Free Island Heat by E. Davies

greeting.
    Eli grinned as he spotted Kevin and nodded. “Hello. Where should I sit?”
    “Wherever you like is fine,” Kevin told him, smiling as he balanced the plate on one palm and picked up the bright, layered cocktail Troy handed him. “I'll be with you in a minute.”
    As he went to drop the dessert and drink off at another table, Eli chose a seat in the window with a table or two between him and the next-closest customers.
    Sure enough, moments later, Kevin approached him, his hands folded neatly behind his back. He wore a black shirt with embroidered strawberry on the chest. Eli really wanted to reach out and touch it, but he resisted. “Hi,” Kevin said again. “Glad you made it.”
    “Sorry it was so late,” Eli answered. “I missed the rush. It's already, what, two? Two-thirty?”
    “Just as well. I wouldn't have had time to talk,” Kevin laughed breathlessly. He was glowing like he was on a high from that night, which must have meant good things business-wise. “We got slammed.”
    “Oh, great,” Eli smiled. “I'm glad. Must be a relief.”
    “It sure is. The menu's here...” Kevin reached over the table to get the plush menu and unfold it, handing it to Eli as he stood at the table.
    Eli only had to glance down the menu once to know exactly what he wanted. He tried not to grin too obviously and read the rest of the menu, but nothing stood a chance compared to the first pairing to catch his eye.
    “May I have a French Kiss, please?” Eli requested in a slow drawl that was thick with innuendo. He grinned at Kevin. The combination of a great-sounding cocktail made with French champagne and Meyer lemon custard-filled treats was irresistible; even more so was the chance to make Kevin blush.
    Predictably, it worked. Kevin cleared his throat. “Er, of course... I'll be back in a minute.”
    Eli touched Kevin's arm to stop him before he left and leaned in to murmur, “You could hold the French until later...”
    “You like seeing me flustered,” Kevin accused in an undertone, but he was glowing at the attention from Eli. He was flirting much more naturally now, his eyelashes flickering as he glanced at Eli from half-lidded eyes.
    “I do. I'm a bit shellfish... er, selfish...”
    Despite his characteristic eye-roll in answer, Kevin seemingly couldn't stop himself from grinning as he turned away from Eli.
    Eli's heart thumped as he watched Kevin head back to the bar. Something about Kevin was bolder since that kiss, and he liked it. If he inspired Kevin's boldness, he wasn't sure they could hold off on testing their chemistry.
    The sparks between them were impossible to ignore any longer. He wanted to see how hot they burned.

Chapter 12
Kevin
    “French kiss,” Kevin told Troy, trying to keep his voice steady as he stepped behind the counter. Troy started to make the cocktail and Kevin opened the brightly-lit dessert cabinet. He realized quickly that his hands were shaking as he carefully drew the dessert plate onto his palm and set it on the counter.
    “Is this a special one?” Troy asked, flashing a grin over at him while he shook the can and glass expertly in front of him.
    “Make it a good one,” Kevin nodded.
    “They're all good,” Troy snorted. He popped the seal and circled both hands behind his back to pour into a glass with a flourish. He loved showing off his bar tricks. “But you want this one to be particularly good, for the handsome devil over there eyeing you up and down?”
    Kevin tried not to give it away. He didn't exactly need it to be a secret, but... he wanted a little more time to explore this on his own before he told Troy what was happening. “I talked to him while you were in the rental office, remember? He's rich and interested in the business concept.”
    “Gotcha.” Troy was quick to accept the reasoning. He topped the cocktail with a candied orange slice garnish and carefully slid a straw into it, then handed over the glass. “Good luck.”
    When Kevin