“You want what I’m having?” she asked in a smoky voice as she approached.

“Absolutely.”

She paused about three feet from the fence, but in his fantasy-addled mind he still saw her undulating. With the last fading strands of golden sunlight highlighting her hair, her eyes gleaming with mischief, and holding a half-eaten piece of chocolate between her fingers, she looked like the personification of Temptation. “Well, there’re a couple of problems.”

“How fortunate that I’m an expert problem solver. Lay yourself, uh, them on me.”

“Well, first, as you can see, I’ve already taken a bite.”

“I don’t mind.”

“You’re not worried I might have a head cold?”

“Not a bit.”

“Then there’s the issue that I only bought four of these Belgian truffles from Sinfully Sweet, and this is my last piece. And it is exceptionally outstanding.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell,” he teased.

“Oh, it’s fabulous. Any sort of chocolate will give me tingles. But it takes a very special type of chocolate to inspire a chocogasm.”

Daniel’s imagination immediately conjured up a series of steamy images involving him and her and chocolate and orgasms and, holy hell, sweat broke out between his shoulder blades.

“Chocogasm,” he repeated slowly, savoring the word as one would a decadent treat. “That’s very…descriptive. And intriguing. I want to experience one.”

“You’d be crazy not to.”

He nodded his chin toward her half-eaten piece of chocolate. “So how about it? All the problems solved?”

“Not quite. Unfortunately, when it comes to chocolate, I’m sharing impaired.”

“I’ll give you a million dollars.”

“Do you have a million dollars?”

“No. But if I did, I’d give it to you.”

Her gaze shifted between him and her chocolate, then she shook her head. “Sorry.”

“If you share yours with me, I’ll share mine with you.”

Interest flared in her eyes. “Share your what?”

Anything you want. “My chocolate.”

“Oh? What kind do you have? Stuff left over from last Halloween, I bet.”

“Nope.” He rested his forearms along the top of the fence and leaned forward. “Belgian truffles. Assorted flavors. A pound box of them from Sinfully Sweet.”

Her eyes widened. “You do not.”

“Do, too.”

“I didn’t see you buy them.”

“You left the store before I did.”

“But they cost fifty dollars a pound!”

“I know. But I told you I have a weakness for chocolate. Ellie Fairbanks assured me they’re worth every penny. Based on your reaction, she’s right.”

“Oh, she’s definitely right. So let me get this straight. You have in your possession a full pound of Belgian truffles.”

“Yup. Haven’t even opened the box.”

“A virgin box? Stop toying with me.”

He laid his hand over his heart. “Swear.”

Something that looked like awe entered her gaze. “You’ve had them all day and haven’t eaten even one?”

“I’ve been too busy.” He jerked his head toward his backyard. “Filling in holes, laying down sod. You know, the usual.”

Even in the fading light he could see the color that bloomed on her cheeks, an enticing blush that made his fingers tingle with the need to touch her there.

“Oh,” she said in small voice. “So, that being the case, it seems I owe you one.”

“You do. And as it is, I’ll only be getting half a one.”

“What about your offer to share your chocolate? That still stand?”

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you share yours with me.”

“You have a lot more than I do.”

He smiled. “How advantageous for me. And how lucky for you I’m not as sharing impaired as you are.”

She stepped forward, until less than a foot separated them-well, a foot and the damn fence. He decided then and there that if he could possess one superpower, it would be the ability to make fences disappear.

Now that she was closer, he caught a whiff of her scent. Something flowery and musky that made his head spin. Or maybe his head was spinning from the way she was looking at him with those big brown eyes. Jeez, this woman was actually making him feel dizzy, just by looking at him. He wasn’t sure if that was good, or if it should scare him spitless.

“Well,” she said in a voice he could only describe as a purr, “then I guess you can have what I’m having. Allow me to offer you a taste of heaven.”

She held out her hand, offering him the half truffle held delicately between her thumb and index finger. Whew. Talk about an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Carlie stood in front of him, her heart beating ridiculously fast at the thought of feeding Daniel her remaining bite of chocolate, at the thought of her chocolate slowly melting in his warm mouth. Heated awareness jolted through her, making it impossible to deny she’d like to share a heck of a lot more than her chocolate with him. And based on the way he was looking at her-with enough heat to actually melt her chocolate-he wouldn’t be adverse to the idea. Something that was further proven when instead of simply taking the proffered half truffle from her, he reached out, snagged her wrist, then slowly drew her hand toward his mouth.

He leaned forward and his lips brushed over her fingers, stalling her breath. And, oh wow, was that his tongue? Before she could decide, he straightened. Still holding her wrist, and with his gaze behind his glasses steady on hers, his jaw moved slowly back and forth in a way that let her know he knew exactly how to eat a truffle. No chewing, just a long, slow melt into pleasure. She practically experienced another chocogasm just watching him, imagining his tongue slowly sweeping over her skin rather than her chocolate.

After he swallowed, he said, “Wow. That was incredible.”

Yeah, for me, too. She found herself involuntarily licking her lips.

Before she could recover her aplomb-which she normally had buckets of-he looked at her index finger and said, “I missed a tiny bit.” And with that he slowly drew her fingertip into his mouth.

Holy cow. His mouth was satiny and warm and, oh boy, there was no missing the wet, velvety sweep of his tongue this time. His teeth lightly grazed her skin, turning her insides to the consistency of chocolate fondue

After another slow swirl of his tongue, he slid her finger from between his lips then released her hand. “Delicious.”

She nodded. Probably she nodded. It was her intention to do so, but with all her faculties still engaged in recalling the incredible feel of his mouth on her skin, she couldn’t be sure.

“Now that you’ve shared, I guess it’s my turn,” he said.

She had to swallow twice to locate her AWOL voice. “Right.”

“Are you free this evening? Could I interest you in coming over for a truffle?”

The look in his eyes suggested that he had more than truffle tasting on his mind.

Thank God. Because she sure did.

Obviously a fling was all they could have given his imminent move, but since she wasn’t looking for a serious relationship, that worked out fine. Even if their fling only lasted one night-hell, one hour-the way this guy had her hormones turning cartwheels, she’d take what she could get.

But his invitation brought reality back with a thump and she regretfully shook her head. “I’d love to, but I have a class and study session tonight. I have to head out in about an hour.”

Amusement kindled in his eyes. “Listen, I know you like to savor your truffles, but it won’t take you an hour to eat one.” He jerked his head toward his house. “C’mon over. I’ll even make a pot of coffee.”

Wow. He sure knew how to tempt a girl. All the warnings in the stacks of books she’d read about how women shouldn’t make themselves too available, how they should never accept an invitation for the same evening, flashed into her mind. And right back out again.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t play hardball.

Tapping her finger against her chin, she said, “Hmmm. That sounds good-except for one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“This nonsense about a truffle, as in one. That’s pretty stingy for a guy who has an entire box.”

He smiled, flashing those killer dimples, and she made sure her knees were braced. “Okay, more than one truffle. But that’ll present a problem for you, sharing-wise, as it seems you’re fresh out.”

“Of truffles, yes. But…” She hesitated, her courage suddenly failing her. C’mon, Carlie. You want him? Go get him. Be bold. Be daring. The worst he can do is say no and if he does, you’ll only have to avoid him for the next two weeks until he moves. If he says yes…

Drawing a deep, bracing breath, she shot him her best suggestive look then murmured in her best seductive purr, “But that doesn’t mean I have nothing to share.”

Her heart rate quickened at the unmistakable flare of heat in his eyes. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

You. Me. Chocolate. Naked. And not necessarily in that order. “Well, of course it would have to be in the form of an IOU since there’s no time tonight, but I was thinking that you might perhaps enjoy…”

“Enjoy what?”

“A massage.”

Which, she hoped, would lead to her. Him. Chocolate. Naked. And not necessarily in that order.

4

“MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME,” Daniel said, pulling out one of the oak stools around the green granite snack bar that separated his kitchen from the small eating area. “I’ll be right back. Gotta change my shirt.”

“No problem,” she said with a smile.

He headed quickly down the hall and into his bedroom. After closing the door behind him, he leaned back against the wood panel and pulled in several slow, calming breaths.

What the hell was wrong with him? His heart was racing, his hands weren’t quite steady, and his stomach was jittery. But even as he asked himself the question, he realized the answer.