All's Fair in Love and Chocolate (Marietta Chocolate Wars #1) - Amy Andrews Page 0,30

came out to find Reuben striding toward her looking better than any chocolate she’d ever eaten. Looking at her like she was better than any chocolate he’d ever eaten, too.

“Officer Price. To what do I owe the honor?” she asked as she stood at the counter idly stirring the spoon through the hot milk, his singular focus as he drew nearer giving her goose bumps.

“I haven’t had my fix today.”

Viv popped an eyebrow. “Did the boss ground you because you were late this morning?”

He chuckled as he pulled up, the counter the only thing between them now. “Quite the opposite—bastard ran me ragged all day with every nuisance call and piece of paperwork he could throw at me.”

Pressing her lips together so she wouldn’t smile, she murmured, “Sorry about that.”

Removing his hat, he placed it on top of the brushed pewter then slid his elbows on top. His gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered for a few seconds before returning. “It was worth it.”

Viv’s breath hitched. Guys didn’t say that kind of thing to her because she’d never stuck around long enough. But it was very nice hearing it from Reuben. Knowing she was worth it suddenly felt like the biggest compliment in the world.

“I totally concur,” she agreed, smiling at him as she remembered how his fingers had slid between her legs.

He smiled back and neither of them said or did anything for a beat or two. “So…” His eyes dropped to her mouth again. “About that fix?”

Viv’s heart did a funny little jig in her chest at the intensity of his gaze. Her girly bits did a different kind of dance. A much sluttier one.

“I believe you have had that kind of fix today.”

One big male shoulder lifted in a careless shrug. “What can I say? I’m greedy.”

And didn’t that bode well for her? “Well…if you’re hungry?”

“Ravenous.”

“Why don’t you go flip the sign on the door and lock it.” She flicked a glance over his shoulder. “Then get your butt back here.”

Reuben straightened and tipped his hat at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

Viv smiled to herself as he scooted to the door, his very fine ass taut as a drum in those snug trousers. But perving on him was not putting her plan to feed him into action. Slipping through the door to the kitchen she put the apron back on as she set some more milk on to boil.

“Vivian?”

“In here,” she called as she grabbed a couple of trays of chocolate stirrers out of the fridge and set them down on the stainless steel prep area. “Come around the counter.”

She was getting two more trays out of the fridge when Reuben appeared in the doorway. “So this is your lair?”

Viv laughed. “Where I lure unsuspecting local Marietta men and turn them to the dark side?”

He groaned a little as he leaned his shoulder into the jamb. “Sometimes I swear you deliberately say stuff like that to turn me on.”

Dropping her eyes briefly to the front of his trousers Viv was pretty sure she could detect discernible bulge. “Moi?” she asked with faux innocence.

“And that apron…does it make me some kind of unevolved Neanderthal douche to say you look hot in an apron?”

Only if it made her an unevolved Neanderthal to be aroused by the compliment. “Come in,” she said. “Take a seat.” She tipped her head at the stools on one side of the central bench. “I want you to try something.”

“Your wish is my command,” he said with a grin as he pushed off the doorjamb and strode to the indicated stools. He tipped his chin at the trays. “What have we got here?”

“These are hot chocolate stirrers.”

Viv told him all about her chocolate wars idea and how Sage was on board as the milk heated. When it was done, she poured the steaming liquid into a Delish mug. “Okay…” She brought the mug to the bench, placed it down and said, “Which one would you like?”

Rows of chocolate stirrers sat on their trays. Viv had made them from melting Delish brand chocolate and pouring it into half-inch round, two-inch-deep professional chocolate molds. She’d pushed a disposable, eco-friendly wooden teaspoon down the side of each one and placed a marshmallow on top then popped them in the fridge to set. The chocolate was released from the molds a couple of hours later to produce the stirrers.

It was then stirred through boiling milk until it all dissolved and the marshmallow disintegrated to make the most delish hot chocolate.