The Sweet Shoppe: Tempting Prudence Read Free Page B

various other body parts.

Chapter Four
    Prudence took another drink of wine, the fruity tang now not so pronounced since she’d had four glasses. Or was it five? Damn, this was not like her at all. She believed in moderation.
    “Some more wine?” Jonas smiled at her and Prudence found herself agreeing to another glass. What the hell was wrong with her? Nerves; had to be. That, or it was his freaking smile. Why was it all he had to do was smile at her and she was agreeing to things? Hell, he could probably ask her to participate in a murder and she would agree, as long as he smiled.
    “So you think that the realignment and consolidation of our San Antonio plant worked out well?’
    She cleared her throat. “Yes. Production went way up. Moving production to one centralized plant made sense.”
    “Hmmmm.” He was already studying the next report. He’d put on his reading glasses. There was something so Clark Kent/Superman about Jonas wearing glasses.
    “Is there anything else?”
    “No. Actually this was easier than I thought it would be.” He set the papers on the table. “Ready for dessert?”
    She licked her lips. “Well, I thought maybe ... it is getting really late.”
    He frowned to the point he almost pouted, and crossed his arms over his chest. “But I bought these just for you.”
    Guilt overpowered her nerves. “Okay. Just a little, then I really have to go.”
    He practically jumped out of his chair, walked to the counter, and looked back over his shoulder. “Why don’t we go into the living room?”
    She nodded and followed him. When she tried to sit in the brown leather oversized chair, he shook his head and motioned to the couch. “You’re going to make me think you don’t like me.”
    Silently, she laughed. Not like him. No, not at all. She just wanted to munch on his body.
    With a secret smile, he placed a gold box with a nice little red bow in her lap. She lifted it and noticed the name of the Sweet Shoppe on the box. Chocolate. She stifled a sigh. Did every man think they should get her food? When she didn’t react, he took the box from her.
    “I knew you wanted some. I couldn’t help but go in and buy some for you.” “Thank you.” He sat back and studied her face. “I thought you would like them.” “I do. It’s just ...”
    Oh, this was horrible. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to cry. It wasn’t like he had a romantic interest in her.
    “Hey. I thought I would bring a smile to that gorgeous face, not tears.”
    She sniffed. “I’m not crying.” But she wouldn’t look at him, afraid he would know just how much he’d hurt her. He hadn’t meant to.
    “Prudence.” He sighed, then set the box on the coffee table. Cupping both sides of her face, he tipped it up. The gentleness in his eyes was almost her undoing. “Now, darlin’, tell me what I did wrong.”
    “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just ... well ...”
    “Because I bought you candy?”
    She nodded as two tears spilled over.
    “Damn fool woman.” But his voice had no heat. He brushed away the tears with his thumbs. “Why?”
    “It’s stupid, but ... people always think that giving me food will make me happy.”
    “I don’t understand.” And she could see from his facial expression that he didn’t. Oh, she didn’t want to explain this one.
    “Never mind.” She tried to move out of his grasp, but he tightened his hold.
    “Prudence, I really want to understand. Listen, I just wanted to give you something you liked.” He sighed and his hands slid away. She immediately felt their absence. “Hell, I thought it would be a way to gain your attention.”
    At first the comment didn’t compute in her brain.
    “What?”
    “I was trying to gain your attention. Okay, fine, I fucked it up.”
    “You bought these for me because you thought I wasn’t interested in you?”
    He looked down at the box. “Well, it seems kind of stupid now. But at the moment I decided to