“Do you?” Celia said, abandoning any pretense at caution or being discreet. “I’d like to know more.”

“Do tell.” He didn’t act perturbed but amused, which irked and intrigued her. “Well, I would,” she said in self-defense. “There’s stuff I’d like to know before we, well…uh, get better acquainted.” He chuckled. “Such as what?”

Celia had a long list: Are you married? Do you have a woman or women in your life? Are you rich or poor? Do you have family? Kids? A dog or maybe a cat? She didn’t dare ask it all, so she sighed.

“Oh, just things like whether you’re single or attached, if you’re gonna’ walk in here tonight and stay, or if you’ll leave and I’ll never see you again.”

“Fair enough,” Byrd said. He’d finished his meal and thrust the empty bowl aside. “I’m single, no wife, no significant other, not even a girlfriend at the moment. As for after tonight, I don’t know and neither do you. I like to live in the moment and I’m here so the possibilities are endless and they’re ours.”

As far as she could tell, he spoke with honesty. His dark eyes shimmered with light, reminding her of the first faint light of morning or the last glimmer of dusk. Celia exchanged glances and nodded. A shiver of anticipation teased down her spine. “Then ‘laissez le bon temps roule’!” Let the good times roll, and if they lasted after tonight, c’est sie bon, and if not, then so be it.

In response he rose, pushed back the chair, and stepped back. Whether he reached for her or she came forward, Celia didn’t know or care. One moment they stood face to face, a few feet apart, and then he wrapped her in his arms. Heat blazed to life between her head and twat, a fire not started with the spicy food. This erotic burn spread outward and down until it consumed Celia. Just one thing would drown it, quench the fire, and she sought it. Her arms latched onto his shoulders, then clasped together behind his head. Byrd held her tight and close. They clutched one another, bodies pressed into one. His rank man-smell infused her with instant lust and his desire rolled toward her in waves. It enveloped her and she yielded without any fight. His eyes held hers with a piercing gaze and then he bent his head with a slow, graceful movement. Byrd’s mouth latched onto her lips with purpose and a steady pull. He wrapped his arms around her, almost like a dark cloak or wings, she thought, as her senses drowned in the intensity of his kiss.

Byrd stretched the kiss out long and slow, his mouth touching hers as delicate as a fluttering butterfly, soft as a fragile flower. Celia gave back what he offered and let his tender mouth caresses fuel her desire. He slipped his mouth from her lips and let it glide along the fine skin of her throat. Byrd used his teeth as he moved lower and he paused to nibble at the side of her neck with enough force she knew he’d leave a love mark behind. His fingers worked at the buttons on her blouse and undid them. Celia removed it faster than a snake shedding skin and bared her tits. He reached the valley between her breasts and the point of his nose poked at her flesh, sharper than she expected.

His tongue emerged to lick a trail downward. Byrd changed direction long enough to first lick, then suck her nipples, one at a time. Mon dieu! He delivered such sweet agony and showed no indication he’d quit anytime soon. Each tongue stroke caused pleasure to erupt across her sensitive skin and run through her body like electricity. Byrd reached the waistband of her jeans and paused. Celia fumbled to undo them with frantic hands but he reached out and caught her fingers. “Easy, there. We’ve got plenty of time. Let’s do this right, woman.”