“We have a tie,” he said when she lifted her face from his shoulder. “We’re going to share our dessert like civilized people.”

“Are you sure about that?” Her triumphant grin had him twisting his torso to see where her outstretched arm went. Her index finger was poking into the picnic blanket. “Ha! I won. It’s all mine.”

He lay back down on the grass in defeat, but Tara didn’t get off him right away. She smiled down at him for a moment before lowering her head to plant a kiss on his cheek. He nearly swallowed his own tongue. Weren’t they supposed to appear platonic? To hell with platonic. He felt the caveman in him rise, and his fingers dug into her waist. Their eyes met, and their breath quickened. He lifted his head off the ground, and Tara lowered hers, her silky hair forming a curtain to one side.

“You guys. You guys.” Gwen’s clear, ringing voice interrupted them once more. Dammit. What happened to his alone time with Tara? “My mom says we have to go now. Thanks for being the prince, Seth, even though you really didn’t do much other than sit on a tree branch. But, Tara, you were such an awesome dragon. I want to be a ferocious dragon next time. It’ll be so cool.”

“We had fun, too.” Tara smiled warmly at the little girl.

“It was great meeting you,” Seth said sincerely. She and her friends were too adorable. “Sorry I wasn’t more interesting, locked away in the tree. Next time, I’ll recite a poem or something.”

“You’re silly.” Gwen giggled into her hand. “I have to go now. You could go back to kissing or whatever.”

Belatedly, Seth realized he was still holding Tara firmly by the waist as she lay on top of him. Not that he minded. They should listen to Gwen and go back to kissing or whatever. But as anticipated, the moment was over and Tara scrambled off him and dusted imaginary grass off her leggings.

Needing a moment to gather himself, Seth sat down on the picnic blanket and set out the desserts for Tara. “You won fair and square, so here’s your bounty.”

“I’m not a total monster,” she said, settling down across from him. “I’ll let you have one bite.”

“That’s all right. I’m happy to watch you eat all the dessert,” he said in a low, teasing voice. “Just remember to do it slowly.”

“Shush for a minute. This is going to be fun.” Tara rolled her eyes, but color blossomed on her cheeks. “There’s this Korean food-fighter show where one contestant doesn’t get to eat with the rest of his friends. But as he watches them eat delectable, mouthwatering entrée after entrée, he can choose to ask for one bite. Only one. Basically, he piles up a spoon with all the food he can fit on it, and shoves the giant spoonful into his mouth all at once. You’d be amazed how much food can be piled onto a spoon. Anyway, that’s my offer. The one bite chance.”