Indulgence Read Free Page B

down, and planted her lips on his.
    Her plan was a soft, short kiss to tell him she definitely wanted to get to know him better, so she was ill-prepared for him to take control of their first kiss. He tasted like the chocolate blend with undertones of fruit-and-nut robust coffee beverage he’d consumed.
    When she went to pull away, she found herself gridlocked between strong arms, him teasing her with nips and sucks on her bottom lip, nibbling on her ear, and then moving back, resulting in total possession. With each thrust of his tongue, the urge to get naked nearly overcame her responsible nature. She drew in deep breaths and inhaled deeply between his all-consuming taste test of her. After one last nibble, he broke contact, giving her room to breathe. The absence of his strong hold left her unbalanced. Zoey sucked in a breath, forcing her weak knees to hold her weight. She darted her tongue over her bottom lip and smoothed her clothing. “I’m, um—”
    “Have to get back to work.” Khristos finished for her as he stood, appearing unfazed, until she saw the evidence to the contrary.
    “Walk back with me. You still have to pick up your prize.”
    “After you.” Khristos pushed his chair up to the table and slid his hands into his pockets. Zoey hoped her kiss wasn’t too impulsive. Damn, the man charmed the socks right off her, and then the lip-lock knocked all her past lovers right out the ballpark, placing him in a league of his own.
    “Have you decided what kind of dessert you’d like to take back with you?” They walked back toward her café at the slow pace he set.
    “If you were a doctor of chocolate and I was your patient, what would you recommend?”
    He got her sense of humor and with it, earned extra kudos. “I’d say it depends on what ails you. If you’re angry at the world…I’d suggest death by chocolate. Seven layers of chocolate cake with alternating fillings of caramel, mocha, and Kahlua crème, topped with a cherry for each slice.”
    “That might put me in cardiac arrest.”
    “Then I’d have to revive you by feeding you a thick pretzel stick drizzled in dark chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, and covered with nuts. Sweet and salty works every time.”
    “Hmmm. Then who’s going to revive you after you deplete your cache of powers?”
    “I have it on high authority there’s a sexy businessman who needs sunshine in his life. I’m sure I have nothing to worry about, should I need resuscitation.” Zoey tucked her hair behind her ears.
    “We’re here.” He stopped in front of the café. The nosey faces peering out at them didn’t escape her notice.
    “You don’t want to come in?”
    “Not like this. Looks like you have a second set of parents, or third, even. Surprise me. You have my card. My schedule is free for a while tomorrow morning.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips, pulled back, and dropped his hand that had manifested without her noticing, from her nape. Her skin pebbled and her kiss-swollen lips tingled.
    “Okay.”
    “Until tomorrow.”
    She gathered her wits about her at the same time he turned from her to walk away, giving her a delectable view of his backside.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    “Mother fucker,” Zoey wheezed, short of breath. Khristos had failed to mention that his skyscraper office building had thirty-four floors, and his offices resided on the twenty-third. The receptionist saw to it that her belongings made their way up the secure elevator…while she trudged up the stairwell. Somehow, she didn’t believe the apology the woman gave her or the reasoning that the employee elevator was for employees, not visitors. How hard was dialing the CEO’s number and advising him of her arrival? The snooty gatekeeper gave her the option of leaving the building since she’d delivered her package, or using the stairwell. Anger at the situation in hand pushed her damned claustrophobia to the back of her mind. With each step, she’d