Rory saw her work down a lump of fear or disgust or angst—he wasn’t sure which was more accurate.
Then she followed suit and took a healthy bite out of her prawn.
Her eyes popped.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
But she chewed. Swallowed. Tawny eyes still outrageously wide.
“See, not so bad…,” Christian slyly coaxed.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Rory laughed. “She didn’t spit it into her napkin. She likes it.”
Bayli chewed some more, then slowly nodded. “It’s … sweet. Like, unexpectedly sweet. And you’re right. There’s a huge burst of flavor. Holy cow. It just floods the mouth and it’s so deliciously sweet.…” She shook her head. “I need better adjectives. I can’t just say something’s sweet. I need to be able to target all the nuances and really describe what something tastes like.”
“Don’t expect it to just happen overnight,” Rory told her. “We’ll work on it.”
“Wow, Rory,” she said as she peeled away the shell and dipped the prawn into the lemon aioli. “You do have a knack for goading me into things.”
“I prefer to think of it as broadening your horizons.”
She stared contemplatively at him, and Rory wondered if she was mulling over what he’d said to her when he’d been deep inside her on Sunday. About what he really wanted to do to her. That thought spiked his testosterone and he tore his gaze from her and glanced at Christian over her head. His friend wore an intense expression, as though considering all the sexual possibilities as well.
Rory’s eyes dropped to meet Bayli’s once more. “Try the oysters.”
“Not a chance,” she said without so much as blinking.
He grinned. “I promise you’ll enjoy it.”
“I know you’re all about me trying new things, but I’m not going to cave to everything.”
“We’ll see about that.” And he knew his grin turned mischievous. “Start with the oysters.”
“They’re slimy.”
“They’re not slimy. Let Christian show you how to shoot ’em.”
She shifted slightly in her seat. “Fine. If you’ll eat one, so will I.”
“That’s not much of a challenge you’re issuing,” Christian told her. “I like them.” He reached for one and used the seafood fork to loosen the shucked oyster away from the shell. Then he spooned on a bit of the red wine and shallot vinaigrette, put the shell to his bottom lip, tilted back his head, and sucked down the oyster.
Bayli squirmed a little in her seat. “What if mine doesn’t go down that smoothly?”
“Give it a whirl,” Rory said as he prepped one for her. “Just let it slide down your throat.”
She inhaled deeply. Took the shell from him. Let out a stream of air, then perfectly imitated Christian.
Rory didn’t miss the shiver down her spine. Nor did Christian, he was sure.
“Oh…,” Bayli said on a long sigh. “That was … I … That was … so exhilarating.”
Her thighs pressed together. Rory’s cock instantly swelled.
She reached for another, only this time sprinkling his special hot-sauce creation on the oyster. She shivered again as it went down.
“Kind of a rush,” she said, her eyes sparkling.
Rory’s head lowered and he whispered, “I won’t steer you wrong.”