Free Twelve Days of Pleasure by Deborah Fletcher Mello Page A

surprises,” Kendrick said as he rose from his seat. He moved around the table to pull out Vanessa’s chair. “Shall we, my dear?”
    â€œWhy, thank you, honey!”
    Reaching for her hand, Kendrick entwined her fingers between his own as he pulled her along beside him. Behind them, Liam wished them both a good-night, then proceeded to clear the table. Kendrick and Vanessa both tossed the man one last look before closing the sliding glass doors behind them.
    Inside, it looked as if hundreds of candles had been lit, the room glowing from the multitude of wax pillars that decorated the space. A trail of rose petals led from the living room to the bedroom. Curiosity pulled them both down the short length of hallway to peek inside.
    A silver tray sat in the center of the bed. It held a decadent four-layer slice of cheesecake decorated with berries, chocolate shavings and mint. The serving was lavish and meant to be shared, as evidenced by the single spoon resting along its side.
    Kendrick suddenly realized he was still holding tight to her hand.
    * * *
    Vanessa cut an eye in his direction. “It’s only pretend, right?” She lifted both their intertwined hands upward.
    He tossed his head back and laughed heartily.
    Laughing with him Vanessa kicked off her shoes and moved to the bed. Climbing atop the covers she moved to the center, sitting Indian-style before the tray. She reached for the spoon as she gave him another look. “I have a serious sweet tooth,” she said nonchalantly.
    Still chuckling Kendrick shook his head. “Half of that is mine,” he said as he took a seat beside her, grabbing the spoon from her hands. He bumped his shoulder against hers, the gesture meant to be playful. He wasn’t expecting the sudden rush of heat that shot through his body, an electrical current coursing through every nerve ending. It caught him off guard and in that split second, Vanessa hijacked the spoon.
    Â 

Chapter 6
    K endrick had wakened with a smile on his face. He was still grinning from ear to ear as he took one last lap across the beach and around the path Liam had laid out for him. He’d risen early and the weather had been perfect for an early-morning run. It felt good to stretch his legs and warm his muscles. He and Vanessa had talked until well past the midnight hour. Sharing that dessert had ignited a level of friendship between them that neither had expected, most especially after he’d been able to snag the only spoon. They’d both been relaxed and had laughed and joked about absolutely nothing.
    As he came to an abrupt stop, his lungs burned. He leaned forward, both hands resting against his thighs as he fought to catch his breath. The warm air felt good and although the sand had challenged his long legs, the run had done him good. He stood upright, admiring the new-day sun as it rose into the crisp blue sky. Shifting up and down on his toes he waved his arms back and forth pumping blood into his extremities. All the while he was still thinking about Vanessa and the night they’d shared.
    There was something about her that he liked. She had an air of maturity that belied her youthful exuberance. He sensed that much like his sister Tarah she wasn’t yet ready to grow up and assume the adult title even though she was one. And just like Tarah, being the baby in her family, she was spoiled rotten.
    The dessert they’d shared had led to a conversation about food, which had turned into a discussion about their favorite things to do, ending with them laughing hysterically over past antics. He’d revealed to her some things he’d never before shared with anyone. She had told on herself a few times, as well.
    Reflecting on that Kendrick was surprised by how easy she’d been to talk to. And how easy she was on the eyes. The woman was intoxicatingly beautiful. It had been easy to ignore his own body’s persistent reaction to the closeness of her