Only One for Me by Candace Shaw Page A

plain chocolate, nothing
fancy. But perhaps you could find a chocolate with a little more
kick. I spoke to the baker, and she said she’ll have about six to
eight chocolate samples to select from, so make sure it’s not just
plain chocolate.”
    “ Yes, bridezilla.” Yasmine
laughed. “I’m just teasing.”
    “ Girl, by the end of this
you won’t be teasing. I hate not being there, but I’m so glad Doug
and I have friends like you and Cannon to help make our special day
perfect.”
    Yasmine cringed at his name and hated
being reminded he would be helping. However, Sherika was her
friend, and her peace of mind during the planning of the wedding
was more important.
    “ I’m not going to let you
down.”
    *****
    Yasmine walked into Ollie’s Sweets at
exactly two o’clock to find Cannon already there chatting with
Ollie Moss, the owner and head baker. Sherika and Yasmine used to
frequent the downtown Memphis bakery as teenagers, and she wasn’t
surprised to learn that the bride-to-be had selected their favorite
bakery to make the wedding cakes.
    “ Hi, Ms.
Ollie.”
    “ Look at my Yaz all grown
up.” The ladies hugged and Yasmine inhaled Ms. Ollie’s fragrance.
She always smelled like vanilla and buttercream icing. Stepping
back, she got a good look at Ms. Ollie. She still had the same
sweet smile and grandmother nature that always made customers feel
at home in her bakery.
    “ Hello, Yasmine,” Cannon’s
deep voice stated behind her.
    She turned and nodded to acknowledge
his presence. Staring up at him, she tried to stifle a gulp or two
as her heartbeat sped up. He was dressed casually in khakis and a
light blue sweater that fit his sexy physique. Cannon had never
been overly muscular, but he’d always been in shape, and the way
his sweater fit over his arms and abs suggested he still worked
out. His fresh scent loomed into her personal space, outweighing
the aroma of all the cakes and pastries in the bakery. She wasn’t
sure how long she could do this, but she’d made a promise to her
best friend.
    “ Well, let’s get started,”
Ms. Ollie stated. “Follow me. I have everything set up in the
tasting room.”
    Yasmine flinched as Cannon placed his
warm hand at the small of her back, causing a flow of burning
desire to rush through her veins. She cleared her throat and walked
faster to escape his touch searing her skin. As his hand fell, it
brushed against her butt, and she gave him a glare. He mouthed
“sorry” and placed his hands mischievously in his pocket. She knew
it was probably an accident but wasn’t sure how sorry he was about
doing it. He’d always known just the right way to caress and kiss
her body, and no other man had turned her on as much as he
had.
    When they entered the tasting room,
there was a long table laden with dessert plates of miniature
cupcakes. On small pink cards, the flavor of the cupcake was
written in calligraphy. Yasmine snapped a few pictures with her
digital camera to email to Sherika for her wedding memory
book.
    “ There are six mini
cupcakes of each cake flavor that I discussed with the bride and
groom for you to sample. On the bistro table,” Ms. Ollie paused as
she pointed to a small table by the window, “you’ll find a list of
the flavors for you to take notes and to check off the ones you
like. The bride wants three different flavors since her cake has
three layers, and for the groom’s cake two different flavors of
chocolate. There’s also bottled water. I suggest you take a few
sips to clean your palate before trying a different flavor. If you
need anything, I’ll be next door working on a cake for a wedding
tomorrow, but will be in and out to check on you.”
    After she left, Yasmine placed her
coat and purse on a chair at the bistro table and Cannon
immediately went to the cupcakes.
    “ Which should we try
first?” he asked.
    He handed her an empty dessert plate
as his eyes roamed over her black cropped sweater that stopped at
the belt of her