Page 18 of Lost in You (Flirting with Forever 1)

Shawn snorts, his brows drawing together sharply. “Right. Because a blackberry crumble tonight is going to make you not fit into your dress.” He glances at the waitress, who smiles at his confusion. “I’ll take your blackberry crumble, please.” He raises his brows at me. “You sure you don’t want anything?”

I shake my head with a last wistful look at the menu. “No, I’m good. Could I just get some coffee, please?”

“Sure thing, honey.” She winks back at Shawn, and heads back to the kitchen with our order.

My eyes widen comically. “Do you ever not get flirted with?”

“Nope. I can’t help it. Must be my charm and sparkling wit.” He barks out his laughter.

“Oh my God, stop. Okay, back to my question. Do you think Heath would rather he and Sophia had never split up?”

“Oh, hell no. Things had to happen the way they did, or he wouldn’t have Ava—they wouldn’t have Ava.”

“Good point. Sophia is a sucker for that kid, too. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.” I smile with a sigh. “I think it’s so sweet the way she calls her ‘Fia.’ Little kids say the cutest things.”

“They do. Before Heath had Ava, I never wanted to be around little kids at all, but I’ll be damned if having a niece hasn’t cracked open the hard shell around my heart. She’s a handful, but she’s ours.”

The waitress returns to our table, setting my coffee in front of me, and Shawn’s dessert in front of him. “I put two spoons there, just in case you want to share.” She lays the check on the table. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

My hand darts out to take the check, but Shawn is faster. “Uh-uh. This is on me.” He shifts to the side, pulls his wallet out of his pocket, and sets a card down on top.

I open my mouth, but shut it immediately at the look on his face. “Okay. Thank you.” I put sweetener and cream in my coffee and give it a good stir while I watch Shawn take a spoonful of the blackberry crumble. He makes sure to scoop up some of the vanilla ice cream, too. My gaze follows that damn spoon right through those masculine lips and into his waiting mouth.

“Mm. So good. Too bad you didn’t want any.” He gives me a little grin and takes another bite. His knee nudges mine under the table again.

I sip my coffee and try to ignore him so I can control the frantic rate of my heart beating in my chest. Every bite he takes is like a little show just for me. And, oh God, I’m watching. The way his mouth moves, his tongue swirling and licking that ice cream, the sounds he’s making deep in his chest, it’s like a shot straight to my core causing my panties to dampen as he seduces me with his freaking dessert.

And here’s the thing—I’m pretty sure he’s doing it on purpose. Almost like he’s hoping I’ll respond to him by jumping over the table and landing right in his lap.

I blink and realize he’s smiling at me, a spoon held in my direction full of blackberries and ice cream. “Want a bite?”

From the amusement in his eyes, I just know he’s following every path my thoughts have taken. Oh, hell. I bite down on my lip to try to stop the furious rush of blood from infusing my cheeks with color again. No such luck. The heat hits my face, my skin so hot I feel like I have a raging sunburn. Shawn’s grin grows broader as he studies my face. Wiggling the spoon back and forth a little bit, he extends his arm further in my direction.

And then, my mouth drops open.

Slowly.

Reluctantly.

Desperately.

My fingers grip the edge of my seat like a lifeline as I lean forward, and Shawn places the first taste of his blackberry crumble into my mouth. I relish the juxtaposition of the warm crumble and the cold ice cream and close my eyes to savor the sweet burst of berries and the smooth vanilla. My poor mouth thinks it’s died and gone to heaven.

“More?”

Upon hearing his question, my eyes pop back open, and I nibble on my lip, not ready to give in yet.

He eats more of the dessert while he waits for me to answer. That spoon in his mouth … was in my mouth … and has just been back in his again. Do I want more? Do I notice that the other spoon just sits there on the table, completely unused? Do I ever.

“Yes.” My answer comes out part sigh, part whimper. A smirk ticks up at the side of his mouth, and he holds the dessert-laden spoon out to me again. At this point, I have no idea whether I want the tasty crumble or just the spoon that was in his mouth. A heady feeling rolls through me, and my mind turns as mushy as the blackberries on the spoon.

“Shawn?”

“Hmm?”

“Are we practicing?”

“You’d better believe it, pretty girl.” His tongue darts out to wet his lips, and my eyes are drawn to every move he makes. My heart ricochets through my body and lands with a thud back in my chest, pounding wildly.

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