Page 10 of Rock with You

He did, but in the darkness behind his eyelids, he was fantasizing about Carly, her tongue swirling over his finger as she licked the frosting. Her tongue headed lower, on his?—

“Ready?” Her voice was closer than he’d expected, really close.

He opened his mouth, every cell in his body focused on her. She placed something rich and chocolaty in his mouth, and for a moment, he felt the warmth of her body brush against his. “Brownie.”

“You’re good. Black forest brownie,” she said.

He went back into the pantry, this time selecting some kind of little ball that looked to be dusted in coconut flakes. He held it to her lips so she could take a bite.

“Carrot cake bite,” she said.

He checked the label. “Okay, you do know your stuff.”

“In the kitchen, yes.”

He caught a hint of insecurity in her voice. “And outside it.”

She walked back into the pantry.

He closed his eyes, waiting. And waiting. Finally, he felt her finger brush against his lips. Something sweet exploded against his tongue. He licked cream from her finger, and the aching hunger inside him intensified. “I don’t know what that is, but I like it.”

“It’s the cream filling to my sinfully sweet cupcake.”

She probably had no clue how dirty that had just sounded to him. He opened his eyes, staring into hers. “I love your sinfully sweet filling.”

She shivered, from the temperature or the sexual charge in the room, he wasn’t sure. It was actually pretty cold in the kitchen now. The whole house would be cold as a tomb soon, all but the living room as long as they kept the fire going.

“Grab something and bring it back to the living room, where it’s warmer,” he said.

She nodded and went into the pantry, coming back with a box of cookies. “Chocolate chip.”

“My favorite.”

“I thought you loved my cream filling,” she said with wide, innocent eyes.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Damn, Cupcake. I have no idea when you’re messing with me.”

She let out a quiet laugh. “Me either. I don’t usually flirt with rock stars.”

“Could have fooled me. But I’m not a rock star tonight. I’m just me, and you’re you, and I’m having the best damn time I’ve had in years.”

She was quiet as they walked into the living room. He grabbed their wineglasses off the coffee table and handed hers to her.

“This is all kind of surreal.” She sipped her wine and watched him.

“You could say that.”

“But I like it.” She stepped closer, tipping her face to his.

“Me, too. I like pretty much everything about you.” As he watched, she licked her lips.

“You don’t even know me,” she whispered.

“I think I do.” He took her hand, set their wineglasses on the table, and drew her up against him. Her long legs allowed her body to fit against his just right. “You’re as sweet as your cupcakes. You tend to keep to yourself, but once life forces you outside your comfort zone, you roll with it. And right now, you’re surprising yourself with the things you’re feeling because we just met, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one thinking about getting naked together tonight.”

She stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, and then she kissed him. She tasted sweet, like all the sinfully delicious things they’d sampled together, but there was nothing sweet about the hunger flaring inside him. He wanted to devour her, then come back for seconds.

“You’re right,” she said. “You do know me. Right now, you might know me better than I know myself because I have no idea what I’m doing.”

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