Promises to Keep by Vanessa Devereaux Page A

substitution for sex. Sex didn’t make you gain
weight, these goodies surely did.
    Whoever Gen was she should think about marketing
these babies. Maybe she’d get her phone number and tell her.
    Not giving it another thought, Hayley picked up the
last of the cookies. A moment on the lips; forever on the
hips.
    Shit, these were almost orgasmic. And no, they
weren’t a substitute. For some reason they were making her want sex even more.
Not just sex with anyone, but only Cole.
    She wondered what time he got home from work. If the
effects of these baked goods hadn’t worn off by then, she was going to grab him
and make love to him on the reception floor.
    ****
    He’d always had a sweet tooth, but nothing this bad.
The last of the chocolate chip cookies sat staring back at him. He sipped more
of his coffee and finally gave in, nibbled at the edge of a cookie, and then
quickly devoured the rest of it.
    Wiping his mouth with the back of his hands, he felt
somewhat guilty. But like Hayley they’d been hard to resist. Maybe it was
because they’d been made by her.
    Strange thing was he wanted her more than ever. A
way to man’s heart…
    He sipped more coffee, knowing his mid-afternoon
break would soon be over. He wanted her to spend the night in his bed. Well,
technically it would be hers as she owned the inn. He laughed at himself for overthinking
everything. He could sleep with her without them dating, but he wasn’t that
sort of guy. But could he date again? He’d vowed never to.
    Thumping the wood beam where he was standing, he
noticed a few stray chocolate chips sitting at the bottom of the bag Hayley had
wrapped the cookies in.
    He reached in and then popped them into his mouth,
letting them melt over his tongue. Even the chocolate tasted like it had been
made in heaven.
    “You okay?”
    He hadn’t seen another one of the ranch hands
walking up beside him.
    “Yes, why?”
    “You seem miles away.”
    “Just thinking about something
important.”
    ****
    Hayley was in the office working on the flyers for
the Christmas afternoon tea event when she heard the bell over the front sound.
She walked out to see Cole coming in.
    While she was disappointed it wasn’t a potential
guest, she was more than pleased to see him. He looked like the perfect cowboy
in his jacket, hat, and boots.
    “So what have you been up to today?” he asked.
    “I’m trying to arrange a Christmas themed afternoon
tea for the inn.”
    “I’ve got a tip, serve those cookies. They were the
best thing I’ve ever tasted, and I ate them all.”
    So she hadn’t been the only one.
    “Great idea. Now
all I need to do is advertise and find someone to play Santa.”
    “I can do it.”
    “You can?”
    He nodded. “The fire department will probably let me
borrow the outfit they use for fundraisers.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “You’ve been a gracious host to me and my kids, so
it’s the least I could do.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Now I’m going upstairs to change out of these messy
work clothes, take a shower, and then…” He stopped for a few seconds before
asking, “You want to go out to get something to eat with me?”
    He’d done this before with the skiing and she wanted
to get it straight what was happening here.
    “Is this going to be a date?”
    “Do you want it to be?”
    She nodded.
    “Guess that’s what it’s going to be then.”

 
     
    Chapter
Thirteen
     
    Once they were inside and eating, Cole knew he’d
done the wrong thing. He’d brought her to the Outlaw Grill and Bar . Not that it didn’t have the best
burgers in town, but it had been his and Amanda’s hangout. Their own
sanctuary when they’d wanted some us time away from the kids.
    He’d also forgotten that Monday night featured live
music and dancing. Not the best of places to take a date so you could have a
nice leisurely chat.
    “How’s your burger?” he asked.
    “It’s cooked to perfection. And I love these fries.”
    She picked one up and whirled it