Free Microsoft Word - 49A4C18A-1A2A-28B97F.doc by Bad Thing She Did a Bad Page B

tapas to share?”
    She nodded, thinking there was something intimate about sharing food, but eager to try the
    appetizer-size dishes whose descriptions of exotic meats and unique combinations had her mouth watering.
    Then she stole a glance at Perry, skimming the contours of his broad torso and admitted
    with a shiver that he might be responsible for her mouth watering.
    The waiter returned with their bottle of wine and after pouring each of them a glass, took
    their order. When the young man left, Perry lifted his glass toward her. “A toast—to having fun.”
    She smiled and clinked her glass to his, then drank deeply of the inky wine, reveling in the
    smooth, rich flavors of fruit with the hint of something woodsy.
    “What is this called again?”
    “Carmenere,” he said. “Right now only the Chileans are bottling this grape varietal by
    itself. Do you like it?”
    “Very much.”
    His smile lit his eyes as he lifted the bottle to top off her glass. “Good. Have you traveled much, Jane?”
    She shook her head self-consciously. “I’ve always wanted to, though.”
    “So now you’ll be able to.”
    She nodded, wondering if Eve would be able to get away for the two of them to travel
    together. Otherwise, while seeing the world would be a wonderful adventure, doing it alone
    would be slightly less fun.
    His mouth turned downward in a sudden frown. “I don’t want to belabor this point, but you
    really should consider getting a tax attorney and a financial planner to help you sort through this lottery business.”
    She took another drink from her glass, uncomfortable with mixing business and pleasure.
    “The people at the lottery office gave us the same advice. I will if I think it’s necessary.”
    He pursed his mouth. “How well do you know the coworkers who won with you?”
    She smiled. “Well enough to know that there won’t be any trouble where they’re
    concerned.”
    “This kind of money changes people,” he warned.
    She lifted her glass again for her own toast. “In my case, I certainly hope so.”
    Perry angled his head, but whatever he’d been about to say was lost when the waiter
    returned with the first round of tapas dishes they’d ordered. Plate after plate of sizzling, aromatic, and decorative foods were set on the table between them, and once again her pulse spiked at the intimacy of sharing food with Perry…a man she’d met only days ago but who seemed to have
    insinuated himself into her life out of guilt.
    As she surveyed the slices of duck served over plantains, lump crab cakes with mango
    salsa, chorizo with figs, and almond-stuffed dates wrapped with prosciutto, her appetite suddenly kicked in with a vengeance. It was the sheer decadence and variety of the food that set her senses on tilt…along with the knowledge that from this point on, life was a feast. She felt giddy as she lifted bite-size portions onto her plate. When she forked a sliver of duck into her mouth, she moaned with pleasure, a noise that captured Perry’s attention.
    “You like?” he asked with an amused expression.
    A flush climbed her face, but she nodded, savoring each new flavor that bathed her tongue,
    reveling in how the rich foods were complemented by the wine. Perry refilled her glass, seeming to enjoy watching her eat. She dabbed at her mouth with her napkin self-consciously.
    “Try the dates,” he said, picking one up with his fingers and offering it near her lips.
    Her gaze locked with his and a plastic bubble seemed to descend over them, separating
    them from the rest of the diners. She hesitated, then opened her mouth and allowed him to place the morsel on her tongue. When she closed her mouth, her lips brushed the end of his finger,
    sending shockwaves of sexual awareness through her system. As she held the savory food on her tongue, Perry slowly pulled his hand back and licked his finger.
    Her breasts grew heavy as she chewed the rich, salty date. When the sensory overload of
    Perry and