Free Red Hots by Yvette Hines Page B

with pine nuts onto her fork with
it, she asked, “So, how did you go from lawyer to candy maker?”
    “Actually,
Sweet, my brother, is the creative one. I stay far away from his kitchen with
the exception of making sure he’s stocked with his ingredients and he likes it
that way. I handle the business side of things.” With his fork, he broke off a
flakey piece of blackened tuna and ensured he added some of the garlic rosemary
mashed potatoes beneath the fish. Just as it was every time he came to Croc’s,
the food was perfectly married with the spices. He followed that bite up with a
taste of his sautéed vegetables.
    “Oh,
my…this is truly wonderful. Even better than I remembered from the one time I’d
been here before.” Her tongue glided along her bottom lip as if searching for
any missing droplets.
    His
gaze tracked her tongue as he reached for his wine. Lifting his glass, he
sniffed then tasted the wine. The small amount he allowed on his tongue of the
Mendocino County, California, blend was rich and buttery with honey almond
notes and a citrus blend that flattered the chef’s seafood creation. As good as
the food and wine were, Masaun would wager his favorite dragon tail whip that
Kindle would taste better.
    “Glad
you like it.”
    She
ate and swallowed another bite. “So, have you ever practiced law?”
    “Yes,
in the corporate arena.” His mood dimmed some as he thought about those days
and how frivolous his life had been. Even with all of the parties and
entertainment, it had been stressful trying to keep up with the reckless
existence.
    Lowering
the fork loaded with her next bite, she stared at him. “From your tone, I can
only take it that you didn’t enjoy it.”
    He
ate, giving himself time as he processed her words. “Some parts of it I did.
When you can find loopholes in the tax law that gets the heads of corporations
breaks or ensure a contract is worded just so in your client’s economic favor,
it can be extremely profitable.” And sickening. And empty.
    “The
success of it should have felt good as well.” She picked up her wine with her
free hand.
    He
locked his gaze on her. “Does it?”
    She
sipped once. Twice. Instead of setting her wine down, she held it and released
her fork. “We weren’t talking about me.”
    “No.
However, that’s the reason we’re here.”
    “So,
you’re allowed to question me but I’m not offered the same liberties?” She
drank some more.
    “You
may ask me anything you like. As long as the moment is appropriate.” It was
time for him to gear the conversation to the reason they were meeting in the
first place.
    “And
this is?” she lead.
    “Why
is Lolli concerned about you?” he asked instead of answering her.
    Taking
another drink, she looked down at her glass and frowned. She apparently
realized the glass was almost empty and how much she’d consumed. She set the
glass back beside her plate. Picking up her abandoned fork, she said, “She
shouldn’t be. Emmalee or Lolli can be a worrywart at times.”
    “I
never got that impression when I trained her.” He purposely contradicted
Kindle. She was attempting to make light of her career’s impact. However, it
was just what he would need her to see if he was going to get her to agree to
move their relationship to another level. Where he wanted it to be.
    There
was no other way to think about it, but that he desired Kindle as a submissive.
When he first headed to her office to deliver the candy, he saw it as him fulfilling
a request, but that was it. He understood Lolli’s anxiety regarding her friend,
but didn’t see it going any further than meeting Kindle. Once he met her, he
desired her sexually, couldn’t deny his response. Yet, wanting her prostrate
over a bench or kneeling before him was a complex matter entirely. One he
sought just the same.
    “It’s
only when it comes to me and my job.” She guided her fork into her mouth. After
she chewed and swallowed the bite down, she