Free Husband Hunting 101 by Rita Herron

except for Jenna, and when he peeked inside the frosty window, she was hanging red and white garters, lacy baby booties, and heart-shaped sachets on a small Christmas tree. Silk boxers decorated with candy canes, elves, and strings of colorful lights lay on a table near her, while Michael Buble's Christmas album played in the background.
    His gut tightened.
    When he entered, she continued singing along, and he realized she hadn't heard him. Not wanting to startle her, he cleared his throat.
    She whirled around, her eyes luminous with surprise, as if he'd caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. Instead of cookies, she held an assortment of Christmas candles that smelled of cinnamon and spice. His mouth watered.
    "Hi. I didn't hear you come in."
    He nodded, then gestured at the new displays. "You've been busy."
    "'Tis the season," she said with a bright smile.
    The memory of the kiss and the way it ended taunted him.
    "Look, Jenna, about last time—"
    "Don't, Zack." She shook her head, tendrils of her hair floating softly around her cheeks. "Let's just forget it, and stick to business."
    He shifted on the balls of his feet. "Fine. Business it is. I brought some more sketches for you look at."
    She positioned the red and green candles, alternating them with white ones that were shaped like snow globes. "Great. I'll be finished in a sec." She gestured to the coffeepot behind the counter. "There's fresh coffee if you want."
    He strode to the table, laid his artist's portfolio on the counter and poured himself a cup simply to have something to do with his hands. She continued working on the display, her next addition a stack of red crotchless panties. He gulped his coffee and yelped when he burned his tongue.
    She looked up at him and grinned. "Sorry, I should have warned you, it's hot."
    He nodded, welcoming the pain, anything to distract him from the image of Jenna wearing the panties she'd just displayed. "I see you added a maternity corner," he said, biting his lip when he realized he was staring at a mannequin dressed in the oversized nightgown and actually admiring her gently rounded belly.
    "Yes, Angel and I have discussed it for a while. Our clientele includes brides-to-be, and we have a bridal registry. The women shop for honeymoons and anniversaries. But I wanted to expand so they can find merchandise for all occasions."
    "Smart decision," he said.
    She narrowed her eyes as if she was trying to tell if he was sincere and he grinned. "Mark said you had a knack for business."
    Her lips curled upward. "Thanks. Hopefully my degree was worth it. Besides," she paused with a sly smile," pregnant women deserve to feel sexy and beautiful."
    A tiny jingle bell tingled and he stared at her hand, swallowing more coffee when he noticed where the bell was attached—to the front of a pair of men's green Christmas thongs.
    He suddenly envisioned wearing them for her, then her taking them off, and his body hardened.
    Don't go there, man. Sex can lead to marriage and babies.
    She added the finishing touches to her display by placing several decorative bottles of soaps and perfumes in between the lacy garments. "How's your advertising agency going?"
    "Good," he said. "I've added a couple of new accounts this week."
    Jenna nodded, then stepped back to scrutinize the display. "Do you do portraits or paint on the side?"
    He'd actually like to paint her - nude. But he bit back the comment. "I dabble in some abstracts. And I enjoy working in charcoal."
    She added a bedside lamp in the middle of the table, locked the store door, flipped the Open sign to Closed and pulled the shades, then turned to him. "Okay, now let's take a look at your sketches."
    He unfolded his drawing pad on the counter and realized he was holding his breath, silently hoping for her approval as she studied his work.
    "Ahh, these are much closer to what I had in mind," she said, pointing to the first drawing—a sketch emphasizing the lace-draped table hosting the