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Chapter 22: It Will Never Be Over
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The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 23: A Blind Date
A week after my conversation with Mama Pat, I'm preparing for my first date in... well, way too long.I survey myself in the mirror. After much debate over what to wear, I settled on a flowy, emerald-green dress that matches my eyes. It has a sweetheart neckline that shows just the right amount of cleavage - and the scattering of freckles on my chest - and the skirt floats out away from my thighs. It's a great dancing dress, the kind that twirls up around you when you spin, but I won't be doing much dancing tonight. My ankle is still in a brace, but at least my doctor has told me I don't need to use my crutches anymore. I'm wearing the only pair of ballet flats I own that fit over the brace. They aren't especially cute, but they'll do. And with some luck, Dean won't be staring much at my feet.I run my fingers through my hair one more time - my wrist, at least, is nearly back to normal - and smile at my reflection. My lips sport a delicate coat of pink lipstick, and my eyes a less de
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 24: From Bad Date To Worst Date
The date doesn't get better. But it doesn't get worse, either. It's just... fine. A pleasant meal with a pleasant man. But as we prattle on about general, innocuous things, Dante's words about what I need keep coming back to me. My conversations with Dante have never been just pleasant. They aren't always good - some of our recent interactions spring to mind - but they were never just conversations. They were always something more - a startling connection, a sharing of energy, a meeting of two sparks of life. I never really thought about them in that way when Dante and I were together, but it's hard not to recognize it now, when all of it is missing with Dean.But I'm not with Dante, and I don't want to be with him - in any way - ever again. I was lonely when I met him - so unbearably lonely that I'd hidden it even from myself - and he'd been there. He'd started to fill in the empty spaces inside of me. I became dependent on him. If it hadn't been him, it would have been someone else.
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 25: Date, Interrupted
Dante is here.Dante, who I'm supposed to be forgetting. Dante, who's supposed to be on a press tour right now. And not just Dante, no - he has someone else with him, too, and as I examine the second figure more closely, I realize it's his brother Luca. They're both covered up - sunglasses, layers, and in Luca's case, a baseball cap, and though both disguises would probably fool any casual observers, they don't get past me. My body is immediately on alert, fully aware of him even across the room.For a split second my heart stops, half expecting Emilia Torres to walk in behind them, but - thank God for small mercies - it's just the two brothers.That's still two more Fontaines than I wanted to see tonight.They stop just inside the door, glancing around. Most people in the bar don't seem to be aware that two of Hollywood's hottest celebrities have just walked through the door, but I can't tear my eyes away. Dante always captures my full attention. And this is the first time I've ev
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 26: "Tell Me You Love Him"
Dante stands over me, staring at me with an intensity that makes my insides go all twisty."Maybe you should let me walk away," I tell him, and my voice sounds ragged. "Did you ever think of that?""Yes." He places a hand against the bricks on one side of my head. "A hundred times."My heart is tumbling over itself. "Then why don't you?" Why are you still here, making this even harder on me?His other hand comes up on the other side of me, effectively pinning me against the wall. But he still doesn't touch me, even as he leans closer. He's so close I can feel his breath on my face."I've never stopped regretting the last time I let you walk away from me," he murmurs.I can't breathe. But I can't escape from him, either - not from his arms or his words or that look in his eyes."What happened to Jack?" he asks, his voice lower with every word. "Tell me, Ash."I don't know what to say. Part of me wants to continue the lie, to hold on to the one last protective barrier I have betw
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 27: A Tasting
"How did it go?" Mama Pat asks.It's two days after my date with Dean - the first time Mama Pat is working since that dramatic evening - and she's nearly bursting as she pulls out her ingredients for a batch of strawberry cupcakes. I'm guessing from her grin that she hasn't spoken to Dean yet."He's very nice," I say. "And you were right - he's really cute."Her eyebrow rises. She knows me too well. "But?""But there wasn't any chemistry," I say, then add, "Sadly. Because he seems like a sweet guy." I still feel a twinge - okay, more than a twinge - of guilt over how I handled things. Because even though I know Dean and I don't have a future, he still deserved better. I still have no idea if he guessed what happened between Dante and me against the side of the bar - he didn't ask where I'd been when I returned to the table, and he didn't ask about Dante at all - but it was clear he knew that there was no point in dragging things out any longer. When he dropped me off at my house, h
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 28: Heating Up In The Kitchen
I'm testing a spicy variation of my new caramel recipe when the jingle of the bell on my bakery's door announces Dante's arrival at a quarter to four on Monday afternoon.I freeze. He's early. I should have known he'd be early.My last three hours have been spent in intense concentration. It's easy to let my mind wander when I'm making recipes I've made a hundred times before. But when I'm testing things, I want to make sure I take in every detail, notice every shift in color or texture, taste or smell. It has made it much easier to forget about why I'm here today.But now that Dante has arrived, I can't distract myself anymore - and I refuse to examine whether my heart has sped up due to nerves or anticipation."I'm in the kitchen!" I call. The caramel sauce I'm stirring has just started to thicken and I can't walk away. "I'll be out in a minute."There's no response. But a second later, I hear the kitchen door swing open behind me."Give me a moment to finish this sauce," I say
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 29: His First Taste
Dante leans close to me, his chest brushing my back."No one who sees you here could ever doubt that this is what you were born to do," he says in a husky tone. "It shines through you. It's visible in every brick in this place. And, no doubt, through every bit of food that comes out of this kitchen." He leans even closer, looking down over my shoulder. "What is it you said you were making?"How could such a simple, ordinary question sound so intimate?"Caramel sauce," I answer softly."May I try it?"The color and texture are finally just about right - I see no reason to deny him a taste. I switch off the burner and reach over to grab a couple of the disposable plastic spoons I use for taste testing."It's extremely hot, so let it cool a moment first," I say as I scoop a little of the sauce up in each spoon. "And it's a new recipe, so it might need some tweaking. I haven't even had a chance to try it yet.""I'm sure it will be delicious." He's still right behind me, so I pass hi
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 30: Just One More Taste
Dante's finger hovers in the space between us, that bit of buttercream waiting for my tongue.I can't believe that I'm arguing with him about this. He's supposed to be the serious one. Not the one tempting me into breaking the rules. And though he's right that these particular bits of cake and frosting will never be served to the public, I still find myself resisting. Especially since he's holding his hand out as if he expects me to lick his finger.But I can tell by the look on his face that he's testing me. Teasing me. And I'm not exactly the sort of girl who backs down from a challenge.Okay. I'll play.Rather than dip my head and lick the frosting right off his skin, I use my own finger to scoop off a bit of the buttercream and bring it to my lips."There," I say after it melts on my tongue. "I've licked my finger. Are you happy now?""Not nearly." He grabs my hand and lifts it up. "You've left a good bit of frosting on your skin."I'd hardly call what's left on my finger a
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