Page 18 of Candygrams

“Why don’t you take your coat off and get comfortable, sweet girl.”

Even after all these years, he still calls me his girl. It tempts me to say to hell with talking and do exactly as he says but I want to get this out of the way first.

“No, I need to ask you a question and I want to do it before you kiss me into forgetfulness, Storm Carson.”

“Okay, darlin’, let’s figure this out so I can unwrap my treat.”

I know what treat he wants. He always wants it, and I love it.

“I was talking to Pam about other shows and cooks on the different shows they do.”

“Oh shit.”

I can’t fight the smile that finally breaks across my face. He knows what this is about.

“I happened to ask her about Doug. At first, she couldn’t remember him but then she told me his show had been canceled mid-way through its first season because the executives received a manila folder with some damaging information about their newest star.”

“Oh, imagine that. You just never know people really, do you?” I narrow my eyes at his words.

I eventually told Storm about Doug, the chef who ruined my budding career as a restaurant chef - not that I have any regrets at all. It wasn’t that I was trying to keep it from him, but when it came out, I would have thought Storm would have been infuriated about it. Instead, he offered me kisses between my legs and gave me so many orgasms I couldn’t remember what we were talking about afterward. But Pam, my producer, cleared it all up suddenly.

“Hmm, the only reason she even remembered him was because the day they brought him into the office to fire him, he was rocking a black eye, a broken nose, and his wrist was in a cast.”

For a moment, there is a flash in Storm’s eyes as I tell him what Pam told me. Then he gives himself away.

“Ribs too. His ribs were…”

He stops talking and looks at me with the cutest caught look on his face.

“Ah ha! I knew you did that to him! That’s why when I brought it up you distracted me and wasn't more angry.” A thought sinks into my mind with the subtlety of a bullet. “Wait, that was before me and you…”

“I knew I was in love with you from the moment you got out of your car and brought all that big attitude with you. I wanted to find out everything about you to increase my chances of making you fall in love with me. When I found out about Doug,” he says the word like it’s a dead animal in the flour barrel, “all I could think about was killing him.”

“Oh, thank God you didn’t. He’s so not worth it. And I love the life we made together and that might not have happened if I hadn’t run into Doug. In a way, he led me to you.”

“Which is why I only rearranged his face for him.”

“I love you, my wild, wonderful Storm.” I stand up in front of him. “And the thought of you taking care of me right from the start…well…,”

I unbutton my long coat and open it to show him what’s underneath.

Nothing. At. All.

“It just made me realize how badly I have to have you.”

“You came into City Hall like this!?” He shouts it but his eyes never leave my body.

I answer by giving him a long, slow nod. “You want to spank me?”

“Oh sweetheart…I’m going to do more than spank you. You aren’t leaving this office without my love bites all over your little body. And even then, I might carry you and not let you out of my fucking sight.”

I back up slowly and move towards the door, I locked it when I came in, but my husband doesn’t know that. I let the coat fall from my body and pool on the floor. I take off running with my husband chasing after me. I feint for the door but instead at the last minute, make my way around his desk. He chases me around it for a little while before he performs a tricky move and grabs me from behind. I’m laughing so hard I can barely get his name out as he tosses me over his shoulder and brings me back to the couch. The couch he put in this office just for me when I come visit him here.

I love the fact Storm is the mayor of our town. I love that it is our town. And I’m so proud of all the hard work he puts in to keep our town running. I’m most proud of the kind of father and husband he is and how warm and friendly he is. He lays me on the couch and slowly crawls over me so he can cover me in kisses.

“Did you tell Rebecca to keep people out?”

“Mm, I didn’t have to. She gave me a smile and a nod.”

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