the door bells didn't travel to her ears and the sight of a man didn't reach her eyes until he approached the counter.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry," she stuffed the last of the cupcake in her mouth, placing her eyes on the man. Swallowing thickly, she ridded of the cupcake.

"Long day?" he chortled slightly, rolling up the sleeves of his gray shirt above his elbows. He was a well aged man, brown hair, curly of some sort.

"Something like that," she laughed weakly, feeling a little embarrassed that she was caught pigging out by a handsome, very handsome man. "What can I get you?"

He eyed the rack of chocolate coated cupcakes, strawberries, marshmallows, pretzels and many candies up and down, pondering his options.

"A lot of decisions for such a small shop," he looked around the tiny bakery.

"Well who are you ordering for? Because I've noticed that daughters like chocolate cupcakes," she gestured to the dessert had just recently been scarfed down. Daughters did love it, young ones especially. He looked like the father of a young 6 year old girl to Serena.

"Okay, I'll take a chocolate cupcake then," he nodded in agreement. She scooped up a luxurious cupcake and dropped it in a white box. Glancing out the window, she noticed frost piling up on the window and the dark black sky come out to play. "Aannd..," he prolonged the word, browsing the clear case of sweets.

"For a wife?" she asked, examining his distant expression when the word surfaced. His smile wavered and she instantly regretted it. He was divorced. Had to be. Her eyes fell to his left ring finger, where a ring surely resided. Pity washed over her as she figured he was hung up on his wife on Valentines Day and she surely wasn't helping. "Or not...I'm sorry."

"You know," he leaned on the counter, his elbow swiping against the marble top and mischief sparkled in his gray-blue eyes. "I just really want to have hot, passionate sex tonight. And that's not going to happen. So I'll take a red velvet cupcake instead."

Serena tapped her fingers on the marble, considering his desires. "How about a red velvet cupcake and some hot, passionate sex? My treat."