I clapped my hands together once and actually bounced.
"Did you just pull that out of nowhere?"
"Kind of," I answered, picking up my glass. "It happens sometimes."
"What are you calling it?"
I grinned. "The Libido Licker."
"Is that a promise?"
"Drink enough and it should be."
He laughed. The sound was low and throaty, and it rumbled across my skin. An unwelcome shiver went rocketing through my body, and I focused on drinking so he wouldn't notice the fact my entire body just reacted to a goddamn laugh.
"I have an idea." He tapped two fingers against the bar and shoved his glass at me. "Hold on."
I blinked as he disappeared through the doors to the kitchen before I could say a word. The creative high had disappeared the moment I'd gotten the recipe right, so I slumped against the bar and stuck a straw in my drink.
By the time Parker re-emerged from the kitchen with a tray in his hand, I was on my second glass.
This Libido Licker was dangerous. It went down too easily. It would be so simple to get drunk and do stupid stuff.
Parker set the tray on the bar. Hummus and snacks covered it, and I frowned as I took it in.
"I just ate. Why did you bring food?"
"The hummus platter," he said, glancing at my glass. "Did you already finish one?"
"Maybe." I walked around the bar, keeping the glass firmly in my hand, and grabbed a strip of pita bread. "Why did you bring food?"
"Because I have a feeling this could go really well with the drink."
Frowning again, I dipped the pita into the regular hummus and took a bite. I followed it up with a sip of the cocktail-and he was right.
"Oh my god," I muttered, dipping the bread again. "This is so good. It's like a wine pairing but not."
"That's because it's not wine." Amusement threaded through his tone. "It's a cocktail pairing. Put it on the specials board or something."
"Do you think you could pair more cocktails with food?" I asked, wiping the corner of my mouth with a paper napkin.
He shrugged a shoulder. "We'd probably have to do it together, but it wouldn't be too difficult to get the drinks that compliment the food."
"I never thought I'd say this, but you're a bit of a freaking genius."
His eyes met mine right as his lips tugged to one side.
Maybe it was the dark glint in his gaze.
Maybe it was the smooth curve of his lower lip as it spread into that half-smile, half-smirk.
Maybe it was the moment we found a middle ground, something we could agree on.
Maybe it was the-strong-alcohol.
Or maybe it was just insanity, because I placed my hand on his arm and pressed my lips to his. Soft, smooth, warm. It was the lightest of touches, and he didn't even move.
The ramifications of such a gentle touch were evident the moment I pulled away. With my eyes widening, I clamped my hand over my mouth and stepped back. My heart was thumping, and a horrified shiver tickled across my arms, making my hairs stand on end.
"Well," Parker said simply, "I guess we know the drink lives up to its name."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Parker
"I don't know why I did that." The words tumbled out of Raven's mouth, and she stepped back again. She'd barely removed her hand from in front of her face to speak and now it was back, stretched across the lower half of her face, covering her mouth completely. Her nostrils were flaring from the tiny gap she'd left herself to breathe between the top of her finger and her nose.
I didn't know why she'd done it either. The last thing I'd ever expected would be for her to kiss me. She was attracted to me-that was obvious from this morning with the pool table-but I assumed I'd be the one to break. Her control would never let her. Her pride would keep it contained.
But I hadn't broken.
I didn't know what the hell had happened, but I was pretty sure it was down to the mixture she'd put in the glass. She'd been a little too liberal with the tequila the last time around.
She was looking at me, though, and she didn't look drunk in the slightest. Her gaze was focused, and sure, her cheeks were flushed, but that was more to do with the fact she'd kissed me than she'd been drinking.
And now, she wasn't moving except for blinking at me. I didn't know if she was shocked or horrified or both, but I knew one thing so clearly.
That kiss was nowhere fucking near enough.
My fingers twitched with the desire to grab her and kiss her properly. To make those damn blue eyes flutter shut. To make her red fingernails dig into my arms. To make her heart pound.