Candy Store Read Free Page A

needed to drink the fiery liquid, promising herself his mouth if she could tear her lips away from his wrist, Callie reached for the shot glass and drank the tequila in one long swallow. But this time it wasn’t bitter and she didn’t think it was going to kill her. Instead it made her feel warm, even warmer than she already was, and languid and perfect. She got back up on her tippy-toes and placed her hands behind Tobey’s neck and felt softness on her fingers as she threaded them into his hair. He leaned into her and she placed her teeth around the lime and sucked the juice from it without ever touching her skin to his, and then suddenly the lime was gone and she was kissing him, and his tongue was in her mouth, conquering her, showing her that she was going to have to play the game by his rules.
    Callie felt his strong hands encircle her back and pull her into him. She felt safe and hot and scared and wet and she wanted to curl up inside Tobey and never come out.
    “Ahem.” The bartender cleared his throat. And then again, but louder this time. “I think the bride and groom are trying to get your attention.”
    Callie heard the bartender from within a deep red fog, but she wanted to ignore it, if hearing him meant leaving heaven.
    It was Tobey who finally pulled away from her. With one last heavy look, his devil-may-care grin was back on his face. Everything hit her at once, and Callie felt as if she had been thrown from a hot tub to a cold plunge with no warning. But it was worse than that. Everyone at the wedding had just witnessed her throwing herself at a stranger.
    Knowing her thoughts, Tobey leaned in and whispered, “No one could see you behind me. There’s nothing to worry about.”
    Callie nodded quickly as tears welled up in her eyes for the hundredth time that day. Unable to meet his eyes, she turned and ran blindly away from the gathering, instinctively heading for the one place that she would feel safe again—the kitchen.
    She darted through the swinging door and stepped to the left just in time to avoid a collision with one of the waiters. Her eyes wild, she ran past the prep area, past the 14

    Candy Store
    stoves, rounded a corner and found refuge in the walk-in refrigerator. Stepping inside, she slumped down onto an upside down milk crate and tried to catch her breath.
    She was just going to have to hide in the refrigerator until the reception was over. It was either that or risk running into Tobey again. Which she definitely couldn’t do. One more minute so near to him, and she’d be naked and riding him for sure.
    15

    Bella Andre

Chapter Two
    “May the bride and groom have true love forever!”
    Tobey raised his champagne glass in a toast to James and Jane, doing his best to act the part of the happy best man, but all he could think about was the little blonde vixen who had just run away from him.
    “Has anyone seen Callie?” Jane asked after the endless toasts were through. At her guest’s blank stares, she added, “She made the incredible truffles.”
    People moaned with remembered pleasure and licked their lips and said things like, “Better than sex,” and “Are there more?”
    Tobey smiled. He should have known that Callie had something to do with candy.
    Candy was, after all, his specialty. And Callie was so damn sweet, especially her plump lips and the succulent patch of skin at the base of her neck. He couldn’t wait to taste the rest of her. He was going to run his tongue over every inch of her body, from her lush breasts and her taut nipples, which he was guessing were a dusty rose on the light creamy skin of her breasts, to the valley between her thighs, and…
    Jane’s voice cut through his X-rated daydream. “Darn. I wish she was here so I could officially thank her for making those incredible truffles that everyone has been raving about.” Jane reached for her new husband’s hand. “Plus, if it weren’t for Callie’s Candies, James and I would have never found