Page 71 of Noble Neighbor
“Now?”
“Now.”
Her lips twitched, and she stuck her tongue out, licking cream from the corners of her mouth. “Here?”
He groaned. “Here.” And he pressed his mouth to her, his tongue delving in for a quick parry with hers, ending the kiss with a lick across her lips. He pulled away and gave her a satisfied smile. “I’m good for a few minutes now.”
A light laugh burst from her, and Oliver’s eyes crinkled in return as he picked up his own three-layered slice and stuffed it into his mouth, taking a huge bite from it. She gaped at him. “That’s gross. You’re as bad as Hooch.”
“What?” The word was barely out his mouth when his eyes widened. “Hooch. No!”
But Oliver’s warning came too late, and Sunny’s gaze darted back down, only to see her dog lick his cream-covered lips, and her plate empty, except for two pieces of peanut butter cookie.
“Think Hooch won that round, sweetheart.”
“Ruff.”
“Gah.” Sunny lifted one of the cookie pieces and shoved it into her mouth. “Take that, hound,” shegroused but quickly pulled a face. She’d never acquired the taste for peanut butter in any form and swiped a hand across her mouth. “Gross.”
“Here.” Oliver held his cake in front of her. “Unlike other people here,Idon’t mind sharing.”
If she wasn’t so desperate to rid her taste buds of thecloying peanut butter flavor, she’d’ve noticed the mischiefin his eyes. Alas, she was too late,again, and only cottoned to his plan when she had cream and strawberries and cakestuffedinto her mouth.
“Oliver,” she spluttered, spraying out most the contentsonto the ground.
Shocked, she watched as Hooch, on alert and well trained by two girls who accidently dropped food to the floor all the time, quickly vacuumed the sidewalk, his tail wagging in pleasure.
She raised her eyes to Oliver, this time not being coy about licking her lips. “You owe me cream and strawberries. I was saving the top slice …” Her words trailed at the intense heat blazing from his eyes.
“I’ll buy you another slice. Promise,” he growled, leaning forward.
“Maybe this is not the place to continue your public displays of lust.” Sarcasm dripped from a voice they both knew far too well.
“Ah, hell,” Oliver muttered and passed her a paper napkin before facing the sheriff.
Sunny wanted to crawl under the bench. Instead, she wiped her mouth and turned to the man standingbefore her and Oliver, his look disdainful and as accusingas her high school principal when he’d caught her and Martin making out behind a classroom door. But dammit, she wasn’t fifteen anymore, and she went on the offensive. “Gonna issue me another ticket, Sheriff?”
Beau’s eye swung from his stare-down with Oliver to her and back to Oliver. “Can’t believe you’re falling for her innocent wiles,” he stated before stomping off.
Oliver turned to her. “You okay?”
She kept her eyes on the erect back of the town’s sheriff until he disappeared in the crowd.
“Sunny?”
“I’m okay, Oliver. Truly.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He tucked a strand of hair under her cap, lips curling up into a crooked smile. “Guess I forgot for a moment we’re sitting on Main Street.”
“We both did. Maybe we should keep the kissing to when we’re alone.”
“Probably a good idea.”
“And stay away from cream and strawberries,” Sunny suggested, looking at Oliver from under her lashes.
“Only in public, baby. Only in public.”
Sunny felt the promise woven into his words all the way through her body. Only Oliver made her toes curl.
