Free The Curve Ball by J. S. Scott Page B

published and she had tried every one. It just didn't work. She walked on her treadmill faithfully, but the scale reflected very little change.
     
    How Jake could put away so much pastry and chocolate every day and still not have an ounce of fat on his body was a mystery to Maggie. It was actually pretty disgusting. She limited her intake and she still gained five pounds just from the smell.
     
    It isn’t fair! If I was born to be a pastry chef and chocolatier I should have the metabolism to match my occupation!
     
    Maggie walked into the back to the kitchen. She'd have to close early today to get to the ball on time. Four-thirty? That should give her enough time to run home and get ready.
     
    By the time she tidied up her kitchen and went back up front, she noticed that she had a customer. Well...maybe it was a customer. All she could see was a large pair of shoulders and a rock hard male ass molded beautifully in a pair of jeans.
     
    Jake.
     
    He had a toolbox and several tools spread out on the floor in front of the door and was whistling softly as he worked a screwdriver with one strong arm. She watched, totally entranced, as his biceps flexed and moved. She nearly groaned as her eyes raked over his whole body. Her pussy clenched and her nipples hardened as she watched him work, silent so that she could enjoy the view. She was nearly panting from simply watching him. For a large man he had a grace and fluidity of motion that mesmerized her and filled her with longing.
     
    How long had she liked Jake? From the first day she had met him? Probably so. He was a hard man not to like with his masculine good looks and incredible personality.
     
    She leaned her elbows on the counter and propped her hands on her chin. Jake suddenly turned and his green eyes met her hazel gaze. She straightened quickly and wiped her mouth to make sure she hadn’t been drooling, hoping he hadn't noticed her salivating with lust.
     
    "Hi, Maggie. How are you?" His greeting was cheerful and his smile made her heart accelerate.
     
    She licked her lips nervously and smiled. "What in the world are you doing?"
     
    "Fixing your door." He stood back and opened it easily, letting it close with a soft click. "It wasn't a big deal. I noticed it last week."
     
    "What do I owe you? I was going to get it fixed anyway." She shifted from one foot to the other, trying to keep her tone professional.
     
    "If you'd go out with me…we can call it even." He was putting tools away and closing his toolbox, so he wasn't looking at her, but his voice was low and husky.
     
    She laughed, her nerves jumpy. She hated it when he said things like that. It made her tempted to accept to see what he would do. She was pretty sure he would find a way to cancel. "One of these days I'm going to
    accept just to watch you panic," she told him in what she hoped was a teasing voice.
     
    He dropped his toolbox on a chair and came to the counter. "If you accepted I would be overjoyed, Maggie."
     
    He gave her an intense stare, his green eyes revealing nothing but sincerity. She had to look away. He was too close. Her nipples were still peaked and sensitive and her panties damp. She couldn't handle the way his eyes swept over her. The man was an expert at seductive looks, even when he didn't mean it.
     
    "How about the usual. On the house of course." Her tone was light but her heart was still racing.
     
    His lips curled into a wicked smile. "I guess that will do...for now."
     
    Maggie was loading a plate with pralines and one of her specialty gigantic cream puffs when he commented. "Hey...what's that?"
     
    He was pointing at one of her new truffles. "It's my newest creation." She added two to the plate. "You have to try them."
     
    He reached over the counter and snagged one off of the plate, popping the entire chocolate into his mouth. His eyes closed as he savored the confection, a look of ecstasy on his face. When he finished he groaned, "Oh God, Maggie. Marry