Page 9 of Sweet Dreams
Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them allbehind.
Yes, I know, that's from Princess Bride but it totallyapplies.
I've never kissed a man and been completely swept up in it, losing all touch with time and place. We could have kissed for one minute or one hour, I couldn't have said. He finally broke off the kiss, keeping his forehead touching mine, hand in my hair, breathing heavily. I still tasted chocolate and his own unique taste on my lips and our breaths were definitelyminty.
I think mint chocolate chip just became my new favoriteflavor.
He brought me out of my fog by picking me up and situating me back on my stool. Somehow, someway, I’d half climbed onto his lap. I didn't have time to become embarrassed over it because he stood up, hauled me up in front of him, and spun me around toward the door. This was starting to become ahabit.
"As much as I'd like to stay here all night with you, I better get you home, baby," Ivan said from behind my ear. His voice had a sexy gravely tone to it that gave me hope he wasn't unaffected by our make-outsession.
We cleaned up, turned off the lights, locked up, and walked back to his truck. He dropped me off at my house, walked me to the door, gave me a quick kiss on the lips, and made sure I was inside with the door locked before he roaredaway.
As far as first dates go, this one had some major highlights. But I couldn't stop second-guessing why he so abruptly ended things at Chocolate Dreams and why the chaste kiss at my door. I was getting mixed signals, and I didn't like it. I made a mental note to talk to Bailey in the morning and get heropinion.
I threw away the black lingerie the next morning, along with the box, in the garbage bin on the side of the house. I didn't want that reminder hanging around and I sure as shit wouldn’t wear it! It made me feel a little creeped out that someone was trying to be so intimate with me and I didn't even know who it was. A little too stalker-ish for my tastes, thank you verymuch.
Bailey and I sipped our protein shakes together, leaning against the kitchen counters. I shared all the date details from the night before and my concerns over his toned down behavior after our kiss. She didn't seem too concerned about it though, telling me to just talk to him about it instead of second and triple guessing every nuance of the date. She had a point, but it still didn't make me feelbetter.
Just as we were rinsing out our cups, my cell phone rang. "Hello?" I answered. My employee, Jaz, was on the other end, tripping over her words, trying to get me up to speed with today'semergency.
"What? Are you kidding me?!" I asked as my eyes widened. I dropped the cup in the sink with a clatter and my hand came up to smack my forehead. Bailey stepped closer and leaned her head toward the cell phone, listening in. "Yeah, just hold on, I'll be right there." I hung up and ran toward my bedroom to getdressed.
"You better call me later, woman! I wanna know what's going on," Bailey yelled afterme.
Today was not looking good, but at least I had something to take my mind offIvan.
I speed walked up to my storefront and stopped cold ten feet away when I got my first peek of my pride and joy. Spray painted in black on the front window was tagged "WHORE" in all caps. A few drips of black ran from the bottom of the letters, down the window and onto the white window box. Jaz came up to me and threw a tattooed arm around me. She'd been with me since the grand opening and knew what this place meant tome.
"It's okay, Esa. I've just called the HB police and they're sending a detective right now. We'll get it reported and who knows? They may find out who did this," Jaz assuredme.
"Why? Who would do this?" I asked, still in shock. "Wait, I know there are cameras all over the place. While I wait here for the detective, will you go to the main office and see if we can get access to the tapes from lastnight?"
Jaz gave me a squeeze, then took off toward the main offices. I was always grateful for her, but especially so right now. As a young female entrepreneur, it was super nice to know I had a kickass employee that would always have myback.
My shock was quickly leaving as I watched her walk off, a red-hot anger taking its place. Whoever did this would regret it. That's for god-damn sure. This was my childhood dream, and I worked my ass off to make it happen. No wannabe punk would come in here, deface my baby, call me a 'whore', and get away withit.
"Ms. Grant?" I heard from behindme.
I spun around to find a Huntington Beach City Police Detective standing with his hand thrust forward, waiting for my confirmation. I shook his hand and gestured behindme.
"I've got a little problem here, Detective," I said, sarcasm thick in my tone. A part of my brain registered that standing before me was a seriously hot guy in uniform, but I had bigger problems to deal with so I was able to keep myfocus.
"Yeah, I see that. Let's have a seat over here and chat while Officer Smith collects any evidence that may be left behind," he said while moving toward the benches outside the shop. An older officer walked into Chocolate Dreams with gloves on, ready to take pics and whatever else the police do on a vandalism call. I sat down on the bench, but couldn't get my eyes to move away from that spray paint. Why would someone write 'whore' on mywindow?
"So, when did you close up shop last night?" the detective asks me with a small notepad and pen in hishand.
"Well, Detective Ramirez," I started, finally looking at the detective and eying his name badge. "We closed officially at 9p.m. but I came back in with my date at 10:30. I made him a hot chocolate and then we left around 11:00, I think." My anger was still simmering, and I was doing all I could to hold back on the sarcastic, nasty comments that wanted to come out of my mouth. It wasn't the detective's fault. I needed to be polite, so he'd work mycase.
"And who was your date last night, Ms. Grant?" he asked with a small smile on his handsomeface.
"I was with Ivan Whittington," I said even though I didn't think that information was really relevant. My eyes narrowed as I waited to see what that had to do withanything.
"I know Ivan. He's with the lifeguards, right?" he said with an even bigger smile. It's at that moment I realize that Detective Ramirez has the most mesmerizing dimple on one side of his mouth when he smiles full out. Oh great, now I couldn't get my traitorous eyes to stop staring at thatdimple.
At my distracted nod he adds, "He's a good guy." I smiled in response, bringing my eyes back up to his. I willed my eyes to look away from the dimple and focus on theconversation.
"Do you know of anyone that has a personal issue with you or your business? Anything else been odd recently?" Detective Ramirezasks.
