Title: Sweet Possession
Series: Sweet Addiction #2
Author: J Daniels
Release Date: September 19, 2014
Synopsis
A sassy, in-your-face baker. A panty-stealing, dirty-talking accountant. And a bathroom quickie that changed their lives forever.
Wedding hook-ups never amount to anything.
Unless that hook-up knocks you on your ass.
For Dylan Sparks and Reese Carroll, the big day can’t arrive soon enough. Dylan, stressed to the max from overbearing mothers and last minute preparations, struggles to keep her sanity. As for Reese, he’s fighting to not only keep his bride-to-be safe from creepy investors, but also to make it to the actual wedding day without losing his mind in the process.
Throw in a crazy group of friends, and a bachelor/bachelorette party weekend getaway, and you have a recipe for the sweetest wedding of the year.
Reese Carroll and Dylan Sparks cordially invite you to read Sweet Possession.
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Why do people even bother with weddings?
I know, that sounds insane coming from a person who makes a living off creating decadent wedding cakes for the happy couples. The crazy-in-love future Mr. and Mrs. are what keeps Dylan’s Sweet Tooth afloat, and without weddings, I wouldn’t be able to afford my rent. Not to mention the fact that if it weren’t for dumbass ex-boyfriend weddings, there’s a chance I would’ve never have met Reese and I honestly can’t imagine not having him in my life. But in my defense, I’ve never had to sit and listen to hours of debating whether cotton-blend or silk napkins are the best choice for my big day.
I know, that sounds insane coming from a person who makes a living off creating decadent wedding cakes for the happy couples. The crazy-in-love future Mr. and Mrs. are what keeps Dylan’s Sweet Tooth afloat, and without weddings, I wouldn’t be able to afford my rent. Not to mention the fact that if it weren’t for dumbass ex-boyfriend weddings, there’s a chance I would’ve never have met Reese and I honestly can’t imagine not having him in my life. But in my defense, I’ve never had to sit and listen to hours of debating whether cotton-blend or silk napkins are the best choice for my big day.
Until now.
Joey lets out an
irritated sigh and gestures toward the direction of my mother and soon-to-be
mother-in-law who are loudly arguing at my consultation table. “This sh*t makes
me want to drink at 9:00 a.m. How many times have I suggested to you that we
keep hard liquor in the back? We could totally make a drinking game out of this
mess.”
I tilt my head up
to meet his eyes. “What, and take a shot every time one of them utters the
phrase, ‘this will be the wedding I’ve always dreamed of’? We’d be tanked
before the lunch rush.”
He nods, smiling
over his coffee cup. “Exactly, and we’d be completely oblivious to this
annoying discussion that you couldn’t care less about anyway.”
Joey’s right. I
really didn’t care what type of fabric the napkins were; I really didn’t care
about much of anything. I’ve pretty much left everything in the hands of my
trusted best friend who could plan a wedding wearing a blindfold. I only had a
few stipulations: the cake and my dress. That’s it. Napkins? Who the f**k cares
about napkins?
He slides closer
to me, dropping his voice to a hushed whisper although, with the noise level
currently booming through the bakery, I’ll definitely be the only one hearing
him. “I knew your mother was a little nutty when it came to marrying you off,
planning this sh*t since you were nineteen and all, but Reese’s mother is
bat-sh*t crazy. Did you hear her say she wanted to come out with us for your
bachelorette party? Can you imagine?”
I shrug once
before leaning against the counter. “I don’t even know what I want to do for
that. Maybe we’ll just have like a spa day or something and if that’s the case,
who cares if she tags along?”
His mouth drops
open, letting escape a loud, dramatic gasp. “Um, no. We will be going to a
strip club if I have to throw you over my shoulder and pull a Reese on you
myself. That’s what you do for bachelorette parties. Why the h*ll do my two
best friends not know that?”
“Excuse you. Juls’
bachelorette party didn’t involve any naked men, and we still had a great time.
Who says we have to go to a strip club?”
“I do,” he says
through a tense jaw. “The only reason I let that sh*t slide for Juls was
because I was in charge of babysitting her dumba*s sister, and I knew I’d be
distracted if I had a bunch of d**ks in my face.”
I arch my brow at
him. “Isn’t that a typical Saturday night for you?” We both chuckle together,
and my attention is suddenly drawn to my mother who is throwing napkins into the
air.
“Dylan,
sweetheart, silk or cotton-blend?” she asks, tapping her foot on the hard tile.
I flick my gaze
between the two mothers who are both silently pleading with me to pick their
choice. If I had to guess, I’d say my mother wants the silk, but Maggie Carroll
is giving off a bit of a fancy vibe right now. She’s head to toe in designer
clothing, which is screaming silk at the moment. Sh*t. I really don’t care one way or the other, but who the h*ll do I
side with on this one? I grimace and nervously tap on the glass display
case. “Um, does it matter? They’re napkins. People are going to be wiping their
mouths with them.”
“It matters a
great deal,” Maggie says, picking up two napkin swatches and carrying them over
to me. “The silk is much more sophisticated. And given the location you’ve
chosen for the reception, I think that’s the one you should go for.”
“But the cotton
blend comes in this antique-white color that would go beautifully with the
pale-gray bridesmaids dresses,” my mother adds, joining Maggie’s side.
J**us. Since when does it matter if the napkins match
the bridesmaid dresses?
I look back and
forth between the two of them before turning toward Joey. “Thoughts?”
“Nope. I’m afraid
you’re on your own there, cupcake.” He backs away and sips his coffee, leaving
me alone in my misery.
I reach out and
feel both choices between my fingers. “Um, well, I guess the cotton is most
likely cheaper? So, why don’t we go with that?”
Maggie gently
lays her hand on top of mine. “Oh, sweetie, money is not an issue. If you want
the silk napkins…”
“She just said
she wants the cotton blend,” my mother states with a firm tone. “Which I agree
with, sweetheart. Beautiful choice.”
“But, Helen, the
silk would be so much more… elegant.”
I drop my
forehead to my hands and groan my irritation while the two of them continue to
hash it out. Who cares about napkins! Am
I completely crazy for not giving a sh*t about this tiny, insignificant detail?
The guests could wipe their mouths on their coat sleeves for all I care.
This is how it’s
been for the past six months. Ever since Reese and I got engaged, our mothers
have been in a battle of who can plan the better wedding, and poor Juls and I
have been stuck in the middle, trying to rein in the madness. They’ve been so
crazy about this whole thing, I’ve found myself contemplating the benefits of a
Vegas wedding. Unfortunately, my soon-to-be husband is dead-set on marrying me
in front of all our families and is having no part of that discussion. Every
time I suggest he steal me away for a quickie wedding, he just shuts me up with
his mouth, or his ****. And because I’m weak with lust around that man, and
given the fact my head is sure to explode soon from all this momma drama, I
bring it up. Often.
The front door
chimes and I look up, smiling as my best friend strolls into the bakery. She
takes one look at the mothers waving napkin swatches into the air and
immediately goes into wedding-planner mode.
“Ohhhh, no. There
will not be any changes made. Give me those.” She snatches the napkin samples
from the two mothers who both stare at her with shocked expressions. This is
the Juls I know and love, the one who knows how to run sh*t. “This wedding is
happening in ten days, and all decisions are final. And really, the napkin
issue? Again?” She motions toward me with a crumpled-up napkin in her hand.
“The bride-to-be doesn’t care about the napkins. In fact, you two are the only
people I know who have ever cared
about the napkins. And I’ve planned over one hundred weddings. For the love of
God, let it go.”
My mother crosses
her arms over her chest and sneers at Juls. “You know what, Julianna? One of
these days, when you’re planning your daughter’s
wedding, you’ll care about the napkins.”
“I seriously
doubt that. Besides, I’m planning on having all boys.”
Maggie and my
mother grab their purses off the consultation table while Juls smiles in her
minor victory over the two of them. The moms both walk around the counter and
smother me with affection.
“We’re going to
go swing by the venue to take another look around,” Maggie says as she releases
me from a hug. “Now, don’t forget to let me know about the bachelorette party.
I’m all in.”
“Ha!” Joey yells
from the kitchen.
I smile and clear
my throat loudly, hoping to cover up the end of my dear assistant’s crack-up.
“Tell Mr. Carroll I said hello.”
My mother kisses
my cheek and smiles. “I’m sure the napkins you originally picked out will
suffice.”
“Mom,” I say in a
warning tone. “There’s still a chance I’ll convince Reese to cancel this whole
thing and get hitched in Vegas.” Her eyes widen, along with Maggie’s who
swivels in place to gawk at me. “Don’t push it.”
“That’s not even
funny,” she retorts, swatting at me with her clutch.
Once the two
wedding-obsessed mothers exit the shop, Juls lets out an ‘I’m glad I’m not in
your shoes’ chuckle and Joey reemerges from the back. I slouch back against the
counter top, feeling a Vegas wedding now more than ever. “I cannot wait until
all this is over with. How I’ve managed to survive the last six months without being
heavily-medicated or drunk off my a*s twenty-four hours a day is beyond me.”
“Reese’s mother,
though she has impeccable fashion sense, is out of her mind. I am not having a
f**king chaperone at your bachelorette party,” Joey states with a shake of his
head. Apparently, keeping my future mother in-law away from whatever I decide
to do for my last night of freedom is his only concern.
Juls tosses the
napkin swatches into the trashcan, which will hopefully be the last time I ever
lay eyes on them. She returns to her spot on the other side of the display
case. “Speaking of which, what are we doing for that, anyway? You wanna go to
Clancy’s like we did for mine? That was fun.”
Joey slams his
hand down on the counter, gaining our attention immediately. “For f**k’s sake.
What the h*ll is wrong with you two? Spa days? Clubs that have been played out?
I wanna do things that I’ll be ashamed to tell people about. Let me live, d*mn
it.”
“I’m sorry, but
is this your bachelorette party? Did
Billy pop the question and you’ve decided to keep that information from us?”
Juls asks, biting back her smile. It cracks through and she winks at Joey whose
mood has suddenly waned, no doubt in response to the reminder that he isn’t
engaged yet.
He shrugs
dismissively. “Whatever. You b**ches can celebrate with watered-down drinks and
facials. Just don’t be surprised if I bail on it.”
I slide closer to
him and wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my face into his shirt. Tilting
my head up, I see him smiling down at me. “I’ll choose something fun. You have
to be there; it wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“She’s right.”
Juls rounds the counter and mimics my position against Joey’s back. “We’d miss
you terribly, JoJo.”
He grunts above
us. “You’re lucky I’d do anything for either one of you.” Juls and I both
unlock our death grips from him and stand side by side. “But I swear to Ch**st,
there better at least be a cake shaped like a p**is at this thing.”
“Chocolate or
vanilla?” I ask teasingly.
He smiles,
bending down and removing a half-empty tray of pastries from the display case.
“Chocolate. I’ve never had black d**k.”
Juls and I both
chuckle as he walks toward the kitchen, giving us a scandalous eyebrow raise
over his shoulder.
“So, I have a favor to ask you.” Juls pulls me into the far corner
behind the bakery counter, clearly wanting to put distance between this favor
and Joey. Oh, Lord. My best friend
doesn’t ask me for many favors but when she does, they’re usually whoppers. A
certain wedding dress she made me try on months ago comes to mind. I motion for
her to spill it, and she eyes me up nervously. “Umm… so, Brooke got fired from
her job at that bank. Apparently, she was caught bl**ing one of the other
tellers during work hours.”
“Good Lord.” That sounds
about right, though. Brooke Wicks was in the running for ho**iest b**ch in Chicago, competing solely
with Joey.
“Yeah, she needs a job and
fast; otherwise, she’ll lose her apartment.” My eyes widen, the realization of
her favor hitting me. “And since you’re so busy at the shop…”
“No fu**ing way.”
She fists both hands at her
side. “Oh, come on, Dyl. She’s having trouble finding something, and she’s been
looking for over a month.” Her face softens and she reaches out to me, pulling
my hand into hers. “Please? If she loses her apartment, she has to move in with
Ian and me. And that sh*t can’t happen. I love my sister, but I can’t live with
her.”
“What about moving back in with your parents?”
“Not an option. She and my mom would kill each other.” She pauses
and squeezes my hand gently. “I really want to help her out.”
D**n it. This has bad news written all over it, but I have trouble saying no
to Juls. She’s always been there for me. Always. I groan and her eyes light up.
“Fine. She can start Monday. But don’t think I won’t fire her just because
she’s your sister.” She pulls me into a hug with an excited squeal. I cringe as
Joey strolls through the doorway, coming from the kitchen. He grins, adorably
oblivious to the information that will surely send him into a sh*t-fit. “I
should really make you drop this bomb on him,” I mumble under my breath.
“Oh, relax. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Yeah, okay. We’ll see about that.”
We both release each other and Juls spins on her heels, walking over
toward Joey and placing her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t freak out.”
His eyes widen with a curious fear. “If I don’t get my p**is cake,
I’ll disown both of you. Nobody comes between me and my d**k-shaped sweets.”
I walk up to him and brace myself for the reaction that is sure to
blow the roof off this building. “Joey. JoJo. Bestest friend.” He rolls his
eyes as I play with the string on my apron, wrapping it around my finger. “You
know how busy we’ve been lately with custom orders and all the spring weddings
coming up? It’s getting pretty crazy in here, and I think maybe it’s time I
hired another employee.”
“That’s fantastic.” His body relaxes and he glances between Juls and
myself. His brows set into a hard line. “Why the h*ll do I have a feeling I’m
about to regret those words?”
“Just remember how much you love us,” Juls says. “And this… addition
will allow you and Dylan to spend more time together. The benefits are sure to
outweigh any concern you might have.”
I pause, waiting to see if he’ll pick up on the clues that are
obvious to me. It only takes him a few seconds; the reaction spreads through
him like a wild fire.
He squeezes his eyes closed tightly, reaching up and rubbing his
temples with his fingers. “Please tell me this addition is a blind monkey,
because they would surely get more accomplished than who I fear you’re about to
say.”
“Brooke could be a good addition, Joey,” I state with a mild
assurance.
“Are you insane? Why the f**k would you hire that mess?”
Juls shoves his arm. “Hey! She’s my sister, and she’s been through a
lot.”
“A lot of what? D**k? Dylan, this is not a good idea.”
I limply shrug. I’m not at all surprised he’s reacting this way; in
fact, I predicted it. But, unlike Joey, I’m willing to give Brooke the benefit
of the doubt. And as long as she doesn’t try to molest him like the day before
Juls’ wedding, things shouldn’t get too hostile. I gotta give the girl a
chance. “She needs a job or she’ll lose her apartment.”
He throws his hands into the air. “Oh, I’m sorry. How is that our problem?”
“Joey,” Juls scolds. “Don’t be so rude.”
“She’s on a probationary period. If she messes up, I’ll fire her
without thinking twice about it. Right, Juls?”
She nods in my direction before turning back toward my heated
assistant. “Right. So, calm the f**k down, JoJo.” She makes a face at him and
he issues her his smile, softening her expression. “And a lot of d**k? Like
you’re one to talk.”
The three of us start laughing, letting go of the stress of knowing
Brooke Wicks will soon be gracing us with her presence. This could actually be
a good thing. We are extremely busy, and having another employee means being
able to spend more time in my kitchen instead of ringing up customers. So, I’m
not going to let this worry me; I have enough stress with my upcoming wedding
to last me a lifetime.
Juls gives us both hugs before she exits the shop to go tackle a
bride. Just as a customer slips inside and makes her way up to the counter, my
phone beeps in my pocket. Joey gives me a smile, indicating he’s got things
handled and allows me to slip into the back.
Reese: What are you wearing?
I giggle as I hop onto a stool.
Me: Are you s****ing it right now, handsome?
Reese: That depends on your answer.
I’m definitely not wearing anything worthy of a w*** session. My
ripped skinny jeans and flour-covered apron have seen better days, so I let my
imagination take over.
Author Bio
J. Daniels was born and raised in Maryland.
After putting her kids to bed, she escapes into her cheeky world where some of her characters kiss, and some of them do a lot more than kiss.
She is an avid reader and enjoys everything from unconventional romance to fantasy novels.
After putting her kids to bed, she escapes into her cheeky world where some of her characters kiss, and some of them do a lot more than kiss.
She is an avid reader and enjoys everything from unconventional romance to fantasy novels.
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