Hare Today, Bear Tomorrow (Mating Call Dating Agency #1)(19)

“But it’s what we do,” Garnet said. “If we didn’t, someone would.”

Stacy nodded, again slowly. “You’re on to something kid, I think you’ll make it big in the papers,” he said with a comically overdone Brooklyn accent, straight out of Newsies. “Ya got moxie, I tell ya what.”

“Do you,” Garnet squeezed his hand a little harder, and then reached under the table and gave one of his massive knees the same treatment, “like moxie?”

She’d never seen a bear blush. At least, not from something she was doing. The feeling was pretty incredible, truth be told, and it gave her almost as much of a charge as bringing down some corrupt crocodile-shifting robber baron.

“I think I do,” he said with a chuckle. “Although I didn’t know I did until just now. So I’m guessing you’re not going to jump up and run away any time soon?”

“I’m holding onto your knee,” Garnet said. “If I did that I’d knock the table over and ruin all this food and end up breaking a bunch of dishes that I can’t possibly afford to replace.”

Drawing his face into a very grim, serious look, Stacy nodded. “I could probably afford it, but then I’d be doing elbow drops until my body just collapsed. While that sounds sort of fun in theory, I’m pretty sure I don’t want any part of it. Sad guy from The Wrestler, remember?”

Garnet laughed and then smiled the most honest, cheek-aching smile she remembered. Her entire body felt like it was glowing. “I think I’d probably say yes,” she said. “I realize that was a non-sequitur but it’s up to you to figure out what I’m talking about.”

“Moxie, huh?”

He took a heaping spoonful of the tantalizing stew, and held it out in front of him. “You first, gotta make sure it isn’t poisoned.”

With a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, Garnet opened her mouth, curled her tongue around the base of the spoon and let out a moan that would have made Meg Ryan happy. She didn’t let up. The moaning turned into a soft, whispered groan, and then before she really knew what she was doing, she wrapped her leg around Stacy’s, pulling him closer to the table. His eyes grew to blazing blue irises surrounded by a sea of white.

She arched her back, pressing her breasts against the slightly tight fabric on her top, and started breathing harder as she chewed and savored.

Stacy constricted his leg around hers, pulling her closer as she continued the show. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and sat forward involuntarily. He leaned nearer her, and reached out, putting a hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss.

The taste of wine and chicken still fresh on his lips, Garnet sucked his bottom lip between her teeth, swallowed her stew, and slid her tongue against his. Hands found cheeks, teeth clashed, and tongues swirled together for what seemed like an eternity. When he finally pulled back, and they both deftly avoided dipping any clothes into the big bowl of stew between them, Garnet sat back and let out a long sigh.

“That’s really good stew,” she said with a smirk. “Thanks for letting me have the first bite.”

Opening his mouth wide, Stacy looked like he was about to fall over in his chair.

“Oh yeah,” she added. “The kiss wasn’t too bad either. I want to throw you over this table and work you over,” as soon as Stacy started gaping again, she giggled. “But I imagine you’ve had plenty of people throw you over tables, so that might not be too exciting.”

“They usually break,” he said, in a breathless half-laugh. “And I’ve never had anyone throw me over a table like that.”

Garnet slid a foot up Stacy’s leg and along the inner seam of his jeans. “Oh my,” she said, blushing even though she was the one doing the taunting. “Looks like you really do want to get out of here.”

Cocking a half-smile that snaked an electrical surge, and then a crackle of excitement along the nerves in Garnet’s belly, and between her legs, the big bear reached over, slid a thumb from Garnet’s lips to her chin, and then down to the hollow of her throat. He curled a finger behind her ear. “I’ll tell you this much,” he said in a soft, almost dangerous, rumbling voice. “Once I get you down, you’re not getting up for a long, long time.”

It was Garnet’s turn to blush and then quail softly. “You have a way, don’t you?” she asked softly, curling the left corner of her mouth into a smile.

“Not usually,” he admitted. “Honestly, almost never. Then again, I’ve never had anyone make me want to act like this. And I think I figured out what that ‘yes’ was for earlier. Can I take a guess?”

Garnet smiled and shrugged. “If you want.” She curled her foot along the inner part of Stacy’s jeans once again. “I don’t think you’ll get it right though.”

He took a moment, scratching his chin. Stacy let his finger trail along the dimple in the center of it, and then he thumped himself with a couple of quick flicks. “You’re saying ‘yes’ to the dessert tray?”

Garnet laughed, loud and sweetly, and when she finished, she prodded him where it counted with her toe. “Guess again.”

He got very serious. “If I asked you to be my mate, you’d say yes?”

His voice went very low and soft, in a way that caressed Garnet’s ears as she listened to him. She shrugged. “Maybe so,” she said. “But you’re gonna have to ask before you know.”