Page 53 of The Heart of Winter

For a moment, his gaze flickered from my face to my cupcake. Damn. It almost felt like a challenge.

I dug into my grilled chicken, eating quickly, while Winter, in contrast, ate with slow, refined movements, chewing with precision while I swallowed down hefty bites.

Silence hung between us, but I could feel something in the air, this strange, charged excitement, almost like static electricity.

Finally, with my plate cleared, I picked up my cupcake.

"Mmm… so thick," I stated, inspecting it. "And all that white frosting on top… Mmm, I have to lick it off properly."

Winter slowed his chewing, his eyes, probably involuntarily, locking onto my face.

I started by dragging my tongue in a slow, deliberate circle around the top of the frosting, making the motion as suggestive as possible.

"Mmm… delicious… dripping this white sweet fluid…"

I heard it, clear as day: his heartbeat picked up slightly. And on his pale cheeks… was that the faintest hint of a pearly blush?

I worked my tongue skillfully, curling it around the peak of the cupcake, licking it off with an expression that left little room for interpretation.

"Time to swallow…" I murmured, giving him a slow blink. "Mmm, so creamy… slides right down the throat, yeah, more…"

Winter had stopped eating his salmon entirely.

His narrowed eyes stayed locked on me as I finished licking off every last bit of frosting. When I finally bit into the cake itself, I noticed it was slightly pink inside.

"Huh. Almost looks like a scent gland," I remarked, deciding to push things in a more anatomical direction.

Then, right in front of him, I extended my mating teeth from my gums.

Not many people could do that outside of a high state of arousal, but I… well, I had a hybrid drive, both alpha and omega instincts fused together. I had perfected this trick a long time ago.

Winter froze. Literally froze. I sank my mating teeth into the cupcake, biting down like it was a swollen gland.

I heard the slight sound of him swallowing. Then, without a word, he pushed his half-eaten salmon aside, picked up his own cupcake, and—

I stilled mid-bite, staring at him.

We locked eyes again.

Winter’s sensual lips parted slowly. Then he took the entire ‘head’ of the cupcake in one go, pushing it deep into his mouth, so deep I thought he might choke. But no! The fucker was good.

When he pulled back, there wasn’t a single trace of mint frosting left.

I stared at him, speechless.

Winter swallowed, his throat moving subtly. Then his eyes glinted as a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Gotta know the right technique," he murmured.

"Wow, impressive! And no gag reflex," I added, slightly jealous, feeling a small throb in my pants. "Damn. Wish I could practice more."

Winter gave the slightest shrug.

"There are more cupcakes at the counter."

"But only one was snowy white," I said smoothly. "Would you really want me practicing with others?"

Winter’s face shifted, just a fraction, so lightly it was almost imperceptible.

---