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Just after lunch, Aiden and Dash arrived to check in with Leo and welcome Skip to his first day on the job. He was younger than Dash expected, handsome, sandy-haired, and sporting a crooked smile. He scented the newbie closely and then shook his hand.

“How do you like it so far?”

Skip gave him an honest answer.

“Well, I succeeded in making a cow pie this morning, but things are looking up.”

Leo told the story, elaborating slightly, and got them all laughing. Aiden then shared some of his own disasters while learning to use the new machines.

“No onewould have wanted to eat the first things I made! It’s still hard for me to trust a machine with my recipes, but when the resort opens and the holidays arrive, we’ll be thankful to have them.

“By the way, we have someone coming tomorrow to install a carport for the new delivery van. It’s supposed to be ready by the end of the week and I want it protected from the elements from the start. They’re finishing up the custom work inside and adding our logo to the exterior. You won’t need a special license to drive it, but I want both of you to be familiar with the delivery schedule when we get it nailed down.”

Before leaving, Aiden proudly showed them photos of the mini-Deliciousat the Hungry Bear. Leo and Skip were both geeked about it, asking questions about future deliveries and who would work there.

“I’ll be hiring more people in late August for the resort location and D2, and then some temporary help in November for the shop. It makes my head spin to have grown from just me to all of...this,in less than a year’s time.

“One more thing, Skip. Remember that your schedule will be a little different for the first four weeks. I want you here at D2 Monday through Thursday, and then at the shop on Saturdays to learn how things operate there. After production really ramps up in September, D2 will only be closed on Sunday, so your other day off will either be Saturday or Monday. As a manager, Leo gets the first choice.”

Neither Leo nor Skip were accustomed to having two days off in a row, andneverthe weekend, so the future schedule soundedgreat to them. Finished here, Aiden and Dash prepared to go, and since they were headed for the shop anyway, loaded up the freshly made Nut Bombs. For a while, Aiden would shuttle back and forth between the two locations until his people were fully trained and comfortable with their positions. Dash reminded him that growing pains were normal, and to put more trust in the staff.

“You can’t control every little thing, love. It’s time to loosen up and let your people do what you hired them to do. Remember—they wantDeliciousto succeed just as much as you do because it’s their future too.”

Aiden accepted Dash’s statements, but knowing and doing were not the same thing.

“You might have to keep reminding me for a while. Letting go is a lot harder than I imagined.”

####

Monday, July 4th, Delicious

Serena had gone all out with her Independence Day decorations, and though the shop looked great, she might need to tone it down for future holidays. The customers, however, seemed to like the red, white, and blue bunting everywhere, window posters, and especially the “Sparkler Special” Nut Bomb promotion. Up to now, Aiden hadn’t considered discounting his chocolates, given the razor-thin margins he was working with.

Convinced it would actuallyincreasetheir profits, Serena urged him to try her scheme for this brief holiday and see what happened. He’d reluctantly agreed, expecting to lose his shirt. He didn’t. In fact, D2 was cranking out Nut Bombs at the speed of light, and nearly everything else was selling more than usual. Since he’d never studied the psychology of human buying habits, Aiden didn’t really understand it. Presumably, this was one ofthe things he’d missed by not getting a business degree. Since Serena had been right all along, he tossed the “I told you so” speech and instead asked her to sketch out more promotional ideas for him to consider.

Since the fourth was on a weekday this year, most of the holiday celebrations took place over the weekend. Patrons had flocked inside on Saturday to escape the summer heat and enjoy a dish of Purple Passion, his frozen blueberry and white chocolate dessert. Many of them walked out with an additional purchase of one kind or another, setting a sales record for the month of July. Serena was duly rewarded with a gift certificate to the Bears & Beer pub down the street.

Unfortunately, Monday afternoon dragged on with nothing much to do. In fact, he hadn’t helped a single customer for the last hour, either on the phone or in person, and sent both Serena and Toby home early. Aiden suspected that tomorrow would be much the same and announced his plan for a deep cleaning while things were slow. Just before closing time, his phone vibrated with a text from Dash.

>Home soon? Need you.

Since July was in the middle of mating season, Aiden knewexactlywhat Dash needed. He sent a quick reply.

>Be there soon.

He activated the security system, closed up the shop, and drove straight home. Entering through the garage, Aiden stepped into the kitchen to find Dash’s bear standing there, waiting for him. Now backed against the wall, Dash began rubbing against him while licking every inch of his face and neck. The aroused ursine was so horned up that he’d forgotten that Aiden required his other form for lovemaking. He thumped Dash gently on the snout to get his attention.

“Shift for me, love. I’ll play with your bear some other time.”

He did—and wasted no time divesting Aiden of his clothing.

“Want you, mate. Waited all day...”

Aiden smiled when he spotted a hand towel and bottle of lube sitting on the island countertop. Obviously, Dash was more than eager for the bone dance tonight, and the kitchen would suffice as well as the bedroom. Once his boxers came off, Dash picked him up and sat him on the island. Aiden hissed as warm skin came in contact with the chilled surface, giving him goosebumps. If Dash noticed, it didn’t register in his sex-addled brain or slow him down. He spread Aiden’s legs and let his nose and mouth feast on the fragrant and sensitive flesh found there, amid moans of pleasure.

With a loud pop, Dash released his mate’s aching cock, and set him feet-first on the floor. Aiden didn’t have to be told what came next and turned to face the island—presenting his ass for the taking. Dash growled lustily, palming the muscular lobes with one beefy hand while grabbing the lube with the other. Cold slick dribbled down Aiden’s crack, only to be shoved inside with thick, persistent fingers.

Aiden ignored the discomfort, knowing Dash was doing the best he could to prepare him under these conditions. The fingers disappeared long enough to apply lube to his thick cock, and then Aiden braced for the burn.