Rebecca was beginning to think that those dipped strawberries were looking pretty good at the moment. They were all plump and juicy looking, with a thick layer of chocolate coating each piece of fruit. The thought of eating one made her stomach flutter with anticipation.

“So, are you here to find something for your special Valentine this weekend?” Ellie asked.

“No,” Rebecca said, shaking her head. “There’s no one special.”

“Ahhh, too bad,” the other woman replied before Rebecca could state her reasons for being in the candy shop. “But being single and unattached does make you eligible for the Valentine’s Day contest we’re having. See that table over there with all those foil-wrapped chocolates?”

Remembering the display she’d seen when first entering the store, Rebecca nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, each foil-wrapped candy is one half of a chocolate heart, and each one has a message inside,” Ellie explained, her face reflecting excitement over such a clever contest. “The pink half is given to a single woman, such as yourself, and the blue half is for some lucky man. If the two of you manage to find the other person with the matching message before Valentine’s Day, you’ll receive a romantic prize package from Sinfully Sweet, which includes dinner for two at The Winery and one hundred chocolate hearts.”

The concept of meeting someone new via a “match game” was definitely intriguing, but the timing was all wrong. And, it wasn’t as though she lived in the area, but rather ninety miles away in San Francisco. If she met someone here, the distance between them wouldn’t be conducive to building a lasting relationship. Why start something she couldn’t finish?

“That sounds like fun, but I’m only in town for a few days for a wedding at The Delaford. I’d really hate to disappoint someone who might be diligently searching for their matching heart, when I don’t have the time to do the same.”

“Don’t you believe in fate, my dear?” Marcus asked. “If it’s meant to be, you’ll find the man who has the matching half to your heart.”

In the past, fate hadn’t always been so kind to Rebecca and she just couldn’t imagine that such a bold tactic as searching for her so-called “match” would work in her favor. But she didn’t want to be rude, either.

“I’ll think about it,” she said, knowing that she’d most likely walk out of the store without ever touching one of those foil-wrapped chocolates. “In the meantime, I’m here to pick up an order for my sister, Celeste Moore.”

“Ahh, the petits fours,” Ellie said with a nod. “They’re ready, but need to be boxed up, which will take about ten minutes.”

“That’s fine.”

Ellie disappeared into the back room, but Marcus remained behind. “Can I get you anything while we’re packaging your order?” He motioned to the glass display of assorted candies and confections.

Biting her lower lip, Rebecca eyed those lovely chocolate-covered strawberries again. They were practically calling her name, and she found she couldn’t resist their allure. Maybe she did have a weakness for chocolate after all. “I’ll take one of those strawberries.”

“Excellent choice.” With a flourish, Marcus picked out the biggest piece of fruit on the tray, then handed it to her in a paper doilie cup before ringing up the purchase. “Feel free to browse around the shop while you’re waiting for your order.”

“I will.” But first, she was going to enjoy the heck out of her strawberry.

She waited until Marcus had joined Ellie in the back room and she was alone before she focused her full attention on the treat she’d just purchased.

Lifting the decadent strawberry to her mouth, she nibbled on the tip. Rich, smooth chocolate immediately melted on her tongue, and a shimmering warmth suffused her body. The taste was intoxicating. Arousing. Drugging. She felt light-headed and sensual, as if the chocolate had started a hunger in her that had little to do with the confection she was eating and everything to do with unquenched desire.

The sensation rushing through her was extremely pleasant, prompting her to take a big bite of the strawberry. She closed her eyes and moaned as the most luscious flavors filled her mouth. Craving more of that exquisite taste, she let her lips slide further over the chocolate coating and sucked the sweet juices from the fruit.

“Man, you make me wish I was that strawberry,” a male voice said, shattering her euphoric moment.

Rebecca nearly choked on the nectar that was trickling down her throat and managed, just barely, to swallow it down. The hairs on the back of her neck tingled in acute awareness. Oh, God, she recognized that low, sexy voice and knew exactly who was standing behind her.

It was none other than Connor Basset.

She’d been so enthralled with her treat that she hadn’t heard him enter the shop. And as mortified as she was to be caught intimately enjoying her chocolate-covered strawberry, she knew there was no avoiding the man behind her.

Despite the flush on her face, and the way her nipples had drawn tight at the sound of his seductive voice, she turned around and faced Connor, who looked drop-dead gorgeous in a T-shirt, faded jeans, and a black leather jacket. His dark blond hair was tousled haphazardly around his head in a way that told her it had been wind-blown during his ride to the shop. He must have driven one of his convertible sports cars to the resort for the weekend. His eyes, which were the exact color of the rich, decadent chocolate she’d just eaten, were dark and hot and filled with lust-as if he’d truly envisioned being her strawberry, and her lips had been wrapped around him.

Another burst of heat settled low in her belly as she wondered just how long he’d been watching her lick and suck at the plump, luscious fruit while imagining such a provocative scenario.

He shifted closer as his gaze slowly lowered to her mouth. “Mmm. Looks juicy. And very sweet.”

Was he referring to the strawberry, or her lips? The man was a master at innuendo, and she self-consciously licked her sticky bottom lip. “It’s very juicy and sweet.” When had her voice turned so husky?

A rakish smile tipped up the corner of his mouth, causing a charming dimple to appear in his left cheek. “Maybe I ought to try it for myself.”

Her pulse quickened, and between the chocolate she’d just consumed and Connor’s flirtatious comments, she struggled to maintain her poise. “Help yourself,” she said, and waved toward the tray Marcus had left on the counter. “There’s plenty to choose from.”

He lifted his hand, surprising her with the warm, bold caress of his thumb along her lower lip. “I wasn’t talking about the strawberries, sweetheart.”

Her stomach tightened with desire and need. He wanted to taste-no, devour-her lips, which felt electrified from his touch. She was oh-so-tempted to finally give in to the attraction simmering between them and let him kiss her as she’d secretly fantasized about for the past few years. So much so that she let her lips part and leaned toward him ever-so-slightly.

“Welcome to Sinfully Sweet,” Ellie greeted Connor cheerfully. “Can I help you find something?”

Shocked by her brazen behavior, Rebecca immediately jumped back from Connor to put a respectable amount of distance between them. She was grateful that the shop’s owner had appeared when she had, or else Rebecca was certain she would have let Connor have his way with her right then and there.

Good Lord, what in the world was wrong with her? It had to be the shop and the chocolate wreaking havoc on her libido because she never acted this recklessly.

Connor’s gaze shifted from hers to Ellie, and he graced the older woman with a boyish grin that was the complete opposite of the smoldering look he’d just given Rebecca. “I’m just looking around right now to see what you have.”

Ellie tipped her head curiously as she studied them with too much speculation. “Do the two of you know one another?”

Connor nodded. “My best friend is marrying her sister.”

“Ahh, the wedding,” the older woman said in understanding. “And the two of you are…?”

“We’re just friends,” Rebecca replied quickly, wanting to set the record straight on that right up front.

Ellie looked to Connor for confirmation, as if she didn’t quite believe Rebecca’s hasty response. The woman seemed beyond intuitive.

Connor shrugged those broad shoulders of his, that adorable dimple deepening along with his smile. “Whatever she says.”

Ellie didn’t look convinced, but let the subject go. “Well, you two keep browsing. We’re just about done with your order, so I’ll be back out in a few minutes.”

“Great.” The sooner, the better, Rebecca thought.

Much to Rebecca’s relief, Connor strolled over to the table that held the foil-wrapped candies, putting much needed distance between them. He read the sign announcing the Valentine’s Day contest, then moved on to another section of the store displaying boxes of candies.

Refusing to eat any more of her chocolate-covered strawberry in front of Connor, she put the half-eaten piece of fruit into the doilie cup for later. “So, what brings you in here?” she asked casually, trying not to stare at the way his soft denim jeans molded to his perfectly toned butt. “You don’t strike me as a chocolate kind of guy.”

He glanced over his shoulder at her, his expression much too direct for her peace of mind. “Chocolate definitely has its time and its place. The moment I saw you eating that strawberry I developed a hankering for something sweet and delicious.”

He was referring to more than just chocolate, and they both knew it, too. Even from across the room, Rebecca could see the shameless glint in his eyes that held both humor and heat.

“But, seeing as I was denied that particular treat, I’ll have to stick to my original reason for coming in here.”