Read Sweet Stuff for Free Online

happened?“
    “She’s fine, and yes, something has happened. While you were setting up the piano, I called my manager and had him make an offer on the place. A very nice offer.”
    “You—did what?”
    “Leased the place. I believe there is a flurry of faxes going on between Scary Lois and even scarier David as I speak. I’m sure I’ll have to sign something at some point, but the deal is done.”
    “So ... no open house.”
    “No open house.”
    “But ... it’s been advertised. People will show up.”
    “Then they’ll be disappointed to find a sign on the front door telling them the property is no longer available. I suppose I should go take care of that.”
    “Right, but—”
    “But first ... honestly, try this.”
    She stared at him over the top of the cupcake. “Are you always like this?”
    “Like what?” He grinned. “Unpredictable?”
    He watched as her gaze darted from his eyes, to his mouth, and back to his eyes again. Her pupils expanded, her brown eyes growing darker and deeper as her throat worked and the muscles in her arms tensed—quivered, actually. He wrote, in great detail, about all those little, telltale signs that took place when someone was aroused. Though, admittedly, it had been a while, a good long while, since he’d had an opportunity to personally observe them.
    “That’s not entirely a bad thing, is it?” he asked.
    “Uh, no,” she managed, still all hung up in his very direct gaze. “No, I guess it’s not.”
    “Good. Now... lick.”
    She did—which surprised him, though he wasn’t sure why. He’d expected an eye roll. Or a cupcake shoved into his face. Either of which he’d have deserved. Having brought her up earlier, he absently wondered what Grams would say about his rather ... assertive behavior. But those fleeting thoughts vanished when Riley immediately closed her eyes and made a sound in the back of her throat as the rich chocolate coated her tongue, in that instinctive way a person did who was naturally, even viscerally connected to the sensuality of experience. Smell ... taste ... touch ... Watching her, he felt a very distinct, deep-in-the-gut quiver of his own.
    “Lani,” she murmured. “Once again, you rule.”
    “Possibly the patron saint of baking,” Quinn agreed, almost reverently, as he continued to watch, fixated, as she finished enjoying every last creamy bite.
    She opened her eyes, and caught him watching—staring, really—and her cheeks bloomed once again. “I—” She tugged her arm free and took a short step back. “You—just, uh, let me know when you’ll be moving your stuff in and I’ll make sure to have all the staging furnishings and decor out of here. I, uh, it will take at least two days, but I could easily have everything ready for move-in by the weekend.”
    She jerked her gaze to his hand, which still held the cupcake, then back to his face again. He couldn’t tell what was behind the hunger clearly written on her face, but it didn’t seem to matter to every inch of his anatomy. Some inches more newly invigorated than others.
    “I just have to make a few calls.”
    “I offered for it as is,” he said, not any more in control than she appeared to be. Perhaps for entirely different reasons, but still proving that while unpredictability might be exciting, it wasn’t exactly without risks. A point to remember.
    “Oh. Oh! Well ...” She gazed around a bit wildly.
    Maybe it was just his interpretation. His own pulse was like a jungle beat at the moment.
    “I guess I should just ... uh, go then. I’ll go.” She looked back at him, and smiled brightly, though it didn’t reach her eyes, which were still kind of half-glazed. “If you have any questions, Lois can just—or you could call me. Or—David, was that his name? He could. Actually, you should. Call me, I mean. I’m the one with the contacts for the furnishings and I’m here on Sugarberry, too. Full time. So, anything you don’t want, I can just—do you