Chapter Thirteen

Sela sat across from Ceno, watching him eat. She wasn’t sure why, but even watching him eat made her hot. The way his lips moved as he chewed, the way his fingers held his fork and knife. He was almost too perfect.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and tried not to think about it. This was nothing more than an average meal. But there was nothing average about Ceno. She couldn’t let herself get attached to a man who was too perfect to ever want anything to do with her on a permanent basis, no matter what he said.

His ice blue gaze had a way of capturing hers and holding it hostage. What was it about the way he smiled and the little dimple that formed on his right cheek? Why did she find it so difficult to keep herself from reaching out and touching it?

She glanced at her grandfather and smiled, glad she’d given in and let him have his night out on the town.

His rheumy blue eyes sparkled with laughter, and his normally pale skin filled with color as he laughed at the stories Ceno told of his work and the people of his town, not that any of the stories he told were true. Who ever heard of a town with werewolves, vampires, and aliens? Still, he told his stories so well, Sela even had a difficult time remembering they were fiction.

“Did you save room for dessert?” The waitress stood by their table, a smile on her pretty face.

Sela almost refused until she saw her grandfather rubbing his hands together with anticipation.

“I know just what I want, young lady.” He gave the waitress his practiced flirty grin that made every woman smile as though dealing with her own elderly relative.

“And that would be...” She gave him a wink that must have made his day.

“Well, sweetie, I’d love to have a taste of that fried ice cream.” He leaned over and whispered to Sela, “I have to see that. How do you fry ice cream?”

“Anything else?”

“No. The ice cream should be plenty.” He grinned. “I had some ice cream earlier, and I know better than to press my luck, asking for much more.”

Grinning, she turned to Ceno. “Did you save room for dessert?”

“I’d like to have an order of the chocolate lava cake.”

“Are you sure? That’s a dessert you share.”

“You could help me eat it.” He winked at Sela.

“No. I’m not having dessert.” Sela shook her head.

Hell, her ass was wide enough, already. She didn’t need to add chocolate cake, hot fudge and ice cream to it.”

“I’ll take that, just the same,” Ceno said with a smile, “and bring two spoons, just in case.”

“Yes, sir.” The waitress spun on her heels and hurried toward the kitchen.

“Just in case?” Sela raised a brow. “Just in case you want to eat with both hands?”

“In case you change your mind, of course.”

“What makes you think I’d do something like that? You’re a virtual stranger. I don’t think it would be wise to share anything with you. What makes you think it’s okay to share something with me?” She tried not to think about how she’d almost stuck her tongue down his throat in the bunkhouse and then had sex with him. Her face burned, though she refused to look away.

He met her gaze, his eyes solemn. “I have a feeling we’re going to be more than strangers. In fact, I thought we already were.” He cleared his throat, shooting a look toward her grandfather. “You don’t have a problem with our getting better acquainted, do you, Clyde?”

“Me?” Her grandfather shook his head. “I don’t have a problem with you courting my little granddaughter. In fact, I would love it if you courted her. She needs a good man in her life. She’s gotten way too big for her britches if you ask me.”

“Grandpa!” Sela glowered at them both. “You’re both lucky I don’t pull out my keys and leave, this minute.”

“No.” Ceno shook his head. “You’re lucky.” A slow smile split his face as the waitress approached the table. “Because something tells me you’re going to want at least a couple bites of what’s coming.”

“Here you go,” the waitress, whose nametag identified her as Marge, set the fried ice cream in front of her grandfather. He took a deep breath and smacked his lips. She then set the lava cake in the center of the table with two spoons. “Dig in!”

“Cinnamon. I love cinnamon.” Picking up his spoon, her grandfather dug into the crispy shell of his dessert with delight. “I don’t know how they do it, but this sure is fried.”

Sela stared at the cake, her mouth practically watering as the gooey center oozed out of the top. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream slowly melted on each side as globs of fudge slid from the top of the cake and pooled around them.

“I love chocolate.” Ceno took a bite of the warm cake and closed his eyes. “Mmm... It’s like sex, only better.”

“If that’s what you think, boy,” her grandfather said with a snort, “you’re doing it wrong.” He barely took his attention off his ice cream to comment.

Ceno winked at her and took another bite with slow relish. “Yes. This is edible sex.”

“Yep. You’re doing it wrong. Hee, hee.”

“Gramps.” Sela shook her head.

After holding out for a full two minutes, she couldn’t take it anymore. It was chocolate, and she was missing out because she was stubborn. How stupid was that?

Taking a tiny bit of cake and fudge, she scooped up a small bite of ice cream and took a bite.

“I think you might be right.” She closed her eyes and moaned. “I think it is better than sex.”

“No wonder she left him. The lazy so-and-so,” her grandfather mumbled.

Sela couldn’t suppress a giggle. “So, now you know why I divorced the creep.”

“Yep. Ole Jerk... err Jack was a real piece of work. I hope you pick a better one the second time around. He canted his head toward Ceno and waggled his brows.

“Grandpa, really,” Sela whispered, her cheeks burning.

“Stop pretending you don’t find him attractive. The boy’s so pretty, you could put him in a fancy dress and pass him off as a bride.”

“Excuse me?” Ceno said with a frown. “I don’t think—”

“Don’t mind Gramps. He’s not saying you look like a girl. That’s just his way of saying you’re attractive enough for him to notice it.” Sela threw her napkin at her grandfather with a glare.

“What’d I do?” He looked so confused, Sela almost laughed.

“Eat your ice cream.” She took another bite of cake.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to help yourself.” Ceno grinned.

“You don’t play fair. You know, chocolate is almost every woman’s weakness.”

“It’s a man’s weakness as well. Every one of my brothers loves it. Well, the ones who have tried it, anyway.”

“What do you mean, the ones who have tried it?” Sela laughed. “What planet are you from that you have brothers who have never eaten chocolate?”

“Not one you’ve heard of, I’m sure.” He grinned. “Eat your cake.”

“Don’t you mean, eat your cake? You ordered it.” She scooped up another bite and popped it in her mouth with a smile. “If you’re not careful, I might just clean the plate, and then, where will you be?”

“I will be in a most enviable position,” Ceno said with a chuckle.

“And just what do you mean by that?” She licked the ice cream off her spoon, getting a little thrill when his eyes darkened, and he gave her a smoldering look.

Sela’s face burned, and her body warmed as he stared at her as though she were his dessert. What was it about him that made her insides melt and her body hot and cold at the same time? Whatever it was, it certainly ratcheted her pulse up and had her blood zinging through her veins at hyperdrive. No wonder she’d thrown herself at him the night before.

“What I mean by that,” he said as he leaned across the table and whispered in her ear, “is you will owe me something else sweet to eat.”

As tempted as she was to eat the rest of the lava cake just so she could feel his hot mouth on her again, Sela set her spoon down and took a sip of water.

“Is it hot in here?” She held the cold glass to her forehead.

“Nope.” Her grandfather said as he scraped the bottom of his bowl. “It’s kind of chilly.” He rubbed his arms. “It might have been the ice cream.” He stared down at his empty bowl and sighed. “It sure was good. How do you suppose they do that?” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Sela knew that look and started shaking her head before he even opened his mouth to ask.

“Do you think you could make fried ice cream?”

“I doubt it, Gramps.” She almost rested her elbow on the table, before changing her mind and crossing her arms instead. “Our freezer most likely doesn’t get cold enough, and our deep fryer broke almost a year ago.”

“Then how’ve you been cooking my tater tots?” He glared at her through narrowed eyes, as though she had lied just to get out of making the dessert.

“I’ve baked them.”

“Baked them!” He wrinkled his nose. “Yech!”

“Well, you’ve been eating them and liking it for almost a year. It’s too late to cry foul, now.”

“Who said anything about chickens?”

“Gramps, really!” Sela laughed. “Be serious for a minute, will you?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” Ceno frowned, his gaze shifting between them.