All's Fair in Love and Chocolate (Marietta Chocolate Wars #1) - Amy Andrews Page 0,50

a small place—it heated quickly and Viv knew the entire cottage would be toasty warm within twenty minutes.

“Good,” she said, resting her chin on his bare shoulder. “It’s freezing in the bedroom.” She stared into the flames that were reaching high toward the chimney, fueled as they were by the neat stack of new wood and the spiny exoskeletons of several pinecones that flamed like torches.

“I was going to bring you a hot chocolate to get you through until the warmth made its way down.”

His voice was all low and rumbly, licking over her body like the fire licking in the grate and she knew exactly how those pinecones felt. Just the man’s voice turned her on. “Mmm, that sounds perfect.” She’d forgone a hot chocolate at Reuben’s parents’ house earlier because she’d been too damn full to squeeze anything else in.

And too damn uneasy, if she was being honest.

But, several hours and one round of vigorous sex later, she definitely had room.

“I’ll make it.” She kissed the side of his neck this time. “I’ve got Galliano, mint or Pop Rocks.”

“You have to ask?”

Viv smiled. “You’re just a big kid, aren’t you?”

“Well…” He shrugged and her chin lifted with the movement. “I don’t like to brag about my size.”

She laughed this time. “Your mind, however, is triple-X-rated adult.”

“Not just my mind.”

Because she couldn’t not, Viv’s hand slid down the flat planes of his belly to the waistband of his boxers, slipping beneath to fondle that part that was becoming more triple-X-rated by the second. Viv gave a squeeze because she loved how he sucked in his breath like that and his breathing went all rough.

“So I see,” she whispered, nuzzling his neck.

A low rumbly, “Mmmmmm,” escaped his lips and Viv felt the vibration of it right through the layers of polar fleece to her chest and for a moment she let her mind wander to those things Gaylene had suggested.

Not leaving but staying.

Being here every day and every night, touching Reuben whenever it took her damn fancy. And vice versa. Coming home to him every day. Him coming home to her. Not going to Missouri but doing this instead.

The moment passed—thankfully—and Viv pulled herself together. Staying wasn’t what she did and Delish needed her in Missouri. Reluctantly, she pulled her hands out of his boxers to reinforce to herself that this was a temporary aberration and that getting too dependent on those warm and fuzzy sensations would be dumb.

Would be dangerous.

Kissing him on the neck again she said, “Don’t forget to put the screen across,” and turned toward the kitchen.

She was just placing the saucepan with two cups of milk in it on the gas ring when Reuben joined her and they worked in tandem to pull together a rudimentary meal. He put bread into the toaster and they slathered it with peanut butter and jelly while they waited for the milk to come to the boil. She could easily have microwaved it but, if there was time, Viv preferred to do it the old-fashioned way.

It just…tasted better.

Within fifteen minutes they’d eaten their toast and they were both swishing their hot chocolate stirrers through the scalding milk. Reuben had boosted himself up onto the central island bench and Viv was standing between his legs, her elbows resting lightly on his thighs.

“So…” he said, his gaze trained on the contents of his mug as he stirred, “what were you and my mother talking about in the kitchen earlier today?”

Chapter Eight

Viv’s fingers faltered for a second or two before resuming. A sugary hint of mint from her mug combined with the richer undertones pouring from Reuben’s warm, male flesh filled her senses as she glanced into his steady gray-green eyes. The temptation to duck the question and just nuzzle his whiskery throat and his chest was great but, in the end, she decided honesty was always the best policy.

“She’s worried I’m going to crush your heart.”

“Oh God…” His brow crinkled as he sat back a little, his abs flexing. “Really?”

Viv nodded. “Uh-huh.”

He pulled a face. “I’m really sorry about that.”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “It’s fine. She’s your mom; she’s just looking out for you. I didn’t mind.” Sure, it had been confronting and not just because Gaylene had gone there but because she’d made Viv think about an alternative to her current rolling stone lifestyle.

“Well I mind,” he said with a grimace that made Viv happy she hadn’t given any oxygen to his mother’s suspicions about Reuben being in love with