Matt looked over to the table and waved. “Told you,” he said. “Nosy as hell.”
“Stop it. They’ve all been very sweet to me.”
His lazy gaze traveled the length of her body before settling on her lips. “I’m finding that being sweet toward you is not hard to do.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Matthew’s eyes remained on her lips for several heated moments more before he seemed to shake himself out of a daze and returned to his carton of crawfish. He peeled off another and sucked it.
Tamryn couldn’t hold it in. She burst out laughing.
“What?” Matt asked.
“I can’t believe you’re sucking on that.”
“Because that’s where all the flavor is.” He held one out to her. “Here, give it a try.”
She put a hand up. “I’ll pass.”
“Come on. You cannot come to Louisiana during crawfish season and not suck at least one head.” His eyes flew to hers. “It onlysoundssexual. Don’t slap me for talking dirty.” He shoved the crawfish toward her again. “Go on, give it a try.”
She shook her head.
“Well, at least try the tail.”
Tamryn eyed the little curl of meat, and, after a bit of hesitation, leaned over and captured the piece Matt held out to her between her teeth.
“Umm…” she murmured. “Good.” She coughed and tapped her chest. “Spicy.”
Matt’s eyes remained on her mouth. He watched her for several moments, his eyes intense as he stared at her. The heat that traveled along her skin had nothing to do with the spicy food she’d just consumed.
Without taking his eyes off her mouth, Matt peeled another crawfish tail and held it up to her. “Another?” he asked.
Tamryn nodded, once again eating from his fingers.
Matt released an audible breath. He dropped the other half of the crawfish in the box and picked up the longneck beer he’d carried with him.
Tamryn nodded toward the crawfish head he’d tossed on top of the others. “You’re not going to suck it?”
He shook his head. “This time itwouldbe sexual.”
Her head fell back with another peal of laughter that again drew stares.
“That sexy laugh isn’t helping,” Matt said. He blew out a deep breath and twisted around on the swing. “We need to talk about something else. How’s the research going?”
“You don’t find talk of historic research stimulating?”
“Not as stimulating as talk of sucking heads,” he said before another swig of beer.
Tamryn wasn’t sure she agreed. Just having him near her inspired all sorts of stimulating thoughts. Especially in those jeans he wore.
“So?” he asked. “Made any breakthroughs with the research?”
“Unfortunately, I haven’t found anything new relating to the connection between Nicolette Gauthier and Adeline West,” she said. “But, then again, I haven’t started the really intense research yet. That’ll happen in a couple of days, when I start working in the archives at Xavier University. They have an extensive collection on African American history specific to Louisiana.” Tamryn rubbed her hands together. “I can’t wait.”
Matt stared at her as if she were an alien with six arms.
“I have never in my life seen someone so excited about visiting a library,” he said, shaking his head. He pulled out his phone. “What’s your cell number? I know the head of the History Department at Xavier. I can put you in contact with him.”
