Sweet Temptation

AMY

Amy couldn’t help but notice the handsome man standing there, his eyes lingering on her best friend’s half-naked body. She grinned at Liam, tilting her head and placing a hand on her hip. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened, especially with Chloe still rambling on and mentioning her name every so often.

Finally! Amy thought.

CHLOE

Chloe suddenly realized how quiet Amy had been. She spun around, her brow furrowed and her hands still gripping the tray from the oven.

“WHOA!” she exclaimed.

The moment their eyes met, Chloe was not only shocked to see Liam there, but she also accidentally brushed her arm against the hot pan. She yelped and jumped, causing a few cupcakes to tumble to the floor.

“Ugh!” Chloe cried, torn between covering herself, getting rid of the pan, and picking up the fallen cupcakes. She couldn’t decide.

“What are you doing here?!” She dashed into her room and grabbed her pastel-purple robe to put on.

“Who, me?” Amy giggled, clearly enjoying the opportunity to tease her best friend.

“Not you!” Chloe emerged from her room. “YOU!” She pointed at Liam before bending down to retrieve the fallen cupcakes.

She tried to make Liam feel uncomfortable by making a big deal out of his presence, but he remained cool and collected.

“What are you doing here? And how did you get here?!” Chloe demanded. Liam opened his mouth to answer, but Chloe cut him off.

“Wait, did you bring him here?” She turned to look at Amy.

“Nope. I was going to ask you who he is...and... Well, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Amy said with a mischievous smile, her eyebrows wiggling up and down.

Despite Amy’s lifelong efforts to push Chloe to find someone or pursue true love, her behavior this time irked Chloe.

Why is that?

Chloe couldn’t help but blush and tighten her grip on her robe. For a moment, her eyes locked with Liam’s, and the butterflies in her stomach intensified.

Liam cleared his throat. “I’m Liam, hi,” he interjected, extending his hand to Amy. “Melanie gave me your address, along with your apartment’s lock numbers downstairs.”

Amy shook his hand, not flirtatiously, but in an “approving of Chloe’s choice of guy” manner.

“Amy, her best friend. Although the fact that she hid you from me makes me wonder if she’s still my best friend or not,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

“Really, Amy?” Chloe muttered.

“Actually, she’s not keeping a secret from you because we’ve only met once. I’m Melanie’s boyfriend’s brother, who just got into town a few days ago.”

“Hmm, I see. You’ve met her once, yet you’re already defending her. I like you,” Amy nodded a couple of times, giving Chloe another sign of approval.

“AMY!” Chloe glared at her, arms akimbo.

“Oh, right! I mean, if she doesn’t want you to be here, you have to leave, man,” Amy said, not sounding very convincing.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I think I caught you at...a bad time,” Liam said, his gaze lingering on Chloe, sending shivers down her spine.

“But I do need to talk with you,” he added.

He wants to talk. Chloe didn’t like how his lack of explanation, his charm, and his cool demeanor made her even more attracted to him.

“Well, as you can see, I’m very b-busy and in a hurry at the moment,” she stammered, doubting herself and wondering what Liam would think about the risqué clay toppers on her cupcakes.

“I-I’d really appreciate it if you would just leave,” Chloe said, folding her hands.

“Oh! The car!” Amy suddenly exclaimed, her eyes wide and her hands raised. “I haven’t found a car big enough for us,” she said through clenched teeth.

“No, don’t you say...!” Chloe gasped.

“I’m sorry, it’s a busy weekend. I tried. Maybe we should take two cabs or two Ubers?”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Liam chimed in. “I happened to, uh, ahem, have my car with me downstairs,” he mumbled, trying not to sound like he was bragging.

Chloe noticed Amy’s eyes widen, clearly smitten with her new favorite person in the room. They both spoke at the same time to answer Liam’s offer.

“That would be—”

“NO. Thank you!” Chloe interjected.

“Chloe! You’ve said it yourself that we’re out of time. This is Saturday night,” Amy emphasized.

“That’s our problem. Besides, he’s a busy guy! I’m sure he has other things to do—work, dates, or—” Chloe realized she wasn’t sounding very convincing either.

“S-something, I presume.” And why did she have to bring up his love life?!

“I’ve got time,” he said firmly.

Amy looked at Chloe with pleading eyes, as if to say, “Come on, he’s just trying to help.”

LIAM

Liam watched Chloe as she reconsidered his offer.

This petite woman with her captivating eyes. She’s lucky her friend arrived, or else maybe I would have taken her straight to her bed and made her moan and beg.

Just so she would remember to always lock her door, especially when she’s planning to bake half-naked!

Liam cleared his throat, as if it would banish his dirty thoughts of her and the countless excuses he’d made in his head to take her to bed.

“It’s the least I can do, considering what I did before. I hope you’ll let me make it up to you,” Liam said.

AMY

Amy watched the exchange between them, knowing better than to ask, “What did he do?”

CHLOE

It took Chloe a while to reconsider Liam’s offer. She softly inhaled through her parted lips, then gently shook her head. “I really don’t want to cause you any trouble—”

LIAM

“You won’t,” Liam said quickly, not wanting to give Chloe a chance to change her mind. “It would be my pleasure,” he added, their eyes locked onto each other.

“OKAY! Let’s do this!” Amy cheered.

CHLOE

After changing into her black boatneck slim dress, Chloe, Amy, and Liam began moving all the cakes to his car.

“Are you really sure about this?” Chloe asked when she saw Liam’s SUV. She might not know the cost of the latest Land Rover, but she could tell it was an expensive car.

What if one of these greasy cakes spills onto the leather seats?

“Yes,” Liam said simply, giving her a look that said to trust him.

LIAM

Funny how, at this point, I’m willing to do anything you want me to do, Liam thought. ~It must be the guilt from the way I talked to her when we first met,~ he convinced himself.

CHLOE

When Chloe and Amy returned upstairs to gather any items they might need for the event, Amy took the opportunity to interrogate her best friend.

“I really don’t think this is the time to talk about this,” Chloe said.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you met someone so cute? And I mean, like the MOST qualified guy for you!” Amy whispered excitedly.

“You don’t even know him, Amy! I don’t even know him! It’s only been TWO days since I first met him, okay? That doesn’t count as lying or keeping secrets or anything!”

“Okay, okay. I forgive you this time, but you have to at least try to open up with this one!” Amy insisted.

Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed. “Don’t think I’d fall for that! And I bet after I tell you all about his behavior toward me, you’d be the one who will kick his ass!”

Chloe pointed her index finger at Amy’s grinning face.

“Now, please, can’t we focus on this job? We’re going to be late, for heaven’s sake!” Chloe said after they finished gathering their gear. “Oh! One more thing, Amy, would you sit up front with him? Please?”

“Umm…yeah—nope.” Amy knew Chloe wanted to avoid her potential boyfriend. “He’s your acquaintance. Like you said, I don’t know him, girl. Now let’s go! We’re late!”

Checkmate!