Page 11 of Merry With A Milkman

She nibbles the cheese. Pauses and closes her eyes a few seconds, then takes another bite. Fascinated, I watch the small movements of her jaw, how her throat moves when sheswallows, how the shape of her lips shows her enjoyment. Opening her eyes, she nods. “Very good.”

“Now, try the sheep’s milk version.”

“Hmm. It’s really smooth and slightly sweeter. This would be really good with a fresh tomato sauce.”

Next I spread a soft goat cheese on a cracker and hold it out to her. Instead of taking it with her fingers, she shifts, and watching my face, uses her mouth and tongue to capture the bite. We remain frozen for a long moment, her lips barely brushing my fingertips as she chews. Every touch drives sensation straight to my dick. My physical response is instant and I shift to ease the pressure.

She licks her lips and I barely hold back a groan. This woman is driving me wild.

“This one is tangy. Earthy. With a hint of mushroom at the end. That’s a goat cheese.”

“You have an excellent palate.” How I got the words out in a normal voice is a mystery.

She grins. “I know. Helps when Noah and I are developing new flavor combinations. My taste is more sensitive than his. It’s one thing I can do better than him. Business startup is another. Let’s talk names while you feed me more of your delicious cheese.”

My brain is stuck on ‘my taste’ and ‘delicious’. I’d give just about anything to discover how delicious she is when I taste her. When she gives the waiting samples a serious glance, I attempt to combat my sex brain by prepping a trio of cheddars. I tap the cheese knife against my tiny cutting board. “I want to keep everything simple. So customers know I sell cheese.”

“Easy. Call your business Landon Cheese. Or pay tribute to your milk source with Landon Dairy Cheese. I like the sound of that. Would your brother agree?”

“Steve’s hard to read sometimes. Change and being in the public eye is difficult for him.”

“Maybe if you frame the possibility as more recognition for his work with varied animals in an organic setting.”

While she tastes the cheddars, I consider the suggestion. Landon Dairy Cheese is simple and feels comfortable to say. I’ll work up the courage to bring it up to Steve tomorrow. Maybe it will help us rediscover the friendship we had as kids.

“Now for the cheeses. Again we need to keep the name simple.”

Did she notice how she said ‘we’? Feels damn near perfect to me. Refusing to consider the word being simply a generic term, I nod.

“Customers don’t want to guess what they’re buying or have to figure a product out once they get it home. If the cheese is cheddar, call it cheddar. However, since you have more than one cheddar, it would help to indicate the milk source somehow. For instance,” She lifts one of the tiny blocks of cheese. “This one is richer and creamier. I know from my own experience with Steve’s milks this one is from a cute highland cow. It has more butterfat. So maybe call it Highland Cheddar.”

She’s right of course. “You’re amazing. How do you do that?”

An elegant shrug lifts her shoulders. “I have a talented tongue.”

I don’t know if she meant her statement to be a sensual tease but my mind immediately goesthere.Her tongue on my body would be…

“You’re staring,” Tegan whispers.

“Yes.”

“I’d prefer it if you’d kiss me.”

Dear god, I’ll give her whatever she wants. “Yes.”

Cupping her cheeks in my palms I close the distance and gently press my lips to hers. Sharp sensation jolts through methen I’m lost in the soft movement of her lips. Her warm, smooth skin against my palms. The light pressure of her hand on my shoulder. The taste of her. Of her kiss.

If I wasn’t already completely head over heels for this woman, this kiss would convince me that she’s mine.

A discrete knock at the door makes Tegan pull away and I feel the agony of loss. She pats my shoulder. “Oh, yes. A kiss is much better than staring. Come on in, Noah.”

The door opens to a narrow crack. “Sorry, Tee. But there’s a customer with a question about the Scottish Tablet I can’t answer.”

“I’ll be right out.”

I stand with her and steal a much too brief kiss. Her expression is wistful. “This shouldn’t take too long.”

“Go, sweetness. Business before—” I draw out the silence before I finish the statement with a promise I hope she understands. “Pleasure.”

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