Page 27 of The First Play

Sparky is the perfect name for her. I swear, her eyes look like pale, glinting sapphires right now.

“Envelope four,” she sings. “What’s it gonna be?”

She makes a big show of opening it, and I hold my breath, trying to remember what four even is, then grinning when she reads out loud…

“The tooth fairy would kill me for ever suggesting this. But what’s a night on the town without a little sweetness.” She laughs. “Dessert?”

I nod.

“Before dinner?”

“Why not?” I shrug.

“I love it!” She wraps her arms around me, and I breathe her in, holding her close for probably a beat too long. But she doesn’t seem to mind.

Pulling back, I feel her breath across my cheek as she whispers in my ear. “But I’ve heard you don’t eat sugar.”

“That’s my dad’s rule, not mine. One night off won’t kill me.”

“But I don’t want you to end up feeling sick or anything.” Her worried frown is adorable.

I smooth away the lines on her forehead with my thumb. “I’ll be fine, Sparks.” I nod. “Yeah, I’m really liking Sparks for you.”

“Not Sparky?”

“Both work. I’ll mix it up, keep you on your toes.” I wink at her, and the mushy smile I get back makes me feel like a freaking king. “Come on. I know the perfect spot.”

We drive downtown to Monica’s favorite dessert place—The Chocolate Lounge.

It’s all mood lighting and plush sofas. The cushions are plump, and the music is chill. Bookshelves line the walls, and hot chocolates are served in mugs the size of cereal bowls. The dessert they deliver to us should probably be called Mount Heart Attack.

“Wow.” Sienna’s eyes bulge as they place the mountain of custard-filled cream puffs in front of us.

The little pastry puffs are covered in streams of thick chocolate sauce and rivers of caramel. Red berries are dotted in the crevices, and white chocolate flakes cover it all like a dusting of snow.

“I see why they call this Mount Divine.” She licks her lips and reaches for her spork. “I don’t even know how to start this thing.”

I eye it up, the designer dessert looking too good to pull apart. But Sienna’s eyes are bright with hunger, so I go for it, plucking the cream puff off the top and popping it into my mouth.

The sweet explosion is pretty fucking amazing, but I know after only one that my body will hate me if I push it too hard. I’m so used to my strict diet of protein and veggies that refined sugar like this can give me an instant headache.

I down the glass of water beside me, trying to counter the effect, while Sienna keeps digging into the treat, her cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk, her eyes bright with ecstasy as she moans and licks her lips.

“So good,” she keeps groaning. “So, so good.” She shoves another cream puff into her mouth, and I study her throat as she swallows it down and feel my insides stir with desire. She’s hot, even with chocolate smeared all over her lips.

I want to kiss it off.

I want to do a lot of things with this girl.

Leaning my elbow on the table, I listen to her tell me about some of the desserts she’s had around the world.

“And the popsicles with peas frozen into them… they were an experience.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Peas? Like the round green balls you have with roast meat and gravy?”

“Those are the ones.”

“Where was that again?”

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