I glanced over at her as my heart swelled in my chest. It wasn't love. It was infatuation to know the woman Cindy was talking about. I'd seen enough of that around the edges of the cold-hearted bitch that had Daniel laughing like a school girl, but I wanted to see more.
"I'm sure she is, Cindy, but she's not interested, and I'm not the kind of man who chases after a woman. I'm just not." I opened the bag of chips closest to me and walked over with a chip in hand. "Now, stop trying to sell me off to the nearest available girl and let me taste your dip."
She smirked and held out the bowl. "You're lucky that cowboy in the other room is so cute, or I'd let you do more than taste my dip."
I laughed. "Good to know."
"What are you two giggling over?" Emily walked into the kitchen and picked up the bag of chips. "Oooo, is this Cindy's enchilada dip?"
"No clue, but it's fucking amazing." I reached over for a few more chips as the flavor of the dip rushed across my tongue. It had to be one of the best things I'd ever tasted.
"It's the taco dip, but close enough." She gave us a sweet smile. "Do you guys really like it, or are you just being nice?"
"Just being nice. It tastes like shit." I grabbed the bowl and the bag of chips and walked to the living room. "I'll take one for the team and eat it all."
"No, you won't." Cora walked into the living room and sat down beside me.
Daniel dropped down beside her.
"What's the big deal with the dip?" He pulled his glasses off and cleaned them. "Is it really that good?"
"The best." Cora reached for the chips, but I pulled the bag away.
"What do you say when you want something someone else has?" I let my eyes move down to the thickness of her bottom lip, wondering how good it would feel pressed between mine. She had to taste like passion and feel like heaven.
"Give me the chips or I'll kick you in the crotch?" She smirked and reached for the chips.
I leaned in, unable to help myself.
Her breath caught as I paused just before kissing her and let my eyes move up to lock onto hers. Being close to her tore down my facade and stripped me for the moment.
"You say, please," I whispered and licked at my lips before moving back and handing her the bag.
The slight widening of her eyes and the fast ticking along the side of her neck left me with no doubt that she was at least curious. Maybe not interested, but curious.
"Please." She took a chip and dipped it into the dip before handing it to Daniel, who was standing up, looking around. "Here. Try it."
"Daniel," Dedra called from the porch. "Come here. I want to get you to look at this bite. I swear it's from a spider.”
"Coming." He took the chip from Cora and smiled. "Always nice to be needed even before I finish my schooling."
"You'll always be needed, buddy." I smiled at him and tugged the chips back from Cora before leaning back and pressing my shoulder against hers as she reclined into the couch next to me. "So, I know Emily can cook, and Cindy obviously can. How about you?"
"Looking for a woman who can fuck all night and still make you breakfast in the morning?" She glanced over at me, the emotion on her face drawing me in.
"Wow. That was almost a record for us, and we just met." I took another chip from the bag and dipped it in the creamy rose-colored dip. I lifted it to her lips and nodded. "Why do you keep bringing up sex, Cora? Is that all you think about when you look at me?"
She leaned forward and bit the chip, not answering me. "I'm getting a beer; you want one?"
"Yep." I pushed at her back to help her off the old couch and couldn't help but breathe in deeply as the scent that was uniquely her rolled over me. A mixture of coconuts and cinnamon. Delicious.
She handed me a beer as she walked back in and let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry."
"For not popping the top? You should be." I moved the chip bag from behind her and winked at her. "Derek gets a woman who loves to cook and totally gets why The Notebook is a make-out movie, and I get berated for being a guy with hormones. Typical Sunday night!"
She smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry about being an ass. I just-”
"No. Don't let up on me just yet. I was starting to think I needed to change my ways. Keep giving me shit, and I might turn into a good guy at some point this summer." I ran my finger around the side of the bowl and licked at it. "Fuck, this is good."