annabirmingham | A Kiss and a Promise (one-shot for the Choc Fest)

Here's my entry for the recent Choc Fest Challenge on DCF. In was in the longer fic category and is an AU/AU of around 1700 words.

Many thanks to everyone who read it and left comments - and for the two who voted for it (I already know who one was as she pm'd me...) big hugs and smoochies!!!

I've also added some pics that didn't appear on the original entry :))

Jack had watched the cute blond guy walk past his shop every day for the last two weeks. Just after twelve noon, he would pass from right to left, then re-appear about five minutes later clutching a sandwich and pass from left to right.

It was the week before Easter, one of the busiest times of year in the shop, but Jack decided that sometimes a little affirmative action is required. Speculate to accumulate, as his dad would have said.

"Uh, Lureen?" he called. The dark head of his business partner appeared over the counter. "I'm gonna take a few samples outside, try to lure in some of the lunchtime crowd."

"Sure hon," Lureen waved. "I dropped a box this morning so there should be some broken stuff in there you can use if you like. Don’t stay out too long though, it'll get rammed in here in a bit."

"Yeah, ok," Jack grinned. Time to put his plan into action.

A few minutes before twelve, Jack assembled his goods on a tray and stepped out into the busy street. And waited. He smiled politely at the people who took pieces off his tray, but all of the time Jack was scanning the crowds for the familiar blond head. Sure enough, just after noon he saw it striding towards him. Jack took a deep breath and deliberately placed himself in the path of the blond guy.

"Excuse me, sir, can I tempt you with something?" He held the tray up at chest height.

The guy stopped in his tracks and blinked at Jack. Oh man, those dark eyes were heavenly. Jack knew it wouldn’t take much to drown in them.

"Um, what is it?" The blond guy frowned down at the contents of the tray in suspicion.

"Chocolate."

"Chocolate?"

"Yeah, from my shop," Jack gestured over his shoulder.

"Oh, right." Blond guy nodded but didn't move to take a piece.

Jack lifted the tray a bit higher and wiggled it in front of the guy's nose. "Go on, try a bit. It won't cost you anything!"

He watched the guy pick up a small piece of milk chocolate and put it into his mouth. Jack stared as the guy closed his eyes briefly before slowly chewing and swallowing the chocolate.

"You like?" Jack asked, a little breathlessly.

"Umm-hmm," blond guy murmured, running his tongue over his lower lip. "Nice."

Oh yeah. "If you want some more, come and see me." Jack held a small business card out to him.

"Thanks -" the guy took the card and looked at it briefly before flicking his eyes onto his - "Jack."

Mission accomplished, Jack smiled and stepped aside to let the man continue on his way. Didn't stop him from taking a quick peek at one pert ass as it disappeared into the sandwich shop a few doors down.

Jack tried to not make it seem obvious that he was looking for him, when the guy came back out with his lunch a few moments later. However, as their eyes met, Jack couldn’t help giving him a friendly smile and felt his insides go warm as the guy blushed and ducked his head.

****

“All gone?” Lureen asked as Jack stepped back into the shop.

“Yep,” he said with a grin, “offer people something for nothing and they rarely turn you down.”

“True,” Lureen added with a snort, “just don’t let it eat into our profits.”

Jack deliberately kept himself busy for the rest of the day, serving customers and keeping the shelves stocked with a variety of chocolate eggs, rabbits and other Easter goodies.

“God, my feet hurt,” Lureen moaned as the last customer left the shop.

Jack patted her shoulder. “Time to lock up, huh?”

Lureen replied with a weary nod and so Jack made his way to the door to turn the sign over to “Closed.” Just as he was about the bolt the door, a blond vision appeared in front of the glass. Dusky brown eyes met his, then glanced upwards to read the “Closed” sign.

Jack hastily unlocked the door as the blond guy took a step backwards and turned as if to leave. Jack swung the door open. “Come in,” he said and beckoned with his arm.

“Uh, sorry. You’re closed.” It was a statement rather than a question.

Jack shook his head with a smile. “For you, I’m open.”

“Oh. Thanks.” The guy blushed again as he moved inside. Jack thought it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.

“You’re welcome.”

The guy looked around at the candy-filled shelves and seemed a little confused; Jack stepped back reluctantly. “I’ll let you browse. Let me know if you need any help.” He hurried back to the counter, heart beating a mile a minute, excited that this guy was finally in his shop.

“I thought we were closed,” Lureen muttered, glaring at the lone customer.

“Ssshhh!” Jack hissed at her under his breath, “Go in the back and have a coffee or something, I’ll deal with this.”

Lureen eyed Jack knowingly. “Oh, I see. I know when I’m not wanted. Don’t worry, I’ll make myself scarce.” She shot another glance at the man hovering self-consciously in the middle of the shop. “Go easy on him, ok?”

“What do you take me for?” Jack clutched his chest in mock hurt. “Now, get,” and he gently shoved her towards the back of the shop.

With Lureen out of the way, Jack was free to focus his attention. The guy was studying a foil-covered rabbit.

“So, can I help you with anything?”

“Um, yeah. Guess I need something for my kid sister.”

“Sure!” Jack moved closer to him. “How old is she?”

“Fourteen.”

“What does she like? Dark? Milk?”

“Er, dunno.” His weight shifted from foot to foot. “What do you like?”

“Me?” Jack asked in surprise. “Well, I love all chocolate, but dark especially. I like rich and sensuous. The more intense the better. I’m also a sucker for those little Promise things. But for your sister? Well, if she likes dark chocolate then you can’t go wrong with this,” he reached across to pick up an egg made from luscious dark Swiss chocolate. “This is to die for.”

“Yeah?” The guy took the egg and Jack watched him turn it around in his hands, long fingers running over the engraved patterns. “Was this what I had at lunch?”

“Oh no! That was Belgian milk chocolate. Here.” Jack picked a bunny with a pink bow off the shelf. “Like this. Isn’t it cute?”

He was rewarded with a shy smile. “Yeah, that’s cute.”

Jack placed the bunny in the guy’s other hand. “So what do you think? Will she like either of them?”

“Um,” he glanced back and forth between the egg and the bunny, then looked up at Jack. “Can I get both?”

“You bet!”

Jack moved back towards the counter and the guy followed, handing Jack a credit card. Jack glanced down at the name on it as he placed the egg and bunny in a bag. Ennis? Unusual. He repeated it in his head and looked the owner of the name up and down. Yeah, it suited him. Ennis bit his lip and looked a little embarrassed by Jack’s obvious scrutiny. His fingers brushed against Jack’s as he took the bag and their eyes met again.

Jack felt his face get warm as the gaze held for longer than he expected. He decided to push his luck a little more. “So Ennis,” he said deliberately, “would you like a Kiss?”

Ennis’ eyes dropped to Jack’s lips before he suddenly started and cleared his throat, eyes wide. “What?!”

“A Kiss.” Jack reached under the counter and took out a bowl of Hershey Kisses. He offered the bowl to Ennis. “A free Kiss with every purchase,” he said with a lazy smile.

“Oh, right,” Ennis recovered and took one of the candies. His eyes lingered on Jack’s mouth once more as he looked at him with those molten eyes. He unwrapped the Kiss and bit the top off before pushing the rest into his mouth with a pop. He chewed slowly, not taking his eyes off Jack’s face. For once in his life Jack couldn’t think of anything to say and just stared back at Ennis. He hoped he wasn’t drooling.

Ennis swallowed, licked his lips and turned to leave. “Um, I’d better go.” He backed away from the counter. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Bye,” Jack breathed, sagging against the counter as Ennis left the shop. Oh my.

****

The following morning Jack got to the shop early to open up, and was surprised to see a small paper bag by the door. It had “Jack” scrawled on the front in black pen. He picked it up and peered inside. It contained no note and just a red foil covered chocolate, a Dove Promise. Dark chocolate. Jack felt a rush of delight as he realised that there was only one possible person who would have left this here for him.

He unlocked the door of the shop and dropped his bags in the back. He propped one hip on the counter and unwrapped the Promise, nibbling on a corner of the chocolate as he smoothed the foil flat against his thigh to read the message printed inside: One great chocolate moment leads to another.

Yeah, I’ll say, Jack thought, raising the Promise to his lips to take another bite, savouring the rich burst of sweetness.

He ducked questions from Lureen all morning about his evening encounter with his new favourite customer, counting the seconds until noon. A few minutes before twelve he prepared another tray of broken chocolate pieces to take outside.

“Again?” Lureen raised an eyebrow.

“You, zip it!” Jack pointed at her with a grin and made his way out to the street.

He didn’t have to wait long. He saw Ennis the moment he turned the corner into view. Their eyes met and held until Ennis stopped in front of Jack and peered down at the tray. Ennis glanced back up at Jack. “So, what do you have today?” Ennis said quietly, tongue running over his lower lip.

Jack watched Ennis’ mouth and smiled. “Something smooth and sexy.”

“Mmm, my favourite,” Ennis replied and took a piece of chocolate, giving Jack a quick wink as he turned away.

THE END