Sugar and Spice by Kat Baxter

 

Chapter 1

Isabel

Every successful business woman knows the importance of planning. After all, you don’t become one of Le CRV’s Women of the Year without a plan. You don’t become the owner of one of the nation’s most successful indie chocolatiers without a plan.

And—when you live in a small town with limited access to single men with whom to have hot, one-and-done sex—you don’t travel to New York for the weekend without a plan. Specifically a plan to meet some hot random and have toe-curling, one-and-done sex.

I’m sure I look like a total bumpkin staring around the posh hotel lobby with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. I can’t help it if I just took my first airplane ride to New York city. Still I try to school my features so that I look slightly more sophisticated. I am a sexy, single woman looking to horizontally mingle.

Nope, that’s not how that saying goes. Well, whatever.

I dig in my bag and pull out the cookies I grabbed from the bakery down the street. Yes, I did stop at a bakery between the airport and the hotel.

In my defense, it’s a famous bakery, so when my Uber drove past it, of course I made the driver stop.

After all, I’m a chocolatier. Stopping at one of the most famous bakeries in New York was really just professional courtesy. Buying cookies was a business decision. No, really.

Besides, buying cookies and then hoofing it down the street with my suitcase trailing behind me the half block to the hotel made me feel very cosmopolitan.

Since the line to check in is long, I pick a cookie to tide me over. Deciding on an oatmeal toffee, I break off a piece.

My small New England town is just so different from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. I’m pretty sure our entire downtown area could fit in this hotel. It’s just massive.

Speaking of massive, I take my place in the check-in line behind an enormous guy. He’s got a toddler propped on one hip and a little girl holding on to his free hand.

My aunt tendencies are tingling. Immediately I want to crouch down next to the little girl and engage with her. After all, I have cookies!

But this weekend, I am not the fun aunt. I am a hot single woman looking to catch a ride on the D-train. I swallow my own giggle because that was truly terrible. Does anyone say D-train? They shouldn’t.

The big guy glances behind him, clearly searching for someone, I’m guessing his wife.

There is something so incredibly attractive about a big man with children. Especially one that is clearly an attentive father. He’s teasing the little girl and he shifts the toddler to a higher position. When he does, the pungent odor of dirty diaper wafts my way.

Do not offer to go change that diaper.

“Tucker!” the little girl shrieks. “You poo stinky.”

I bite back a smile. She is not wrong.

The man once again turns around, searching the lobby for someone. I cringe half expecting him to hand the baby off to me. It would not be the first time. Okay, it would be the first time a random stranger did that. But back in Starlight Bay, people know their kids are safe with me and I’ve been passed a stinky baby on more than one occasion.

“Come on, Libby, we’ve got to go change his diaper,” the man says.

“I don’t wanna go to the boy’s room,” she whines.

“You have to,” he tells Libby.

“I hate going in the big men’s room. Please don’t make me,” she pleads, her eyes wide and tear-filled.

Cartoon gifs aren’t even this cute.

“We have to go.” The big guy gives another scan of the crowd before sighing. “I can’t leave you here alone.”

“She can stand here with me,” I offer. “It looks like the line is going to take a while anyways and this way I can hold your spot.”

He turns to face me and looks down like I’m tiny. I might not be the tallest woman, but I am of average height. Average weight too, though our society would claim otherwise. But my size 18 ass looks good in my jeans so what do I care what society says.

The big guy stares at me for a while, then glances back at the line. There are still like seven people in front of us and only two people working the front desk.

I bend down to be closer to Libby’s face. I hold out my hand to her. “Hi there, I’m Isabel.”

Libby’s blue eyes go wide. “Belle, like with the beast?”

I laugh. “Not exactly, but close, I suppose.”

The man nods at me. “Libby, if she tries to take you somewhere bite her,” he says.

I laugh again.

“Belle is a princess, Unka Mad.” She grabs onto my hand. “She keep me safe.”

“Can I share my cookies with her?” I ask the man.

The man nods and walks off in the direction the restrooms.

I let her pick a cookie and she chooses chocolate-chip. We stand, hand-in-hand for a few minutes eating our cookies. I answer all of the questions Libby peppers me with. Like how the Beast is and whether or not I’ve read all the books in our giant library. I’m not gonna lie, I’m completely charmed by this girl.

“Hey Squirt,” an impossibly deep voice comes from behind me.

Libby spins around and squeals. “Sam!”

I turn around and there’s a slight chance I look like a cartoon character with my jaw hitting the floor. If I thought Libby’s dad was big, I was wrong. Because this guy, this Sam, is like a man-shaped wall. A ridiculously hot man-shaped wall. He’s got to be at least six and a half feet tall and two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle.

“Who’s your friend, Libs?” he asks the little girl as he swings her up into his arms.

“Princess Belle.”

“Isabel,” I correct.

His deep blue eyes scan my entire person as if assessing every inch of me. I half expect him to reach over and open my mouth to inspect my teeth. But that would be super weird. He’s definitely scowling at me though.

“Where’s Mad?” he directs the question to Libby.

“Tucker diaper,” Libby tells him.

“And Princess Belle is keeping your company?” His voice is ridiculously deep.

My nipples go hard at the sound, which is dumb. Because I can want to have a hot one-night-stand with a handsome stranger, but this guy is way out of my league. Also, he might be gay if he and the kids’ father are partners.

“Yes,” Libby says. “She left the Beast at home.”

His sapphire eyes sear into me. “Did she now?”

“She has cookies,” Libby tells him in a loud whisper.

“Cookies?” he asks.

I nod dumbly, then hold out the box of assorted bakery cookies. I have a sweet tooth, what can I say? I make chocolates for a living which means cookies are a huge treat for me.

“Cookie,” he says quietly, but he doesn’t reach to take one.

I’m saved from having to respond to him when my phone rings. It’s my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Laurel, so I answer.

She immediately launches into a story about the details of moving my brother, Alex’s taco truck, Guac-N-Roll, to Austin Texas where she’s from. I smile because my brother deserves every success he can achieve. I shove the cookies back into my bag.

Libby’s dad comes back with a much cleaner smelling Tucker and he greets the giant behind me. With Libby safely back with her father, I edge forward a step, putting a little distance between me and the two hulking men.

“So how is New York?” Laurel asks.

“Big and a little overwhelming, but I’m excited. I’ve got plans for this weekend.”

“Well, yeah, isn’t the magazine going to keep you pretty busy?”

“Yes. The photoshoot isn’t until tomorrow. Then there’s a fancy party tomorrow night. I’ve got a killer red dress for that. Then on Sunday we have social media stops to make on our own.”

“What does that mean?” Laurel asks.

“Like they want us to go to famous landmarks and take pictures and tag them. It’s a joint promo blitz or something. I don’t know. But I figure it’ll be good for my business. And I’ve never seen the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State’s Building so it should be fun.”

“But by yourself?”

I consider for a moment on whether or not to share with my sister-in-law my real plans for the weekend. But fuck it. I’m owning this choice. “Hopefully I’ll find a playmate for the weekend,” I say.

Laurel makes a choking noise, then coughs. “A what?”

“I’d like to have some adult fun while I’m here. A weekend rendezvous, if you will. There’s no one back home and I’m in the Sex and the City city so it just makes sense.”

“Just be careful,” Laurel says.

“Of course. I’ll be smart about it. Maybe my bellboy will be super hot.” I chuckle, but it sounds as nervous as I actually feel. That doesn’t bode well for my sexy weekend. “I could remind you that that’s sort of how you ended up with my brother.”

Laurel laughs. “I suppose that is true.”

“I’m just tired of being everyone’s favorite aunt. I know I’ll never have what you and Alex have, but I can have this one weekend. I’m hoping to find someone who can make it unforgettable for me.”

“So, what? You’re going out tonight to prowl for a hookup?”

I chuckle, imagining myself as a puma on the prowl. Then sigh. “No, tonight I’m staying in. The photoshoot is crazy early tomorrow. The car is scheduled to pick me up at an ungodly hour. But tomorrow night, after the mixer, I will be ready for all the single mingling.”

I shift my stance and it’s then that I notice the blond giant behind me is staring right at me, a heavy scowl weighing down his brow. He looks like a Viking, standing at the helm of his ship, preparing to pillage and plunder. He’s got his thick arms crossed over his massive chest, the tattoos covering swaths of his golden brown skin give him just enough of a dangerous vibe.

I could one and done him all night, but Mr. Beefcake is not on my menu, especially since he is so obviously judging me.

“Next,” the woman at the front desk calls so I head over to get the key to my room. Let the NYC shenanigans begin.