Read Online The Oddest Little Chocolate Shop in London by Beth Good - Free Book Online

hand, drawing her close.
‘Though in that tight dress, I’m afraid your … derrière … is perhaps rather
prominent.’
       ‘Oh
my god, I knew it must be.’ She stared at him blankly, horribly aware that he
was holding her hand, then could not stop herself from chortling, ‘Wait … You
mean, my bum looks big in this?’
       His
eyebrows rose slowly. ‘Pardon?’
       ‘Sorry.’
Typical. She had managed to ruin the moment. He must think her a total idiot.
‘I added bum to the faux pas of bottom. What must you think of me?’
       ‘That
you are very British.’
       She
wished her face was not so hot. And now she was gabbling. Like a schoolgirl
with a sugar-rush. ‘Well, yes, I do have that distinction. I only hope it’s not
a disadvantage. But maybe it is. I hadn’t thought of that. You don’t think it
will put your customers off to be served by someone … Well, by someone not
French?’
       ‘Rachel
is not French,’ he pointed out calmly.
       ‘Good
point.’
       He
put an arm about her waist, and suddenly she could not breathe. He was standing
far too close, their bodies hip to hip, touching in all the right – she
meant wrong, of course – places. She remembered Dominic kissing her by
accident. The ghastly embarrassment of it all. The way she had trembled afterwards
as though she had been walking a high-wire…
       ‘Clementine,’
he murmured.
       ‘Yes?’
       He
smiled, looking deep into her eyes, then leant forward and put his lips against
hers.
       This
time the kiss was quite deliberate.
       Her
toes curled and she leant into him, closing her eyes, letting her lips part.
His breath smelt delicious, and his body was so warm against hers. She could
hear the muffled beat of his heart take off as their kiss deepened.
       ‘I’m
glad you came back,’ he whispered against her mouth. ‘There’s something about
you, Clementine. I don’t know what it is, but having you around makes me feel
like … like I can do this.’
       ‘You
can do this,’ she agreed, smiling.
       ‘I
was so low before you appeared. You were talking nonsense and holding that poor
lost chat in your arms. I could not see my way ahead that day. But as soon as I
met you, I started to get new ideas … to regain my confidence.’ He laughed
softly. ‘Does that sound crazy?’
       ‘Not
at all. It’s kismet.’
       He
pulled back, his eyebrows raised. ‘Kiss what?’
       ‘Kismet.
It means destiny.’
       ‘Ah
oui ... I begin to like this destiny.’ Dominic kissed her again, their bodies
nestled together warmly, and she started to feel a little hot under the collar.
Except she did not have a collar. Just a too-skimpy polka dot halterneck that
seemed to be giving him ideas, the way his hands were straying over her body.
His mouth nuzzled at her throat. ‘Perhaps we could take a short break. Go
upstairs for a while.’
       She
was shivering, clinging to him, when a loud sneeze disturbed their dreamy
love-making.
       Dominic
raised his head.
       The
bead curtain rattled noisily, then suddenly Rachel was there in the doorway,
staring at them.
       What a time for an interruption!
       Clementine
could have sworn aloud with frustration. Then she looked at Rachel properly. Her
face was red, her eyes bloodshot as though the poor girl had been weeping inconsolably
for hours, convinced her heart was breaking.
       Clementine
knew the feeling.
       ‘Oh,’
Rachel exclaimed, then tried to back awkwardly through the curtain again, and
managed only to entangle herself in a tangle of beads. There was a tiny break
in her voice, the merest hint of a sob. ‘Am I disturbing you? I’ll … come back
later.’
       Dominic
shot forward. ‘No, Rachel, stay. I want you!’
       ‘You
want me?’ the girl echoed in surprise.
       Clementine
nodded fervently. ‘Yes, he wants you.’ Then looked at him suspiciously. ‘You
do?’
       He
glanced from her face to Rachel’s wide-eyed