wasn’t talking about the cake he’d bought?
“But do they perform as advertised? I suddenly feel the need for verification.”
“Then buy some.”
“Oh, I plan on it.”
Lexi reached down for a box, ready to start placing an assortment inside.
“But I’m not sure that’s enough.”
Her hand stilled beneath the glass, halfway to grabbing some chocolates from the top platter. Lexi stared at Brett. His gaze trained on her hand hovering just beneath him as he leaned across the case.
“How will I know if they work?”
Lexi quirked a single eyebrow. “Didn’t your mommy tell you about the birds and the bees? You see, when a man and a woman are attracted to each other...”
He laughed, the sound deep and rich as it echoed through her chest. How could his laugh make her skin tingle?
He reached out and tugged at a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. The touch was hardly a caress, but her scalp tightened with anticipation anyway. “Oh, I’m plenty attracted. Would you like me to prove it? Again?”
“No,” Lexi croaked out.
“Liar,” he whispered, his voice a soft stroke she felt deep in her belly. “You’re a hypocrite.”
“Excuse me?” She recoiled, only just now realizing how close she’d leaned into him across the case.
“You’re a hypocrite, right along with everyone else in this town. What’s the loudest criticism for the resort plans?”
“That they’re tacky?”
He shook his head. “That they take the theme you’ve used to build a thriving tourism industry one step too far. Like aphrodisiac chocolates don’t do the same thing.”
“They do not,” she protested, affronted for herself and the entire town. “They aren’t tacky. They’re sensual and they work.”
“Prove it.”
They were back to this. “How?” she asked, exasperated.
“Help me test them.”
Again she asked, “How?”
“Have dinner with me. Your chocolates can be dessert.”
“I don’t think so.” That was just asking for trouble, something Lexi wasn’t in the habit of doing. “Take someone else to dinner.”
There was no reason it had to be her. Sweetheart was filled with beautiful single women. Lexi tried to ignore the pinch of spite that hit when she thought of him out with anyone else.
She couldn’t have her cake and eat it, too. Either she wanted him for herself or she didn’t.
And she didn’t.
End of discussion.
“Ah, but there’s a flaw in that plan.”
If there was she couldn’t see it.
“I don’t know many people in Sweetheart. If I take out someone I don’t know, I won’t know for sure if my reaction is from the chocolates or just from natural attraction.”
He leaned closer. Lexi wanted to pull back, but couldn’t find the strength to actually do it.
“We already know how I react when you’re close.” His finger slipped softly down the curve of her cheek. She couldn’t help it; she tipped her head into the caress, wanting more.
She was in so much trouble.
“You’re like a control. If I’m more attracted to you after eating the chocolates—if I can’t keep my hands off you—then we know they work.”
“You can’t seem to keep your hands off me now,” she breathed out, the accusation far from as forceful as she’d intended. “Besides, there’s a flaw in your logic.”
He cocked his head to the side and waited.
“I don’t need to prove anything.”
A grin played around the edges of his mouth.
“True. But you’ve piqued my interest.”
“Your problem, not mine.”
“Perhaps, but what if I made it worth your while?”
“How?” She didn’t want anything from this man. Really, she didn’t.
“What do you want?”
“For you to leave town.”
Humor pulsed across his sensual mouth, drawing her attention and scattering her thoughts. What were they arguing about?
“Not going to happen.”
Oh, yeah, her chocolates. “Then stop harassing my friends. Leave the business owners alone and find another way to get what you
“But do they perform as advertised? I suddenly feel the need for verification.”
“Then buy some.”
“Oh, I plan on it.”
Lexi reached down for a box, ready to start placing an assortment inside.
“But I’m not sure that’s enough.”
Her hand stilled beneath the glass, halfway to grabbing some chocolates from the top platter. Lexi stared at Brett. His gaze trained on her hand hovering just beneath him as he leaned across the case.
“How will I know if they work?”
Lexi quirked a single eyebrow. “Didn’t your mommy tell you about the birds and the bees? You see, when a man and a woman are attracted to each other...”
He laughed, the sound deep and rich as it echoed through her chest. How could his laugh make her skin tingle?
He reached out and tugged at a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. The touch was hardly a caress, but her scalp tightened with anticipation anyway. “Oh, I’m plenty attracted. Would you like me to prove it? Again?”
“No,” Lexi croaked out.
“Liar,” he whispered, his voice a soft stroke she felt deep in her belly. “You’re a hypocrite.”
“Excuse me?” She recoiled, only just now realizing how close she’d leaned into him across the case.
“You’re a hypocrite, right along with everyone else in this town. What’s the loudest criticism for the resort plans?”
“That they’re tacky?”
He shook his head. “That they take the theme you’ve used to build a thriving tourism industry one step too far. Like aphrodisiac chocolates don’t do the same thing.”
“They do not,” she protested, affronted for herself and the entire town. “They aren’t tacky. They’re sensual and they work.”
“Prove it.”
They were back to this. “How?” she asked, exasperated.
“Help me test them.”
Again she asked, “How?”
“Have dinner with me. Your chocolates can be dessert.”
“I don’t think so.” That was just asking for trouble, something Lexi wasn’t in the habit of doing. “Take someone else to dinner.”
There was no reason it had to be her. Sweetheart was filled with beautiful single women. Lexi tried to ignore the pinch of spite that hit when she thought of him out with anyone else.
She couldn’t have her cake and eat it, too. Either she wanted him for herself or she didn’t.
And she didn’t.
End of discussion.
“Ah, but there’s a flaw in that plan.”
If there was she couldn’t see it.
“I don’t know many people in Sweetheart. If I take out someone I don’t know, I won’t know for sure if my reaction is from the chocolates or just from natural attraction.”
He leaned closer. Lexi wanted to pull back, but couldn’t find the strength to actually do it.
“We already know how I react when you’re close.” His finger slipped softly down the curve of her cheek. She couldn’t help it; she tipped her head into the caress, wanting more.
She was in so much trouble.
“You’re like a control. If I’m more attracted to you after eating the chocolates—if I can’t keep my hands off you—then we know they work.”
“You can’t seem to keep your hands off me now,” she breathed out, the accusation far from as forceful as she’d intended. “Besides, there’s a flaw in your logic.”
He cocked his head to the side and waited.
“I don’t need to prove anything.”
A grin played around the edges of his mouth.
“True. But you’ve piqued my interest.”
“Your problem, not mine.”
“Perhaps, but what if I made it worth your while?”
“How?” She didn’t want anything from this man. Really, she didn’t.
“What do you want?”
“For you to leave town.”
Humor pulsed across his sensual mouth, drawing her attention and scattering her thoughts. What were they arguing about?
“Not going to happen.”
Oh, yeah, her chocolates. “Then stop harassing my friends. Leave the business owners alone and find another way to get what you
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