Page 56 of One Taste

While I try not to think about fucking you.

"Chess? I didn’t know you were into chess." Her lips curled into a playful smile.

"I literally have no idea what I'm doing."

"Mind if I come in? I have some good news." She didn’t wait for me to reply, she stepped straight in. “I got an interview at the pastry school in New York!"

I swallowed. "Wow, that's amazing, Elara! Congratulations! That calls for a celebration." I meant it, even as a pang of sadness hit me.

"Thanks," she beamed, sitting down at my kitchen table. "Thing is, at the interview, they want me to make two desserts. Two! I tried out some ideas tonight, and I was hoping you'd be my taste tester."

Ah. So that's why she was here. More experiments.

"Sure, why not? Although at this rate, I'm gonna put on a couple of stone before you leave town."

"I think your figure can take it," she blurted out, then clapped a hand over her mouth. "I just mean, oh god, I just mean that you're very fit. Physically fit. Healthy."

I loved seeing her cheeks color like that.

"You can take the man out of the Navy, but you can't take the Navy out of the man."

I tried to focus on our chat, but my mind kept drifting to her emerald eyes, those coral-pink lips, and how badly I wanted to kiss her.

"Can I get you a drink?" I poured myself another short bourbon.

"I'm fine, honestly. Lily and I have already shared half a bottle of wine."

"More for me, then."

She shifted in her seat and rubbed at her thumb. "Work at the bar seems to be going well."

"Yup," I said, letting the burn from the bourbon ignite the back of my throat. "The floor’s looking peachy. And you're a pretty good stripper, it turns out."

"Excuse me?" She feigned indignation. "A good stripper?"

I couldn't resist playing along. "Yeah. You move like a pro. Steamy as hell."

Elara pursed her lips and looked so damn cute for a second that I almost scooped her up and stuck her into a waffle cone. "I thought you didn't want to flirt with me."

"What? Flirting? I thought we were just discussing wallpaper removal techniques."

Obviously, I was now imagining her gripping a chrome pole with her lean thighs, upside-down, giving me an eyeful.

"You’re impossible! Shame I couldn't get Anthony to taste this dessert," she said, pretending not to smile.

"Too chocolatey for him?"

"Too boozy!"

"Ah, lucky me," I joked. "So, when's the interview?"

"Two weeks. I'll be gone for a couple of days."

I was going to miss her. Crazy, but true.

"You sure you're ready to give up the high-octane excitement of Bluehaven Beach for sleepy old NYC?"

"Bluehaven has its charms," she said, her eyes shimmering with impish delight.

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