Guilty Pleasures by Cathy Yardley Read Free Book Online Page A

container and a spoon.
    â€œI whipped this up this afternoon, when you were going over receipts with Lindsay. It’s a fairly simple recipe, too,” he said, “And usually I’d have some whipped cream and raspberries with it. But I think you’ll get the idea.”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said, teasing as she dipped the spoon in and stirred the chocolaty-looking concoction. It had swirls to it, light brown curling in dark. “You’re getting points off on presentation.”
    He sat down next to her, scooting his chair so he was closer to her. “Just try some,” he said.
    She was about to make a comment about his verypreemptory tone when he closed his hand around hers, leading the spoon to her mouth.
    It was velvety smooth, a rich blend of dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a substance too light to be called pudding, too creamy to be called mousse. “Oh my,” she whispered, closing her eyes and concentrating. This was one of the best desserts she’d had in a long time—since the days of Le Pome. Hell, not even then. She’d grown too accustomed to the heavy Americana childhood desserts they made. This was urbane, she thought.
    This was sexy.
    She realized that his hand was still closed around hers…she could feel the heat of him like an electric charge. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her.
    â€œAren’t you going to have some?” she asked, her voice unsteady.
    He nodded, but didn’t release her hand. Instead, he took her hand and the spoon it enclosed, and dipped it back into the chocolate. He raised the spoon to his lips, neatly eating some. He smiled with approval, a sensual, inviting smile.
    â€œIs there anything better than chocolate?” he asked.
    She could see the answer in his eyes. There was one thing that was better than chocolate.
    She had a disconcerting feeling that he would be.
    And the both of them together…
    He leaned forward, just a breath closer. It was déjà vu, just like his “interview,” when he’d kissed her.
    Her body didn’t even wait for him this time. She moved forward and connected.
    Mmmm. As she’d suspected, the combined taste of his lips and the haunting hint of chocolate made her growl low in her throat. His tongue traced the inside of her lips, and she moved hers forward, tangling with his, tasting him, taunting him. The pressure of his lips increased, and she didn’t back down.
    He reached across the table, grasping her arms in a gentle but inescapable grip. He tugged, and she found herself off her own chair, and straddling him on his chair. She looked down to find his toffee-brown eyes surveying her solemnly.
    â€œWould you believe me if I told you this wasn’t my intent?” he rasped, tugging her lower onto what felt like a sizeable erection.
    â€œWould you believe me if I told you I swore I wouldn’t do this?” she said, before moving forward, her breasts crushing against his chest. She moved her hips as she swallowed his groan, devouring his mouth with her own. Her heart rate had escalated to the point of frenzy…her hands roamed his shoulders, his chest, while she grew damp at the feeling of his hardness between her thighs. The sound of his low moans and the way he clutched at her hips only increased the fever-pitch.
    With what little sanity she had left, she tore away, breathing hard. “This is crazy,” she muttered, starting to get up, only to have him stand with her and scoop her up, carrying her over to the couch. She was laughing until he stroked the undersides of her breasts, moving to circle her now oversensitized nipples.
    â€œI don’t understand it either,” Nick responded, smiling in response as she arched forward so he could cup her more fully. “On the other hand, I’m not complaining.”
    Her chuckles were breathless. “This doesn’t impact what you get to put on the menu, you