Seth rolled his eyes and got his ass in gear. He did not need to be humiliated in front of a puny teenager. But as he entered the storeroom, he swore he heard more giggles from behind.
Karlee was seated on a bar stool and, when she saw Seth, she patted the empty one next to her. Chris pulled out the folding table and began to lay out numerous containers holding a variety of foods, filling the room with tantalizing aromas.
Seth settled on his bar stool and watched as Chris removed each top with a little flourish, releasing the subtle scents of garlic, onions, basil, and even cinnamon. His stomach growled again.
Chris chuckled. “Hungry?” he asked as he quirked an eyebrow at Seth.
“Starving,” he admitted with a grin.
“Hey,” Karlee interjected, “I’m the one who’s starving. Remember, I’m eating for two!”
Seth rolled his eyes. “Am I going to hear that every day until you have that baby?”
Karlee lightly elbowed his ribs and laughed. “Yes, so get used to it!” Her eyes widened as she turned back to the table just in time for Chris to reveal the sweet dessert in the final container. “Cannoli?” She licked her lips.
“You like cannoli?”
“Does it have sugar?” Seth asked sarcastically. “If it does, then she loves it.” He earned another elbow to his ribs for that, but she laughed.
“I do. I love sweets,” she admitted and patted her barely rounded stomach. “But I’ve cut way back for the baby.”
“When are you due?”
She beamed at Chris. “First of August.”
Seth was getting impatient and shifted on his stool as he eyed some stuffed mushrooms. His stomach let out another loud growl.
Chris laughed again. “I think we need to get this guy fed,” he said as he grabbed the container with the mushrooms. “How about we start with these?”
Chris moved around the table until he stood in front of Karlee. She grabbed a plate and plastic fork from the table before she shot Seth a smug look and forked a mushroom.
“These are Portobello mushrooms stuffed with chorizo sausage, cheeses, and spices,” Chris said, thenstood in front of Seth.
He reached for a plate, but Chris shook his head. He used the fork in his hand to scoop up a smaller mushroom and lifted it to Seth’s lips.
His gaze locked onto Seth’s. “Open up,” he whispered.
Seth obeyed, barely registering Karlee’s moan as she sampled her own mushroom. His heart stuttered in his chest and his breathing stopped as Chris slid the fork between his lips and let Seth take a bite before he slowly pulled it back.
A riot of flavors exploded on his tongue and he moaned softly, his eyes still unable to look away from Chris. The taste was rich and creamy, and almost sinful, it was so damned delicious. The heat from Chris’s gaze had Seth’s cock pressing hard against his zipper.
“Mmm,” he moaned again, his eyes finally closing as he savored the taste. Was this the best thing he’d ever eaten? Or was it the hot man who fed it to him that made it so delicious? Seth swallowed and licked his lips. He opened his eyes to find Chris still staring at him, his cheeks flushed, pupils blown.
“I’ve never been jealous of a mushroom before,” Chris admitted quietly, his lips quirking.
Seth’s skin heated and he couldn’t stop the shy smile spreading across his face.
“Oh, my God! That was fucking amazing,” Karlee blurted. “More!”
Chris laughed and stepped back from Seth. “I’ve got a lot more for you to try.”
“Karlee, your baby can hear you. Quit cussing,” Seth admonished as he tried to pull himself together.
She leaned over as Chris began filling their plates with various samples. “Yeah, well, the baby can also hear you moaning in front of Chris. Hot and bothered much?” she teased, fanning herself and laughing.
Seth snorted, embarrassed. “Shush!” he hissed, then chuckled as she fanned herself again. Shit. His best friend was right. He did feel a little like a southern belle about to faint at the sight of a gentleman caller. God, he needed to get a grip.
For the next half hour, they sampled food, discussed menu options and recipes, and finally they delved into the possibility of working together and sharing the space next door. Chris was eager to have his own workplace and said he would love to teach. They discussed having contracts drawn up, but first they needed to get in touch with the landlord to see if they were able to rent the additional space.
Hearing the store’s front door bell chime several times, Seth realized he needed to head out front to help Gavin, knowing the kid wouldn’t be able to handle being up there alone with multiple customers. He slid off his stool and tossed his plate in the trash.