Page 92 of Knot That Serious

“You’re making it very hard to concentrate on this ube crème brûlée,” he told her.

She placed a hand to her chest and gasped. “Why, I never,” she cried. “I don’t know what it is exactly that you’re accusing me of, mister.” She winked and popped a candied chocolate-coated orange peel in her mouth.

Raj arched a brow at her, noted the smallest bit of chocolate on her bottom lip, and leaned closer. She leaned into him.

Electricity danced beneath his skin, vibrating him in place. He supported the back of her head, fingers combing through her short curls. Her eyes went wide and heavy as he pulled her close. “Would it be alright if I kissed you?” he asked with only inches separating them.

She nodded, and he closed the distance.

The chocolate was sweet, but she was decadent, melting into his touch, swaying toward him. He pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and swiped the chocolate away.

A sound spilled from her, not a moan, not a whimper, but some brief cross between the two.

She pushed up into him, hands coming up to frame his face, his short beard hushing against her palms.

Their bodies turned toward each other, and Eli sat up, never breaking the kiss as she slid her leg smoothly over his lap.

He placed his forearm between her back and the table so the sharp edge wouldn’t dig in, and she settled over his hips like she belonged there.

Her scent was so strong, and she rolled her hips into him shamelessly.

Raj groaned, cupping the back of her neck, his thumb stroking the length of it. In answer, she threaded her hands through his long hair, and he suddenly wished he’d worn all of it down, instead of tying half of it up.

“I didn’t know,” he spoke into the kiss, “there were going to be three courses.”

Her smile brushed his. “You forgot about the palette cleanse,” she whispered.

“Right, of course. We’d better do it proper, then,” he murmured, and took her mouth again.

He reached behind her and moved the demolished charcuterie board away. Then he slid his hands to her waist and lifted her up, mourning the grind of her against him instantly. Their lips parted, and she stared down at him before slowly leaning back. He took both her hands so she could use him as a counterweight.

Once she was settled, she laid his hands on her thighs, spread out before him on the table.

“You’ll tell me if you get too cold?”

The sun was setting, which meant it would only get chillier, and—

Oh.

Eli was already unbuttoning her pants.

“I have a feeling you’re going to warm me right up,” she said with a wink.

Raj swallowed sharply and helped Eli remove her boots. They thunked to the ground one at a time.

“Your feet are tiny,” he said, resisting the urge to tickle the bottom of one.

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, and he lifted his hands in innocence.

She pushed her pants and underwear off her hips, and Raj tugged them down further by the knee.

Then she was bare, spread out before him like another dessert. He grinned, lifting her leg to kiss her ankle, her calf, working his way up until he pulled her to the edge of the table.

He pressed his lips to her inner thigh, glancing up the length of her body to meet her gaze.

Her hand was hovering above his head, and she said, “Can I take it down?”

“As long as you keep it out of my way,” he told her.

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