Page 45 of Revenge Puck

Extra napkins.

I gesture. “Honors to you.”

Juliette hesitates before leaning toward it, delicate thumb and index finger plucking up one of the spoons, the thin gold stack of rings shimmering from the candle in the middle of the table.

She dips the spoon into the ice cream, and I watch, transfixed, as she slowly brings it to her mouth…her eyes on me all the while, lips closing around the silver.

Pursed.

Satisfied.

Juliette is not trying to be provocative but, in my opinion, she fails miserably. Doe eyes become heavily lidded as her pink tongue laps up the ice cream.

“Oh god. Wow.” She gives a little moan. “This isfantastic.”

“Is it now?” I ask, reaching for the glass. “My turn.”

She slides it in my direction, fingers lingering at the base like she’s reluctant to release it to me.

I don’t use the spoon; I use the straw.

Sink it down into the ice cream.

Wrap my lips around it.

Inhale, drawing a mouthful, eyes never leaving hers.

It shouldn’t feel like this—sharing sugar and ice and nothing at all—but there’s something about the way she watches me, like she’s gauging my reaction to it. Searching for more.

I reach for her spoon, and she lets me take it.

Dip it into the whipped cream, through to the ice cream and brandy, letting it collect the perfect bite.

Hold it toward her.

She leans.

Lips part.

I hold the spoon steady as she licks it clean, her tongue brushing the metal, hands still folded pristinely in her lap. A faint smear of whipped cream at the corner of her mouth as she swallows.

She doesn’t notice butIfucking do.

It gives me the perfect excuse to touch her. So, I reach across the table, brushing the corner of her mouth with my thumb, slow enough that her eyes widen in surprise.

She stills.

I wipe the cream away, a soft drag of skin against skin.

“Missed a spot,” I tell her, glancing at the pad of my thumb. Without breaking eye contact, I bring it to my mouth.

Suck it clean. “Mmm.”

Brandy. Sugar.Cream.

Tastes like she did.

Juliette giggles. “Sorry. We should order real food like proper adults.”