I fill the tupperware with the remaining food and pop the lid on. “Well, I was thinking,” I stick the container in the fridge and point at the door. “Don’t forget those.” He nods and I continue. “From how well your ice cream has done, and how delicious your chunky pecan and cranberry bar is, you’re going to be busier than you probably expected.”
He looks more intensely at me as I forge ahead. “The part time kitchen space isn’t going to work for much longer, and I assume that you’ll need more help to fill your orders. So I thought–”
“You thought I would just roll over and sell you my business now that you’ve buttered me up? Wow. I wasn’t expecting this from you Serena, but I guess I really should have given your father’s insistent track record.” He throws his hands up and begins walking away.
I reach out and grab hold of his arm and stop him. “Will you just wait a minute you stubborn bull, and let me explain. That is not what I was planning to say. Geez.” I release his arm and walk over to a cabinet, taking out two bowls and grabbing a couple spoons. “I was not going to propose buying your company.”
“I apologize. Please finish. I promise not to interrupt again.” He sees what my intentions are with the bowls and spoons and digs into my freezer to retrieve the ice cream that he brought.
Like we’ve done a few times in the test kitchen, we begin working together as if it’s something we’ve been doing for years. He pops open the container, I hand him an ice cream scoop, and we serve two bowls.
“What I was going to say is would you be interested in using the kitchen throughout the weekend? I have a couple of employees who are great in the kitchen and would love to help you. We’ll pay them and you’ll have no time limits since we’re closed.”
He holds the scoop in his hand, just hovering above the container, and stares at me long past when my words have ended. I keep waiting for him to react in anger, always assuming I’m out to get him, but right now I’d take that over nothing at all.
I touch my face, wondering if something hideous is hanging off of it, that could explain why he’s silent and unmoving. I’m so close to lifting up my arm and smelling my pit in case I have a stench wafting off of me that has rendered him unconscious, when he finally speaks.
“Why would you do that? Are you after something?”
I take the scooper from his hand and roll it through the soft ice cream like a hot knife rolling through butter. “I’m not after anything, Burke. I think we’ve moved past hating one another. Dare I say we’re even friends. I genuinely want to see your company succeed, and this dessert line is definitely what will take you all to the next level. This is me offering help in whateverway that I can that doesn’t consist of writing you a fat check. Consider it continuing my father’s legacy of giving back to our family and friends.”
I plop the last scoop of ice cream into my bowl and slide my finger into my mouth, licking the drippings that trail down my hand. My finger comes away with a pop and I see Burke’s pupils burst.
“I,” he starts, his voice slightly hoarse. “I appreciate that. It is a very kind offer but I don’t feel right not paying you something. It feels too much like a handout and I’ve never been one for accepting those.”
“I figured as much.” He’s honest and proud and I get why he would be hesitant to accept my offer. “Why don’t you think about it some. Talk it over with Aster and we can always amend our terms if it makes you feel better to pay for the space. I’m sure we can figure it out.”
Burke drops a spoon into each of our bowls and picks them both up while I stick the gallon back into the freezer. “I know what Aster would say, but I would like some time to think about all you’ve proposed.”
I dip my chin and fall in step behind him. “It’s kind of nice out. Want to sit outside by the fireplace and finish these?” I ask.
“As long as you aren’t too cold. I know how you ladies can be. Always walking around with giant blankets and thick hoodies. I’ve got a million of each around my house for the girls.” I smile at him and push open the large door that leads onto my patio.
“Normally I’m pretty hot blooded, but I’ll grab a blanket just in case the fire isn’t enough.” Burke walks out and I dip down and grab a blanket from the basket by the door.
He sits on the outdoor couch and I turn on the fireplace that comes to life with awhoosh. I take a seat next to him and drape the blanket over my lap before taking my bowl from him and immediately digging in.
“I can’t believe how warm it is. Here we are only three weeks out from Christmas and we’re still able to sit outside and eat ice cream.” He scoops a helping onto his spoon and wraps his lips around it.
My body starts to heat up and while I’d like to think it’s because of the fire and blanket, I know it’s all Burke.
“Yeah. I, uh,” I shake my head with a blink of my eyes and look down at my bowl. “I guess that’s good for our crops. Should be plentiful.”
I eat my ice cream without looking at him. I can’t. All I see when I watch his mouth and tongue is how I’d like for him to treat me the way he does that spoon. Wrapping his tongue around it and licking clean until it shines.
Images of him with his head between my legs while I dig my fingers into his thick hair begin to play on repeat. I squirm, squeezing my thighs to ease the ache that is building, and inhale my ice cream so fast that I end up with a brain freeze. I close my eyes and press the palm of my hand to my forehead, trying to ease the pain. I set the bowl down on the side table and tuck myself under the blanket.
Finally looking over to where Burke sits, I see that he is done and I reach out to take the empty bowl from him. “I’ll set that on the table and take it in later.” When I pull it from his hands, a small amount of melted ice cream sits at the bottom like soup, and I end up pouring down my arm and onto my shirt. “Ssshhit.”
Burke sees my dilemma and immediately sits up, stretching over me and taking the bowl back. When he leans over, we are suddenly nose to nose, our peach and pecan laced breath mingling together. Our eyes lock and neither one of us so much as blinks for fear we’ll say or do something that we can’t come back from.
The bowl is removed from my hand and placed somewhere. I’m not exactly sure because I have yet to blink and neither hashe. My arm still hangs awkwardly in the air, cold and sticky, and my shirt soaks up the drippings. Burke’s Adams apple bobs up and down as he swallows and then he does something that seems like he was walking around inside of my head and taking notes of all of my fantasies.
He takes my hand and pulls it towards his mouth. “You made a mess. Let me help you clean up.” His tongue slides out and he licks my wrist, closing his mouth around it.
I expel a heavy sigh and watch as he moves from my wrist to my fingers. He pops one into his mouth, sucks on it, then removes it before proceeding to the next one. Each time I grow hotter and my heart beats faster. His movements are slow and measured and while I don’t think he means to, Burke is edging me to insanity.
When each finger has received a thorough tongue bath, I remain staring at him with the words I want to say stuck in my throat. I can feel my heart beating in my ears. Heat creeps up my body, licking my throat and crawling to the tips of my ears. I stare at him, desperation in my eyes and willing him to just kiss me alrea–
