Free Chasing Temptation by Payton Lane

eye of the storm.
    She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. Sex was out. Kissing still negotiable. Though what she really needed to do was come up with something more to throw him off his path to world domination. He could counter business moves with ease. She knew his type. Her father was that type. Trying to defeat that type of man with bottom lines was pointless.
    If you only knew to protect your queen (not necessarily how to protect your queen), you didn't go against a Chess master in the hopes you could defeat him on skill alone. A smart person would chatter nonstop. Pick their nose. Wonder out loud if they had IBS. People like her father and Nate didn't win because they were smarter or savvier, but because they were focused and prepared. That's was the secret to anyone who succeeded.
    The phone rang, ripping her from the thoughts of men like Nate. “Hart and Style. Lynne speaking.”
    “This is Beatrice from the Mothers of the Church committee.”
    Relief softened her spine and she leaned back into the Captain Kirk chair. “Hey, what can I do for you?”
    “It's that time of year again.”
    Given they did a million events a year, it took Lynne a moment. With May just around the corner, they'd be rounding up the kids during summer break.
    “The bake sale. Sign me up for chocolate-chunk muffins. A dozen.”
    “Great. Now I need to try to convince the new guy to chip in. It'll be a great way to invite him into the community. We tried with the baseball team, but he stated the new business kept him tied up too much of the time. Very nice man to be honest about the type of commitments he could make to the community. Baseball is a big commitment, but chipping in for a bake sale shouldn't be too much.”
    Lynne sat back in her chair at the words. The man was slicker than pig grease. A smile crept across her face. The “something more” to her devious plan took shape.
    “You know, Beatrice.” She crossed her fingers and sent up a silent prayer she wouldn't go to hell for the next words. “I've talked to him about it. He was bragging about...how he can make cookies in the shape of a bow tie. You know, because he sells men's wear.”
    She crooked the phone between her ear and shoulder, crossing the fingers on the other hand. “He wants to make six dozen. Maybe eight. He's an overachiever.”
    “Are you sure? I should call him and double check.”
    “No worries.” I'm going to hell. I am going to hell . “I can go over and do it for you. He's my neighbor and all. We look out for each other.”
    “Thanks, Lynne. I can always count on you to be nice.”
    Nothing but a brimstone-filled eternity awaited her. “I'll bring my stuff in the morning.”
    That was less than twenty-four hours. Nate was prepping his store for a women's section. He'd be strapped for time. If he had to scramble to make cookies , it would at least give her some leeway to come up with a better idea, one that didn't involve either of them getting naked.
    The bake sale was for a good cause. Maybe the woman upstairs would give her a reprieve. Since she'd already accepted she was going to be on the dark side, Lynne waited until 4:55 p.m., right before all the bakeries in town closed, to give him a call.
    She dialed Nate's store. Sylvia answered. “Craine’s Fashions.”
    Perfect. “This is Lynne. Can you remind Nate about the cookies for the church bake sale? I know it probably slipped his mind. Let him know it's for the local kids to go to camp. Everyone in the community contributes. He can call Beatrice to find out the details. Have a good day.”
    She hung up before Sylvia got a word in. Lynne jumped up to find the store empty. Lynne would blame Nate and him alone for the current quiet. She didn't feel bad anymore.
    Jeremy wore a dreamy expression as he re-folding sweaters. She hated to disrupt him, but...
    “We need to close the store pronto,” she said, “and you should ask Sylvia out for dinner tonight.” She perked up at the thought of