Valentine’s is always a busy time of year for PB and J Bakery.
With love fueling the need for sweet confections, there’s always room for romance. Even the anonymous gifts left for Penelope, by a secret admirer, are a welcome distraction from the chaos of chocolate and spongecake.
Penelope Bishop has an idea who’s sending the gifts, or at least she hopes it’s her sexy mystery man who stole a kiss on New Year’s Eve. The trouble is, she’s never seen him. Her only clues are dancing skills, a great pair of lips, and a sensual voice that haunts her dreams and every waking fantasy. All that pales when her assistant, Avery, inspires those same lustful thoughts.
Avery has loved Penelope from afar, but with her recent breakup, he doubts she’ll view him beyond the current role he has in her life...seeing eye person. He has one chance to woo a woman who defines her world through touch, scent, sound, and taste--think outside the dating box. When an old flame comes courting and makes Penelope an offer she just may accept, Avery has one last opportunity to make her his Valentine...he’ll have to bare all.
Excerpt Chapter One
A small throng of people gathered in the wide tiled foyer. The distant chatter of conversation mingled with the soft music and the occasional burst of laughter.
Mr. VIP eyed the small group of people with some hostility. Look at them. So successful and happy at this New Year’s Eve gathering. How dare they be happy when I am struggling. He clenched his hands at the thought.
Didn’t they know his world was falling apart? Didn’t they know he was suffering? Or were they too wrapped up in their own relationships and businesses to notice he had withdrawn more than usual?
They were supposed to be his friends, his colleagues, his support system.
And not one of them noticed.
No. Not when he had stopped bringing his wife around. Nor when he no longer hosted any social gatherings at his home. They hadn’t even noticed he no longer discussed his business, his passion.
They hadn’t noticed anything.
Breathing deep, allowing the rising anger to swell and dissipate enough, he unclenched his hands and exhaled. Once more, he was the calm collected man they all knew him to be.
“Has the rest of our group arrived?” said Abigail Anderson. She held the handle of a large attentive but aging yellow, English Labrador retriever named Percy.
“I think we’re still waiting on Penelope.”
“Let me grab a quick picture before we move,” Geneva Martin said. She walked a few steps away, her heels clicking on the polished floor. “I can’t believe I’m getting a chance to be here,” Geneva gushed. “My mom always described the lobby as classy. You know, lots of marble and crystal chandeliers.” Her words were punctuated with a feminine voice as she rapidly instructed the person with the camera to tilt the cameral left, then right. Then the soft click of a shutter snapping followed, echoing off the high ceilings. “I can’t wait to post these on my website.”