Raspberry.
Raspberry and cream.
He didn't even move the cookie from his lips. He took another bite and when it wasn't enough, he put the rest of the cookie in his mouth and chewed it, almost drowning in the taste.
His eyes drifted closed and he chewed until he swallowed it down.
"Those are Viennese Whirls." Ruth's voice made its way into his ear, and he opened his eyes to look at her. She looked happy, pleased with herself and she should be. "Shortbread cookies with vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam inside."
Her gaze lowered to the island top and he swore he could see her cheeks coloring.
"My mom used to make shortbread every year, but they were never that delicate."
Ruth's expression changed to more of a bittersweet smile.
He swallowed and felt the scratch of some kind of emotion in his throat. "That's wonderful that she made them for you. Homemade treats are always the best kind of gift during the holidays."
"They're awesome any day of the year," Katie looked up at him from her seat. "Dad, you've got cream by your mouth."
"Huh?" Oh great! "Here?" He lifted a hand and rubbed at the corner of his mouth on the right side. "Did I get it?"
Katie snorted with laughter, but Nick felt like a complete jerk. He reached for the napkin that Katie had set beside his plate, but the little square slipped off the edge and started to fall to the floor.
Ruth reached out and snapped it out of its free fall.
"Wow, that's cool!" A giggle filled the air. “You’ve got awesome reflexes!”
Nick had to agree with Katie. He certainly hadn't been on the ball enough to rescue the napkin from the floor.
He reached for the napkin, but Ruth didn't put it in his hand right away.
"Here, let me," she offered. "You can't see where it is."
"Yeah," he replied, swallowing his pride. "Sure."
He could hear that his voice had deepened. It was rougher than normal, too.
"Okay," her voice was barely over a whisper, "it'll just take a second."
Nick saw her cover the tip of her finger with the corner of the napkin and reached for his face.
Her bare palm touched his left cheek and he leaned into it. As a soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth, she wiped the napkin near the corner of his mouth, and something touched his lower lip.
His mouth opened and his tongue moved closer. He felt something warm against the tip of his tongue before she moved her hand away and he managed not to reach out and touch her, haul her up against his side.
Those feelings rocked him, put him way off balance.
This was the danger he'd been worried about since she moved in next door. This need for her.
It wasn't just superficial.
It went down deep.
Right at that moment it was deep down behind his zipper.
Her scent. The taste of her food. And the sweet curves of her body?
They were all meant to torture him.
