Love, Chocolate, and Beer (Cactus Creek #1)(47)

With that, Dani yanked Luke out of his chair and dragged him outside.

“Subtle,” Luke chuckled.

Her shoulders lifted in a show of muffled glee. “Those two look so good together.” With one more peek at Rylan and Quinn still talking inside, Dani fluttered her fingers together in a tiny clap—a lovable rare habit she had when she delighted in seeing a happy couple together.

Grinning adoringly, he shook his head. “I love your little Dani clap.”

She went still. “My what?” She was genuinely befuddled.

“You, Ms. Tough-As-Nails Brewmaster, have one ultra girly habit whenever you see or think about a great match-up.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “A peppy little cheerleader clap.”

Now Dani looked truly horrified.

“It’s adorable.” He gathered her to him and kissed the frown lines on her forehead.

“It is not.”

“It shows you’re just as much of a romantic as I am,” he taunted a bit more, his lips now enjoying the challenge of coaxing her pout to stand down.

“It does not,” she insisted, although the wobble in her voice said his coaxing was making her reach the point where she didn’t really remember what ‘it’ even was anymore.

He smiled against her lips, using guerrilla tactics with his tongue. “Admit it, I’m right.”

“This is blackmail,” she argued, trying to catch his elusive lips.

“No, this is more me badgering the defendant on trial.”

Her teeth gently caught his lower lip for an instant while her hands smoothed over his abdomen in the way she knew made him crazy. “Should I plead the Fifth?” she asked, her breath nuzzling against his ear as she leaned in as close as she decently could on a public sidewalk.

“I’m pleading the fourth,” he muttered as he swooped in to surrender.

She knew he didn’t mean the Fourth Amendment, but rather their fourth pre-date. While the constraints of their perfectly rational agreement to have five casual pre-dates had certainly sounded good at the time, with their crazy schedules, the fruition of their agreement was nearing at a snail’s pace.

He laid his forehead against hers and heaved out a rough breath. “The prosecution gives up. We’ll let the defense keep deluding herself on the status of her romantic tendencies.”

“And here I was all ready to take your plea bargain,” she fibbed teasingly.

When he just about fell against the wall at her implication, Dani laughed and dragged him over to Desert Confections before they did something in public they’d both regret.

Or enjoy beyond consequence.

“You’re going to have to walk in front of me when we get in the door,” warned Luke.

Dani leaned back and brushed against him. “Or your customers will think you just really like your new ‘Chocolate Foreplay’ kits?”

He actually felt his ears redden a tiny bit. “That name wasn’t my idea.”

She laughed. “I figured.”

“Speaking of Quinn.” He tilted his head questioningly. “She told me you ordered some of our chocolate for Ocotillos. ‘Fess up. Are you going to be playing nice?”

The look she gave him was all sass. “Never.”

“Woman, behave,” he growled as they entered his shop. He casually walked them over to his office, inconspicuously holding her close to him like a battle shield…or a weapon cover at least. Once safely in his office without any raised eyebrows from the customers or Rissa, Luke released his overheated hold on Dani and took the long way around to his side of the desk. After taking one look at her still-thinking-about-it eyes, however, he exited right back out to the kitchen, muttering, “Not nearly far enough away.”

A full two minutes later, he finally returned with a few pieces of the newest chocolate he’d created that morning, his hands still slightly unsteady.

From the looks of it, Dani wasn’t in any better condition. But she did offer him an olive branch. “So do you really want to know what we’re planning for your chocolate?”

Relieved, he grasped the branch and sat down. “We’ve actually been dying of curiosity.”

Amusement tipped a corner of her mouth up playfully. “Remember how I told you I wanted a make-your-own-dessert thing at Ocotillos profiling beer-based desserts? Well, we’re starting a weekly blind date mixer at Ocotillos where that activity will be making its debut.”

“And our chocolate?”

“Is the enemy.” Her teeth gleamed fiendishly. “Our customers get to cruelly liquefy it in beer fondue and blowtorch it in beer cracker s’mores.”

Luke tipped his head back and let out a room-rattling laugh.

Her grin relented. “No worries. It’s not nearly as sinister as it sounds,” she reassured. “It just so happens I’ve used your chocolate to make fondue and s’mores at home, so like most of the Ocotillos recipes, I was just bringing a little bit of home to the brewpub. Completely innocent.”

Her face lit impishly at his dubious expression. “Okay, so maybe it isn’t completely innocent.” Eyeing the piece of chocolate he was holding in his fingers, she licked her lips. “If I promise not to enjoy torching your chocolate too much, can I get a taste of that truffle?”

Smiling, he slid the roasted chocolate and huckleberry tequila bonbon into her mouth.