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“Mayor Chase has a goofy side. Who’d have thunk?” Carlotta leaned in, her chin resting in her hand as she examined me closely, a little too closely for my own comfort. “What other secrets are you hiding in there?”
I leaned in too, we were so close that I could see threads of gold and yellow in her eyes, and this close, they really did sparkle. “Tell me what you want to eat, and maybe I’ll tell you.”
Her eyes went wide in surprise and she sat back with a slow exhale. “I want one with all the Asian barbecue options.”
My gaze dropped down to the menu and I scanned the list, finding the perfect one to fit her wants as well as mine. “How about the Slow Roll Around the World?”
Carlotta looked down for a long moment and then back up with a slow burn of a smile. “I’m game if you are.”
When the server returned, I placed our order and turned back to this woman who I was now seeing in a whole new light.
“How’s your family?”
She shook her head. “Oh no you don’t, Mr. Mayor. You’re giving up your secrets first.”
I grinned again. “Nothing slips by you Carlotta. Maybe you should switch to politics.”
“I don’t think I’m diplomatic enough for politics, or as good at changing the topic as you are.”
“Off the record?”
She laughed. “You’re confusing me with Lacey, but sure Chase, your secrets are safe with me.”
She’d called me by my name, not my title, or a combination of the two. “Fine, you want to know a secret? I do combat sports. Boxing and kickboxing, Muay Thai and Jiu jitsu.” It wasn’t something I bragged about, because for me it wasn’t something to brag about, just something I did to stay fit and sane.
“Wow, so you’re like, some kind of undercover badass.”
“I like that you think so, but I’m not.” I played football in high school, but I wasn’t a star player or a bench rider, I was an all-right player. But in college and beyond, I’d won a few titles for my skills.
“Oh, don’t be modest now that the secret is out. Do you travel for tournaments and stuff like that?” Her eyes were lit, and her interest made me want to share more with her.
“Yes. Not since becoming mayor, but I have a few ribbons and trophies.”
“Wow, that’s really exciting. And impressive.”
“You think so?”
She nodded quickly. “Absolutely. I tell myself that getting my steps in each day is enough exercise for a woman my age, and here you are, working out for your health and for a competitive edge.” Carlotta shook her head as if she was at a loss for words, which worked out perfectly as the first few dishes arrived.
I wasn’t comfortable with the compliments, as much as I appreciated them. Her effusive words felt sincere, which only made me feel like a fraud. I wasn’t some badass, some tough guy, quite the opposite. “Not for a competitive edge, just because it’s something I enjoy, and I have earned the skills to qualify to compete.”
“Are there spectators at these events?”
“There are. Not like football or basketball, but the turnout can be impressive for the bigger tournaments.”
Her brows were knitted into a straight line. “Will you tell me the next time you have one? It sounds like something I have to see.”
“Um, sure.”
She flashed a quick smile and bit into the Brazilian barbecue. “Damn that’s good.” Her eyes closed, and she took another bite before they opened on me. “You have to try it.” She held her hand up to my mouth, a juicy piece of meat between her thumb and forefinger. “Come on, try it.”
Suddenly my zipper grew painfully tight, and I swallowed hard. What in the hell was going on with me? How could I be experiencing this physical reaction to Carlotta Montgomery, a woman I’d known since I was a kid? She’d always been beautiful with an abundance of curves, but I’d never reacted to her like this. After talking my body back from the edge, I smiled and opened my mouth. She slid the meat between my lips and pulled her hand back slowly, just as my tongue swept over her fingertips.
She gasped.
“That is spectacular.”
Her brown eyes were still wide, her mouth slightly parted in something that looked a hell of a lot like attraction. Desire. “Told ya,” she said, her voice slightly breathless.
