The Scheme

My shoulders slumped, my body exhausted from the long week. I was overworked, tired of constantly chasing James, and tired of missing home. My feet hurt, my back hurt, and I needed sleep.

“I’m tired.” It slipped out before I even had a chance to stop it. I sounded like such a party pooper, when I had practically begged him to go out.

“I’m taking you home,” he said sweetly.

I laughed, because I didn’t think he’d heard me correctly. “I said I’m tired. I think taking me home is going to equate to being more tired after you work me out. Plus, you have that proposal and big client meeting tomorrow.”

He let out a low chuckle. “I just wanted to make you some homemade hot cocoa. You know, bring some Bowesville here.”

Homemade hot cocoa? Made from scratch?

I swooned, my knees growing weak. The selfish yet homesick side of me wanted him to come over, but my reasonable side didn’t want him to be tired at work.

“Plus,” he said, “I need to run to the grocery store, since I’m out of condoms.”

I pulled back so I could see if he was kidding. “We’ve used a box of condoms? How big was the box?”

“Pretty big.” His smile turned devilish. “And yes . . . we’re out.”

I shook my head, smiling. “You know what? Hot cocoa sounds so good right about now.”

***

BRIAN

As the cab pulled up to the local mart, I took her hand again, stepped out, and led us through the doors.

Fu

Before we’d hopped into the cab, she had excused herself to take her evening call from her mama. That’s when I’d Googled how to make authentic hot cocoa. I would fake it for this girl. It was that or go home, and I wasn’t ready to leave her yet.

I was conflicted because I had that important call and proposal, but being with Kendy, spending more time with her, outweighed work at the moment. I’d probably regret it tomorrow morning when exhaustion hit me, but right now, it didn’t matter.

“Alrighty, where are we off to?” Kendy asked, stuffing her phone into her oversized purse. It was amazing how much shit a girl could fit in those things. The oversized accessory reminded me of my sisters.

“Baking aisle.” I took a screen shot of the recipe. The first recipe I saw was Nutella Hot chocolate. It looked so damn delicious I couldn’t resist.

If Google said it was the best, I doubted they’d lie. Hope rose within me, thinking this was one of the many ways I was going to win her over. By making her the best hot cocoa, better even than her mama’s. That was the goal, at least.

“You’re going to make me homemade, fresh from scratch hot cocoa?” She popped her hip out and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “And I’m not talking about that dirt in a can that you mix with milk.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said with a nod. “It’s going to be the best. I can guarantee it. You allergic to nuts?”

“Not your nuts.” She tugged on my belt suggestively, making me laugh.

“Not the kind of nuts I’m talking about.”

“Nope. I’m not allergic.” She laughed. “And I love all kinds of nuts.”

***

KENDY

Brian was on a mission. I couldn’t help but be impressed that this young man knew his way around a grocery store. I mean, it wasn’t hard to make hot cocoa, but still. How many twenty-five year old guys made anything but frozen meals at home?

He searched the aisle twice before stopping in front of the baking section then grabbed the Hershey cocoa powder and ci

I tugged at his shirt, forcing him to look down at me. “Ci

“Trust me,” he replied, bending down to kiss me on the lips.

“Okay.” I waved my hand for him to lead the way as I pushed the cart beside him.

We walked a few steps down before he dropped another ingredient into the cart.

“Marshmallows.” He threw me his boyish smile before walking ahead of me.

I continued to follow him up and down and through the aisles as he dropped every ingredient in while also a

“Nutella.”

“Vanilla Extract.”

“Sugar.”

My eyes zoned in on his tight ass. He was getting me hot and bothered. Anyone could tell he worked out, and he had the ass of Hercules. I loved the feel of it clenching between my hands when he’d come.

“All right. I think we’re done here.”

I curled my finger in a ‘come hither’ gesture. “We’re missing one last thing.” I pointed to the economy box of condoms that I’d grabbed earlier.

His smile turned devilish, and I hooked one finger around the loop of his jeans. “You’re going to make me hot cocoa, which reminds me of home.” I kissed him gently, outlining his lips with the tip of my tongue. “And then I’m going to ride you like I’m at the rodeo, make you come, and bring you home.” I closed my eyes and kissed him with reckless abandon. I wasn’t quite sure what he was doing to me . . . but I liked it.

***

Brian followed me into my place with his bags of goodies. The clock on the microwave flashed eleven-thirty p.m., and I released a silent sigh, thanking the heavens that I didn’t have work tomorrow. But then I bit the inside of my cheek, remorse eating my insides, knowing Brian had that big client call tomorrow morning.

The selfish part of me wanted to spend all night with him, sweating up a storm, but I knew he had to get going.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, setting the bag down on my kitchen island. He pulled out the ingredients, placing them on the counter one by one. “What’s the sad face for, Princess?”

I smiled at his endearment. “You need to get your proposal done, and I’m feeling a little guilty about forcing you to watch that zombie movie.”

His eyebrows pulled together as though he was thinking of his deadline, but in the next moment, he shook it off. “Don’t worry.”

“No, really, Brian, we have all the ingredients. Maybe we should just continue another night.”

“I’m a big boy. I can handle my business.”

He reached into my overhead cupboard for a pan. I didn’t know if I should feel happy that he knew where everything was, or if that indicated just how blurred our relationship was starting to get.

“Brian . . .” I started to protest.

He gave me a pointed look. “Push in that lip of yours, or I’m going to bite it.”

As commanded, I stopped pouting.

“Kendy, I’m the type of man to always get things done. Even if it takes me the whole night,” he said with another mischievous look.

I flushed because I knew how much stamina Brian truly had. I was sure he was talking about doing an all-nighter for work, but my mind had strayed into the land of dirty. “Oh, I know.”

He winked before turning to the stove and pouring some milk into the pan. Then he pulled out his phone, checked something, maybe a text. I noticed he’d been glancing at his cell frequently, and I couldn’t help but wonder who’d be texting him this late.

Without warning, the green-eyed monster rose to the surface. I was about to ask him, but really I had no right. I had made that loud and clear these last few weeks.

So, in sneaky Kendy fashion, I advanced toward the stove to see if I could get a glimpse of his phone. I didn’t like someone else having his attention when he was here with me. I, at least, had that argument.

As he stirred the milk and scooped out the cocoa powder from the jar, I stepped behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle, my hands moving under his shirt and palming the span of his six-pack.

Instantly, the horny little devil came out to play. My hands moved south as he continued to stir. I rubbed the front of his pants, and he hardened at my touch, his length standing at attention.

He moved from my grasp, grabbed my hand, and pressed a kiss to my palm. “You’re never going to taste this hot cocoa if you don’t slow down.” He bent down to meet my lips and spun back to the stove.