Chapter Three
Kyle turned off his alarm. It was six. He tossed back the covers and rolled to his feet. He peeped out his window at the street below. There was no one about. He knew that most of the businesses in town didn’t open until nine although most of the shop owners would start showing up sporadically.
When he’d purchased this building, he’d been happy to find out that there were a couple of apartments on the second floor. He’d knocked down the walls and had them converted into one large space. He’d loved the idea of the convenience of being so close to his business.
He used the bathroom and then dressed quickly pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He did a few quick stretches in front of his building before jogging toward the center of town. The morning air was cool and refreshing and he ended up running farther than he’d intended. By the time he’d circled back toward home, he saw Anais attempting to unlock her front door while juggling a large box. Seemingly frustrated, she placed the box at her feet and opened her door.
Without thinking, innate manners had Kyle jogging over and picking up the box for her. “Good morning, Anais.”
“K-Kyle.” She faltered back a step, her big brown eyes going wide. She pressed one hand to her chest as it rose and fell rapidly. He was incapable of stopping his gaze from dropping there, noting the fullness of her breasts, before he forced himself to focus on her face. It was no easy task as she wore a dark pink top with a deep V that tied with a bow at the side of her slim waist and presented her tits to him like the best Christmas gift ever. “You startled me. Where did you come from?”
“I was out for a jog.”
“Oh.” She pushed opened her door and held out her hands. “I can take that now.”
“I’ll carry it for you,” he volunteered. The box was heavy and clinked gently when he shifted. She moved aside as he walked into her store. He groaned as the smell of sugar, vanilla, and coconut hit him. His empty belly grumbled. “It smells delicious in here.”
She gave a nervous laugh as she went around flicking on lights revealing shelves and displays filled with jars and tubes, but no food. “It’s the different lotions and body scrubs. There’s no food.”
“That’s a shame. I’m starving. Where do you want this?”
“You can put it on the counter next to the cash register.”
He put it down and turned around in time to catch her giving him a sweeping gaze. He tilted his head to the side as she continued to stare at him. For a moment, he wondered if she liked what she saw or if she were cataloguing his faults. The tattoos on his arms and the side of his thigh were visible. Then her lips parted and her tongue peeked out to wet their lush fullness. Kyle growled at the look of hunger on her face.
Anais jerked and emitted a frightened squeak. That’s when he remembered. How could he have forgotten that this woman was terrified of him? He knew he had the tendency to be a little intense, but he’d done nothing to frighten her on their date. Hoping to ease her fear, he asked, “So, all these jars and stuff…is it all for women?”
“Um, no.” She made her way around the counter until it separated the two of them. “I have a few items geared toward men.” She pointed to a section of shelves against the wall. “I have facial scrubs and cleansers that help with razor burn. I have manly body scrubs for teens suffering from acne. I have body washes and moisturizers. And you’ll be happy to know that none of them smell like vanilla.”
“And you make them all here?”
She nodded.
“Then what’s in the box?” He indicated the box he’d carried in and sat on the counter.
She patted it. “This is my grandmother’s special body cream. I make it at home because the ingredients are a family secret. It’s one of my best sellers. I can barely keep it on the shelf. I’m told it is quite the magical love elixir.”
He smiled faintly. “You’re told? You’ve never tested it out?”
Anais stiffened. “It’s serious stuff. You only use it on someone you love.”
He didn’t have to ask to know that she’d never had anyone to try it on. “So, do you always come to work so early?”
“No, I’m trying to stock up for the Christmas rush, such as it is in this town.”
“Not a big rush?” he asked.
She shook her head, sending her curls bouncing around her cheeks. “Without any of the big chain stores nearby, we’re not exactly a shopping destination. But we will experience an uptick in business.”
He nodded and began backing toward the door. He needed to shower, eat breakfast, and dress for work. Once he was at a safe distance, her eyes starting wandering again, down his neck, across his shoulders, over his abs and legs. Kyle could feel himself responding to her look. She probably didn’t even realize she was doing it. He figured he’d better leave before he embarrassed himself and scared her even more. Because though she might like the view, she’d be terrified if he acted on the signals she was sending. “I’d better get back. See you around.” She gave him a cute little wave as he pushed out the door, the bell overhead tinkling as he left.
***
Anais dropped her head onto the counter, just missing bashing her head on the cash register. That man was seriously hot. He was muscled without being overly so, but not skinny either. In addition to jogging, he had to be lifting weights to have such a great body. She couldn’t help but look. It would have been a crime not to. It was a shame that she wasn’t the type of girl who could have sex with a guy and not try to build a relationship out of it. She straightened and fanned her face as she made her way to the door and locked it as the store didn’t open until eight-thirty. Nicole had her own key.
She opened the box of body cream and began unloading it. She had almost finished by the time Nicole let herself in. “Good morning,” she called out happily.
Anais stood so that she could see Nicole over the aisles of shelving. “Good morning. I trust you got Stuart safely to work.”
“Yep. Have you made coffee?”
“No, I forgot. Sorry.” She’d been too distracted by Kyle. Usually she put on a pot as soon as she walked in the door.
“That’s okay. I’ll make it.” Nicole went into the backroom that they used as a breakroom and where they also got packages ready for shipping. They had another room where they manufactured the products. Whenever they got behind, Anais hired teenagers to help out part-time a few days a week. She hoped that one day soon she could hire someone permanently.
Soon the smell of coffee filtered into the store to mingle with the scents of vanilla and coconut. Before she could follow her nose and fix herself a cup, Nicole was bringing her a steaming mug.
“Just the way you like it—a dollop of cream and lots of sugar.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Shall I open the door and let in the masses?”
Anais giggled. There wasn’t likely to be a stampede—more like a slow trickle. She glanced at her watch. It was still a little early but as no one was waiting outside the door, she figured it couldn’t hurt. “Why not?”
Nicole lingered at the window after she had completed opening the store. “I see Kyle has a customer.” She made a sound of disgust. “It’s Carrie Whitehead. Her truck can’t be more than a year old and there’s not a scratch on it. She’s such an incorrigible flirt. I hope Kyle doesn’t fall for her crap. She’s always stringing guys along, playing them off one another to see what she can get out of them. He’s too nice a guy for that.”
“Just how well do you know Kyle?” Anais asked, wondering at Nicole’s high opinion of Kyle.
Nicole turned from the window with a delighted grin on her face. “Why, I do believe you sound jealous!”
Anais widened her eyes. “It’s not me who should be jealous, but Stuart.”
Nicole waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Most of what I know about Kyle is through Stuart.”
Shaking her head, Anais took a sip of her coffee. She’d wasted enough of her morning on Kyle Gray. “Well, he’s a big boy. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Nicole shrugged. “I’m sure you’re right.” She turned and began walking through the aisles, straightening jars and bottles as she walked along.
Anais happened to glance out the window in time to see Carrie laying a hand on Kyle’s bicep. Instead of pulling away after a brief touch, she began to trail her fingers up and down his arm. Anais shook her head. It was none of her business. She busied herself with turning on the cash register. With determination, she kept her gaze off the other side of the street. When the first customers drifted in a half an hour later, Carrie’s truck was gone.