spoonful of his blood red treat. A flood of sweet, orgasmic, chunks of ice covered in all that was good in the world danced with her taste buds, doing a fine tango. She transformed into a child, hopping gleefully on the concrete, waving her arms frantically as reality set in.
“Brain freeze!” she screamed, laughing and horrified all at once.
“Somebody needs to freeze that brain of yours. It’s a beautiful work of art. Like you. Come ’ere.”
As she suffered and laughed, she felt a tug at her waist, the grip strong, possessive. He pulled her close and the sweetness of their intermingled desserts rolled against her palate, mingling with the warmth of his slow, thrusting tongue. He explored her mouth and her knees buckled. Her eyes fluttered as he outstretched one arm, holding his treat, then wrapped his other hand around the back of her head, deepening the kiss. Eyes closed, he kissed her as if he was planning to fuck her clear out of her head right then, right there, in front of the entire world. The kiss ended far too soon, but in his typical way, he made no big hoopla about it. In fact, the bastard started eating his syrupy indulgence, walking coolly down the street and behaving as if not a damn thing had happened.
“It’s time you did something other than go to work and run that store. All you do is worry about how many steps you got in for the day and check on your mama. I’m not talkin’ bad about it because I do the same with mine. That’s what we’re supposed to do. But shit, we gotta make more time for ourselves, too. So, here’s the plan. I’ve got a part-time guy who comes in and runs the shop when I’m not there. That’s rare, but he’s there when I need him. Aiden is spending the night with his friend, just like I told you earlier… So, uh, I’ll give Irving a call and ask him to come in for the morning shift, and we can spend some time more together. We’ll do it tomorrow.”
“I could be busy tomorrow. You didn’t ask. You just make plans and expect me to be on board. You even try to order my drinks. I’m surprised you didn’t try to choose my ice cream for me just now, too. You would’ve gotten your feelings hurt. Dessert is serious business for me,” she quipped.
“You said you like me.”
“I do. Doesn’t mean I’m not going to call you out, though.”
“You’ve got to take me as I am. You couldn’t possibly like me if you try to change me. And the way you kissed me back just now let me know that you like my ass a whole lot.” He paused, casting an all-knowing arrogant smirk her way.
“Everything in me is tellin’ me to stay the hell away from you, Aries. But I won’t. I must be stupid or hardheaded. And it’s not just because of Benjamin anymore… I do like you. A little too much, I suppose.”
“By the time I’m through with you, Ms. Lauren, you won’t be able to stay the hell away from me even if you tried.” He slipped the cup to his lips and swallowed a chunk of red ice. “I’m taking you fishin’ tomorrow morning.”
She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes.
“Fishing? Me?”
“Yeah, you, the girl with the sapphire lips, big dark almond eyes, who smells like lavender and cantaloupes, and is full of smart-ass comments and sassy ways. Clear your schedule. Big Daddy wants a bit of your time.”
And that was it. He whistled between bites of his frosty treat, damn near skipping with each beat of her heart…
CHAPTER TEN
Teach a Man to Fish
“You like to get up early. This is torture. I only get up early because I have to.” Lauren swiped the tip of her nose as the truck dipped and dragged along the muddy, rugged terrain towards the shore of Cumberland Island. Aries wore a charcoal gray hoodie, paint-splattered jeans, and a stern expression. The fishing poles and supplies rattled behind them in the truck bed. He’d been fairly quiet during their trip, and all she could hear at times was the sound of ‘Who are You When I’m Not Looking,’ by Blake Shelton, on repeat. At last, Aries turned the engine off and hopped out of the truck, lighting a cigarette.
She sat there, her brain still in a sleepy fog as the sun began to peek from out over