Sweet Pleasures ✔︎

[5] 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔

Josh couldn't stop thinking about her. The morning after his impromptu candy-making session with Jupiter Rhoades, he woke up with the unsettling suspicion that she might even have invaded his dreams. Not that that should have surprised him.

She was a pretty little thing - thick-lashed brown eyes, lips shaped like a bow, brown curly hair cascading down her shoulders. Nice, perky breasts, long legs, round hips. Just the memory of her warm, curvy body pressed against him made him hot. She'd tasted like whipped cream, chocolate, and rainbow sprinkles. Birthday cake. He'd had to fight not to run his hand up her bare leg and between her thighs to discover how hot and wet she'd been.

He groaned, tilting his head forward to let the water of the shower pound against his neck. After the Troll's house encounter, he'd ensured Jupiter and her friend were safely in the car and on their way. Then he'd cursed himself for failing to get Jupiter's last name. Because even then, he'd hated the thought that she'd go off again looking for another guy to artlessly hit on.

Then she'd shown up at the Candy King kitchen yesterday with her hair all hidden beneath a plastic cap and her brown eyes wide with shock at the sight of him. He'd been shocked at the sight of her too - actually, more like something had slammed into his chest - only he knew how to hide it.

But Jupiter wasn't a girl who could hide what she was feeling. She was too open, transparent, guileless. He's known that the instant he'd turned from the pool table and seen her standing there, all flushed, bright-eyes, nervous excitement.

All sweetness.

Tension laced through Josh's shoulders. Despite the fact that he owned a candy company, he didn't do sweet. His women were cool, sophisticated, and carefully vetted. Jupiter was not. Unfortunately, that was exactly what made her so intriguing.

Well, that and the fact that she'd begged him to fuck her. And then snapped at him indignantly about his reputation. And called him a control-freak Capricorn, which was the truth. Not to mention, she was the reason he'd actually made candy, which he had not done in more years that he could remember.

Shit. He couldn't do this. He also couldn't not do this. He'd made a mistake coming onto Jupiter and asking her to dinner, but the thought of her with another guy made him want to explode with jealousy and anger - which irritated him to no end considering he barely knew her.

Still. He couldn't let that pretty girl loose on the town, looking for a hook-up. It would be like sending a lamb into the lion's den. Who knew what kind of dickwad would take advantage for her?

By asking her for dinner, Josh was just keeping an eye on her. He'd have to make sure he wasn't the dickwad taking advantage of her, but he could do that. Much as he wanted her, he was nothing if not self-controlled.

So he'd take her to dinner, give her a brotherly lecture about the dangers a girl like her could get into, and drop her back home with a kiss on the forehead.

Yeah. He could do that. It might kill him, but he'd do it.

He turned off the shower and switched his brain to his agenda for the day. First order of business for the day was to confront his brother, who had been the reason Josh was at the Troll's House at all the other night.

He took ten minutes to shave, another ten to dress, then answered a few emails while eating his usual breakfast of oatmeal and egg whites with spinach.