Fudge Brownies & Murder - Culinary Competition Mystery #4

Chapter 20

(Amy)

The heavy shopping bag thumped against Amy's thigh as she walked around the corner and was greeted by a face full of wind that felt as though it had come to Kellerton via the North Pole. She didn't realize it was that windy while walking along Main Street. The buildings had provided excellent protection from the elements. Tears ran down her cheeks as she faced the gale and made her way back to the Quantum Media building. She and Alex were going out for an early dinner—or late lunch, but he had needed to check on something at his business first. Since it was right around the corner from the Cookbook Nook, Amy decided to do some baby shower shopping. The book on making homemade baby food was adorable, filled with smiling babies gobbling up colorful vegetable purees and detailed recipes that even novice cooks could follow. There was never a wrong time to give a cookbook as a gift, in her opinion.

Since Quantum was closed on the weekend, Amy had to trek around to the employee entrance at the back of the building, which Alex had left unlocked for her. The dinner out was a peace-making mission. Ever since she freaked out about having a baby, things had been a bit chilled between her and her husband. Her reaction had taken both of them by surprise. So they mutually decided to get back on track by spending some quality time with each other and good food.

Amy slipped into the sleek building and took the stairs up to the second story. The door was open to Alex's office. She knocked quietly on the wall beside the door frame as she slipped into the room. "I'm ready to go whenever you are."

He flipped the screen of his laptop down. "Perfect timing." He motioned for her to come closer. "I'm all done, but I thought maybe we could have some fun before we hit the restaurant. I didn't make reservations, so we don't have to worry about the time."

She tossed the shopping bag on the credenza where he kept his files and perched on the corner of Alex's desk. "What kind of fun are you talking about?"

Alex nodded his head toward the sleek black leather couch that sat against the sidewall of his office. "I just got that, and I have to say, it's really comfortable. Lots of room. I took a nap on it a few days ago after I had to come in early." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "I figure if it's comfy for a solo nap, it would be fine for other horizontal activities involving two people."

Amy looked at the couch. Then she looked at the window behind Alex. She could see curtains and potted plants in the windows of several apartments located above the Main Street businesses. It was a dark, gray day and lamplight illuminated several of the residences. "I like your proposal, but your giant window might cause a problem. Since it's still daylight, I can't exactly shut the lights off to give us some privacy like I did in the kitchen."

He punched a button on a remote that sat next to his closed laptop. An opaque, gray shade descended from the ceiling in front of the problematic window, blocking the view and most of the cloud-filtered sunlight. "Better?"

"Yes, sir." She used her foot to swing the door shut as she passed by on her way to the improvised bed. They were enclosed in a twilight-hued cocoon.

Alex had been right. The couch was a nice place to add some adventurous spice to their sex life. That was until someone knocked on the unlocked office door. The naughty encounter went from romantically exciting to fervently hoping one of his employees didn't get a glimpse of their boss and his wife in the buff.

Alex used an excuse to stall opening his office door, but Amy didn't hear what he said because she was too busy trying to wriggle back into her skinny jeans without pulling a thigh muscle. She had just zipped up her knee-high boots when Alex opened the door and said, "Jarod. What a surprise to see you here today."