Dipping her finger back into the reservoir, she pulled out a dollop. He expected her to offer it to him so that he could suck it off. Instead, with her other hand she tugged the collar of his shirt out of the way and smeared it up the side of his neck.
The chocolate was warm, but not hot. It was...thick and gooey. He could feel it rolling slowly down his skin. Until she leaned forward and with nothing but the quick tip of her tongue lapped it away.
Brett groaned. His hands clenched around her waist, but he didn’t stop her.
“Mmm, you taste good.”
“You’re just saying that because you have a thing for chocolate.”
He felt her smile more than saw it. “Probably. Maybe we should do it again to see.”
She moved to grab more chocolate, but Brett stopped her.
Lexi looked up at him quizzically. “I’ve already contaminated this batch of chocolate. It’d be a shame to waste it.”
In a gravelly voice, he croaked out, “We both know what a miserable failure our last experiment was.”
“Does that mean you’re ready to admit you lost our little bet?”
“Oh, I didn’t lose.” Brett leaned down, bit softly at her bottom lip before pulling it into his mouth to suck. “I got to touch you.”
She tasted of chocolate and Lexi, an exhilarating combination he could seriously get used to.
An impish smile curved her lips. “I was pretty happy with the results myself.”
“Good to know,” he growled against her tempting mouth. “But I think we need a second opinion.”
Reaching behind her, it was Brett’s turn to dip into the waiting vat. But he wasn’t satisfied with a little skin. While one hand was in the chocolate the other made quick work of the buttons left on her shirt.
At the same time it popped open, he pulled out several fingers dripping with chocolate and spread them across her collarbone, through the valley between her breasts and over her ribs. Thick brown stripes decorated her entire torso. She looked like she’d been painted for war.
Looking bemusedly down at herself, she said, “That’s a lot of chocolate.”
“Good thing I’m hungry.” Brett licked his lips. Lexi’s gaze followed his every move.
She leaned back against the counter, her body bowing up, silently asking that he touch. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her higher, tight to his mouth.
The first taste of her exploded across his tongue. The chocolate was rich and smooth, just like her skin. But beneath it was something so uniquely Lexi. He’d come to think of her as sweet. Her scent, her taste, her personality. That was who she was.
But tonight, there was more. Something heady and satisfying. A pinch of spice and heat underlying everything.
He lapped at the chocolate, enjoying the way her breath caught when he sucked a particularly sensitive spot. Or the sigh of satisfaction when he pulled the cup of her bra away and stroked the flat of his tongue across the pebbled center of her breast.
The sticky treat was nothing more than a decadent wrapping hiding what he wanted most—her. And when the chocolate was gone he thought they were done with the game. But she had other plans.
“My turn,” she said, making quick work of removing his shirt. Dipping into the chocolate, she spread it across his chest. Gooey clumps clung to the thin trail of hair across his belly. His stomach muscles seized when her talented fingers scraped across his nipple.
Up the side of his neck, across his ribs, the thick mess oozed across his skin. It was warm and...surprisingly pleasant. The chocolate cooled quickly, but he didn’t care. Not when her mouth was busy nibbling at him.
With nimble fingers she unzipped his fly. Brett let out a hiss through clenched teeth when her fingers grazed across the distended length of his cock. She played, letting her fingers lightly trip up and down. The touch wasn’t enough.
He wanted so much more. All of her. Everything she’d give him. And then he wanted more.
Brett wanted the connection they’d found last night. The complete lack of inhibition she’d gifted him with.
When she was near he could think of nothing else. Hell, even when she wasn’t he was consumed by her. When had Lexi Harper become his own personal aphrodisiac?
She pushed his pants and boxers to the floor, kneeling in front of him to pull them off and away. Glancing up at him through lowered lashes, Lexi flashed the most wickedly sensual grin he’d ever seen.
Everything inside him stilled with anticipation. He wanted to find out what could follow such a shockingly debauched expression.
She reached behind her and Brett knew exactly what was coming.
The chocolate she anointed him with was a caress all its own. It was smooth and silky. Warm. She didn’t just put a little on him, but coated his cock from base to tip, turning him into her own private chocolate-dipped treat.
Then she leaned down to suck. He wanted her to gobble him up, like a delight not even her legendary self-control could deny.
Instead she took just the very tip of him into the hot recesses of her mouth. When she pulled away Brett groaned. His hands tunneled into her hair, pulling out the band so that it could fall in a cloud around her face.
“I love your hair down.”
“Mmm.” The sound buzzed in the back of her throat and reverberated straight through his already throbbing groin.
The glossy strands of her hair twined around his fingers. The ends tickled his thighs.
With tiny licks, Lexi ran the tip of her tongue up his swollen length. Every time she reached the top, his cock kicked against her mouth, silently begging her to put him out of his misery.
But she ignored the request.
It felt as if it took forever. Brett wanted it to end. And he prayed it never would. Lexi was meticulous, careful to clean every last speck of rich chocolate off his skin.
By the time most of it was gone he was panting and every muscle in his body was strung hard. His hands, still tangled in her hair, trembled.
Rolling her eyes up at him, she watched him through lowered lashes. The tiniest smudge of chocolate peeked out of the corner of her mouth.
It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. And he couldn’t take any more.
Grasping her, he laid her out flat across the stainless-steel surface of her work counter.
Lexi sucked in a shocked breath when her naked skin connected with the cool surface. She leaned toward him and Brett took advantage, snagging the distended tip of a nipple between his starving lips.
Brett fished a condom out of the pocket of his discarded pants, then tore the rest of her clothes from her body. And when he finally touched her he found her sex wet, swollen and so ready for him.
Sheathing himself in latex, he grasped her hips and held her still so he could slide home. Her body welcomed him, stretching to take everything he could give her.
She sighed, not with the heated frenzy he’d expected, but a soft sound of relief and recognition. Lexi reached for him, pulling him down so their bodies slid languidly against each other.
He enjoyed the moment and the throbbing heat of her wrapped tight around him. Their bodies were sticky, clinging together. They were reluctant to let go of each other.
But the pressure to move and feel was too much and quickly overwhelmed him. He needed her. Now.
Pushing her knee up, Brett opened her up so he could give her more. Slowly, he pulled out and just as deliberately slipped back in. Lexi’s eyes closed in ecstasy and her head rolled backward against the table, exposing her throat.
Brett’s mouth trailed down the open invitation, latching on to the fluttering pulse. He sucked. Her internal muscles clamped tighter around him.
He pushed them both. In and out. Over and over. Slowly driving the pace until they were both delirious. Benea
th him Lexi bucked. She tried to force him to go faster, but his palm flat against the table beneath her knee kept her prisoner.
She whimpered. And quivered. Every muscle in her body went rigid. And then she was screaming his name.
Her body pulsed around him, wave after wave of her relentless release begging him to join her. And he couldn’t hold back. Not anymore.
The knot at the base of his spine expanded. And exploded.
The entire world went dark. Bursts of light, red, blue, green and gold, shot through the inky blackness.
The next thing Brett knew, he was lying beside Lexi on the cool surface of the table.
Her body was curled into his, tucked against his side, her head burrowed into his shoulder. The moist heat of her breath tickled across his chest. Her fingers were threaded through his chest hair, resting right over his heart.
Every few seconds her body would shudder.
He might have thought her cold, except her skin still burned wherever he touched.
Finally, when full use of his brain had returned, he mumbled, “That was hot.”
Pushing against his chest, Lexi looked down at him, a tiny frown arrowing between her brows. “No, it wasn’t. I turned the chocolate down. It should have only been warm.”
Brett buried his face into the cloud of her hair and tugged her down so their noses touched. He stared into the deep pool of her chocolate eyes. Every time he saw them now he’d think of this day. And just what she could do with that decadent delight.
“I meant you.”
“Oh,” she said, rolling down until their lips touched softly. “That’s the most chocolate I’ve eaten since I was a kid.”
“That’s...” Sad was what he wanted to say, but settled for “...wrong.”
She shrugged. Dropping back down onto his chest. He liked her there, but now he couldn’t look into her eyes.
“There’s nothing wrong with indulging, Lexi.”
“Sure, as long as you know when to stop.”
His fingers played softly in her hair. Several of the strands were covered in streaks of chocolate, but he didn’t say anything. If he did she’d get up and he didn’t want that.
“You don’t think you’d know when to stop?”
Her head rolled against him in a silent confession. “I have no willpower. Not when it comes to chocolate.” Slowly, her eyes lifted to his. “And apparently you.”
14
THEY SNUCK UP the walkway to the inn like two drunken teenagers returning after curfew, unable to smother their laughter. Lexi had never been one to break the rules, so it was something she hadn’t actually done. Her parents had been through hell when Gage was a teenager, and Lexi’s sole mission in life had been to not add to the trouble.
Surprisingly, she had to admit the adrenaline and joy carried some appeal. Although she and Brett weren’t breaking any rules, they were definitely trying to get inside without being caught.
They were both sticky. Their clothes were in disarray and somehow Brett’s pants had a streak of chocolate slashing straight across the fly. Lexi’s blond hair had more than a few globs of dried chocolate.
Her skin was flushed and her eyes sparkled. If anyone saw them there’d be no denying what they’d been doing. And if anyone saw them like this the entire town would know about it by morning.
She’d suggested showering at her store, but Brett had refused. He’d convinced her that the shower in his room was bigger—big enough for two when hers definitely wasn’t. He needed new clothes anyway. And he’d persuaded her with kisses and touches until any thought of protesting had fled from her mind. Before she’d realized what was happening, the store was locked and they were creeping up the back porch.
A stair creaked. Brett shushed her with a mock glare.
They opened the door and stared into Mrs. McKinnon’s menacing glower. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her foot tapped unhappily against the worn boards of her hardwood floor.
“You two are worse than my kids and grandkids combined.”
Even close to seventy, Mrs. McKinnon’s eyesight was still sharp enough to rake across them both. She didn’t miss a single detail of their disheveled state.
Lexi should be mortified. But she wasn’t. She should be cringing that the grapevine was about to heat up with her latest escapade. But she couldn’t seem to care.
Maybe she should indulge in chocolate-covered sex more often. It definitely mellowed her.
“Do not ruin my nice clean sheets, Alexis Harper. If you want to make a mess of someone’s bed, why don’t you do it at your own house?”
Brett’s arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her hard against the shelter of his body.
“We have no intention of ruining anything, Mrs. McKinnon.”
She sniffed her skepticism. “See that you don’t.”
Throwing a sheepish grin over his shoulder, Brett tugged on their joined hands and walked past Mrs. McKinnon.
Lexi had never really been inside the guest rooms at the inn. Occasionally she’d been to a tea or bridal shower on the main floor, but since she lived here she’d never needed to stay. And, honestly, she hadn’t ever really thought about the inn and how it served the community.
She was always busy running her own business.
Looking around the room, Lexi frowned. It was cramped. Stuffed to the gills with furniture. All the pieces were antique and held a charming kind of history, but the space lacked the ease of movement that modern hotel rooms usually had.
The thought of a small family with two adults and a child or two trying to share the space made her cringe.
When she looked up at Brett, she realized he was watching her with that same shrewd, sharp gaze she recognized from the first night. She waited for him to say something, but when he did it wasn’t what she’d expected.
“Are you coming?”
He disappeared inside the bathroom. The sound of rushing water filled the space. She was sticky, her hair was a mess and a sexy, naked man had just beckoned her to get wet. She’d never wanted anything more in her life.
Happiness swelled inside her chest. Maybe, just maybe, this was going to work out. He wouldn’t break her heart...
The thought trailed away to nothing. Break. Her. Heart. The organ stuttered painful inside her chest. It squeezed, forcing all of the blood through her body in a flooding surge that left her lightheaded.
In order for him to break it, that meant he had to hold it.
The gentle hum of Brett’s voice floated out to her. The deep rumble wrapped around her. He’d started singing. And he was awful, every note slightly off-key.
How could she love this man and not know that he couldn’t sing? How could she have let herself fall in love with him?
Maybe the real question was how could she have stopped?
Her legs shook. Taking a few halting steps, Lexi walked to the doorway and looked inside. She could just make out the dark outline of his body against the frosted glass.
Even hazy, he was beautiful. But there was more to Brett than a rough-hewn form that could leave any woman breathless and wanting. He was sexy, intelligent, dedicated and a meticulous lover. She’d been surprised by the sweet side she’d gotten a few glimpses of, although she wasn’t sure why. Especially after hearing how much he cared for and protected his mother and brother.
What was she going to do?
Lexi swallowed a heavy lump that caught in her throat.
Nothing. What could she do? They’d only just met. It was way too soon to hit him with her shocking revelation. He wasn’t ready to hear the big L word, even if she had been ready to tell him. And she wasn’t.
In a few weeks he’d leave and head back to Philadelphia. She’d cross the bridge of what to do when that happened. Maybe they could st
art slow, a long-distance relationship. She’d never tried that.
Feeling better, a little more centered, Lexi shed her clothes and joined him in the shower. Hot steam billowed around them and it was easy to bury her nervous energy beneath the heat he stirred in her.
Later, squeaky clean, her skin pink and pruney from staying too long in the water, she curled up on his bed. Wrapped in a fluffy robe, she watched him as he messed with a laptop open on the desk. Something that Hope had said several days ago blasted through her brain.
“Show me the drawings you’re working on.” She’d shared her business and her passion for baking with him. She wanted to know what had drawn him to architecture. To understand.
Startled, Brett threw a look at her over his shoulder. He studied her for several seconds and then nodded.
He opened a program as she walked across to stand behind him. Her fingers curled around the spindled back of his chair, but didn’t stay there long. Not with the temptation of his damp hair so close. Lexi threaded her fingers into the thick strands at his nape.
His fingers tapped against the keyboard. She was so distracted by touching him that it took her several seconds to realize his shoulders were tense. Was he nervous about showing her?
Shifting, Brett set his hands on her hips and pulled her around until she was facing him. He didn’t let her go, but settled her against the edge of the desk and studied her face.
That same sharp, careful and calculated expression she’d seen the night they’d met was back. For some reason, it made her nervous.
“Sweetheart needs this resort, Lexi.”
She made a sound in the back of her throat. A week ago it would have been stronger, an unmistakable dissent, but now she wasn’t entirely certain what to think. She knew her friends were considering Brett’s arguments.
“It’ll be good for business. Good for Sugar and Spice. It’ll increase capacity during peak seasons and be a draw during off seasons.”
Through the soft fabric of her robe his thumbs rubbed tiny, distracting circles against her hips.
“Maybe.”
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