I unwrapped it and picked up the cannoli to look at the end although I could already tell it was correct. The dark chocolate was easy to see, and I smelled the familiar raspberry chocolate scent. I knew my mouth had widened into a huge grin, but this was either an excellent guess since they made seven different types of cannolis, he was a mind reader, or someone had given him this information. I lifted my head to meet his knowing smirk.
“That’s a very good guess,” I pointed out.
He shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“I have more than one favorite though,” I added just to be difficult. Now that I knew he had somehow found out my favorites. This was fun.
“Really? Well, why don’t you check that bag more thoroughly,” he drawled.
I rolled my cannoli up and put it back in the bag then moved a second cannoli out of the way to find a larger item wrapped on the bottom. Taking it out I couldn’t see it, but I knew. I just knew. It was the correct size and as I unwrapped it, the sweet cinnamon smell rose to meet my nose. I laughed as the paper fell away and the correct croissant was in my hand. This time when I looked up at him his former smirk was a victorious smile.
“Okay, you cheated. Yummy’s has too many things for you to nail this spot on.” I paused then added, “Not that I won’t agree to your terms of the challenge. I just need to know how you pulled this off.”
I was getting to spend my day with him, and I was thrilled. Protecting my emotions were apparently shot to hell since I reacted like this to the man. How had he gotten to me so easily? I was normally more careful. Eli was becoming more and more of an addiction. I lit up when I saw his name on my phone. Even the text messages I got from him made me smile.
“I’m all knowing,” he replied, and his eyes held laughter. It was so rare to see that in those green pools that my heart warmed. He was lying of course, but he was happy. I was making him happy. The darkness that he carried with him was showing up less and less when we were together, and every little breakthrough made me let down my own walls even more.
Oh, who was I kidding? I had no walls where he was concerned. I’d already accepted it. I needed to stop thinking I had any willpower left against Eli.
“You, sir, are withholding the truth. But I want to eat, so let’s go upstairs,” I said then spun around and started toward the stairs. The smell of the food and the joy I was currently feeling made me hungry. I reached inside and pulled a cannoli from the paper wrap then took a bite.
“Mmmm, God these are like heaven,” I moaned as I chewed it slowly.
When we reached the loft, I had left the door open in my quick escape to go let him inside as if I didn’t he would disappear. Walking in without having to open the door was good since I had a bag in one hand and a cannoli in the other. I had to tilt my head back and catch some of the chocolatey goodness trying to fall out of the end I hadn’t taken a bite from.
Closing my eyes, I savored it and then licked what I had missed from my lips. Once I was finished, I set the bag down on the kitchen counter and turned to see Eli watching me closely. His eyes were darker now but not in a bad way. More of an . . . excited way.
“You keep eating like that and I’m going to have you naked and pushed back on the bar stool with your legs straddling me.”
His words made every nerve in my body come alive that weren’t already slightly humming at the sight of him. I inhaled deeply and the beating of my heart was in my ears. I would gladly strip my clothing off for him and sit down on this stool if he asked. My stomach was no longer important, but the sensitive area between my thighs had now started to ache in a deliciously painful way.
“Oh.” I may have sighed as I said it. I was out of breath and we hadn’t done anything. I’d taken several baths with a toy the past few days thinking about the first and only time Eli and I had come together.
I had wished more than once that he’d climbed on top of me Friday night or Saturday morning. Or sometime in between. My entire body began to tingle when I thought of how good he felt. He was larger than any of my past sexual experiences and I now got why girls liked them bigger. I had always thought it would be uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. Not at all.