Sweet Pleasures ✔︎

[4] 𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒉 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈

This couldn't be happening.

Two days ago, Jupiter had not attempted to drunkenly seduce the man who would prove to be the CEO of Candy King. She had not vomited all over his designer Ferragamo or whatever kind of shoes they were. She most certainly had not begged him to fuck her on feather - pillows on his four-post bed.

Except that she did.

Oh, mother of all that was holy. She wanted to die.

She tried to hide behind Cora and prayed to every God of every religion since the beginning of time that Mr. Josh King wouldn't find it necessary to stop and greet her tour group.

Henry was still rambling about taffy, but Jupiter had stopped listening. She watched CEO King. He took his time walking around the kitchen, stopping to speak to the chefs, and examine the contents of two large mixers. His expression was inscrutable, his eyes sharp, his bearing controlled, as if he not only expected deference but demanded it. He reminded her vaguely of a king who deigned to visit his peasants.

Then he started toward her tour group.

She glanced at the clock. Could see somehow manage to fake a sudden illness?

"Hello, Mr. King." A flash of nervousness crossed Henry's face as he extended a hand. "These are Gordon Andrew's Confectionary Technology students from Hartford Community College in Rainsville.

"Ah." Josh King's dark gaze swept over the group. "I like people who are interesting in the science of sweet things."

A few girls giggled.

Jupiter's heart raced wildly. She tried to duck farther into the group, keeping her head bent low so that her chin into her neck.

Go away, Mr. Hottie. Just go away. Nothing to see here.

"Why don't you introduce yourselves?" Mr. King asked. "I'd be interested to know your culinary ambitions."

Jupiter had to get out of there. She maneuvered backward a few steps l, figuring she could dart from the back of the group and make a run for it before anyone noticed she was missing. Her back hit the wall of Gary, a two-hundred pound soda pop aficionado who was channeling his passion into fizzy candy.

She muttered an apology and tried to scoot around him, but he was standing against the blending table and blocking her emergency exit route.

"Hey Gary," Jupiter whispered, poking him gently with a pen. "Could you scoot over just a-"

"Why don't you go first, miss?" Josh King's voice swept over her like a hot breeze.

She startled, feeling his gaze land in her with the precision of an arrow. Exactly the way she'd felt it at the Troll's House. Right before she-

Okay. She put herself out there the other night because she hadn't wanted to hide out in a basement any longer. She wanted to be brave. Hiding behind large Gary wasn't exactly brave. Besides, CEO King might not even recognize her given that she was wearing a white apron with her hair hidden beneath an ugly plastic cap.

She took a deep breath then lifted her head to meet his gaze, which was even more penetrating under the bright kitchen lights.

"I'm Jupiter Rhoades," she said, proud that her voice sounded steady even though she was shaking inwardly.

"Jupiter," he repeated, his deep voice wrapping around her name as if he would taste. "And why are you taking Confectionery Technology, Jupiter."

"It's a course requirement for the Culinary arts certificate," she explained. "I own a Bakery called the Rainbow Palace and want to... um, upgrade it."