Her third day in the office started promisingly. No hangover, which was always a plus and no spilt coffee, which made her feel like she was finally finding her rhythm. It always took a few days to settle in to a new job and Willa had become somewhat of an expert at it. She started a new job nearly every six weeks—sometimes less, sometimes more—so it was important that she get a good read on the temperature of a workplace early. The sooner she could settle in, the more she could accomplish in the time she was there.
So far, Wednesday was shaping up to be the day when everything just clicked. It was the quickest it had happened for her, but Jake was an easy boss to have. She hardly ever saw him and he gave her autonomy in the office, which she loved. If there was one thing Willa hated more than anything in the workplace, it was micromanagers.
Plus, the day had started with chocolate. And not just any chocolate, but Ashby Chocolate, the far superior chocolate as far as Willa was concerned. One little truffle had been sitting on her desk when she arrived that morning. It sat in the exact middle of her desk—symmetry that she appreciated—and begged her to eat it. It was dark and perfectly spherical with a light dusting of bronze shimmer that made it almost luminescent under the harsh fluorescent lighting in the office.
Willa admired it from all angles, giving it the proper reverence, before lifting it to her lips. The rich dark chocolate melted on her tongue releasing the sweet taste of whiskey that was her guilty pleasure. The truffle dissolved slowly in her mouth, tantalising her taste buds with the complexities of well-aged whiskey and quality seventy percent cocoa. There was a hint of red wine toward the end and then the lingering smoky flavour that was at once a surprise and yet the perfect end to the incredible experience. And it was an experience. This was not a chocolate you shoved into your maw while watching Jersey Shore on the television. This was a chocolate to be savoured. It brought to mind candlelight and sexy lingerie and a dark-haired man with stormy grey eyes.
Oh yeah. The familiarity of the taste slid over her like an inevitable conclusion. She knew this taste. She knew the feeling it invoked. This tasted like kissing him. It tasted like kissing Jake, and Willa was immediately transported back to the bar. She could almost feel his lips on hers and the press of his body. Her scalp tingled at the memory of his fingers as they burrowed into her hair and her body prickled with thrill bumps. How could a tiny little piece of chocolate—admittedly it was fucking good chocolate—cause such a visceral reaction in her? The man had only kissed her once but it was burned into her brain and body like a permanent brand.
Willa leaned back in her chair, her eyes closed. She felt like she needed a cigarette even though she didn’t smoke. How had he managed to capture the moment of their kiss in a chocolate truffle? Jake Campbell was a genius, there was no other way to describe him. He would rival Jonathon Ashby himself with his skill as a chocolatier and that was saying something. Jonathon had managed to turn his grandparents’ little chocolate business into an international phenomenon with his skill in creating flavours that left you wanting more. But Jake…surely this creation of Jake’s would surpass anything Jonathon had created in the past.
Willa sighed. It was such a pity that Jake was a lab rat and not the billionaire she needed. Unfortunately, Willa was only too aware of the risks of getting involved with someone purely because of ‘feelings.’ Nasty little creatures they were. Feelings clouded your judgement and made you do stupid shit, like let your daughters practically starve because you couldn’t be bothered to get off your arse to feed them. The only saving grace of Willa’s childhood was that her father’s death had entitled them to a compensation pay out. It was lucky that Devi hadn’t blown all the money in one fell swoop. Luck or Devi’s self-imposed exile from the living? The woman hadn’t even asked how Willa had managed to keep herself and Kirra fed and clothed all these years. It had been a close call, but in desperation, ten-year-old Willa raided her mother’s purse and found her debit cards. From then on, she took on the responsibility of paying the bills and buying the food and generally being the adult. It was a steep learning curve for a young girl who was also grieving the loss of a father who had been her world.
Devi had moments of clarity that made Willa think her mother was finally going to get back on her feet, but they never lasted long. It only took a smell or the sight of something that reminded Devi of Tom and she was back to crying and numbing her pain with whatever alcohol she could get her hands on.
And that was why feelings sucked. Emotions were deceptive and Willa was determined to never fall victim to them. What good was losing yourself in love to the detriment of everything else around you? Willa had too much self-respect to let herself become victim to something as ephemeral as love. Loving her sister, she understood. That was different. That was almost like a physical bond. But romantic love? The love that Devi claimed she shared with Tom? In Willa’s eyes that was a lie from the pit of hell and she never wanted a part of it.
With determination, Willa lifted her water bottle to her mouth and washed away the lingering flavour of the truffle. She didn’t need any reminders of that kiss. It would never be repeated and letting herself fantasise about it for even a minute was a slippery slope. Willa had to keep her head in the game. After all the months of planning, she finally had a date with the object of her…obsession. She needed a clear head for that date. She needed to make an unforgettable impression on him. Besides, he was the original Mr. Chocolate, Jake was just the imitation.
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