“You’re a manly, macho, rough, wild, hot guy kind of sweet but you’re sweet. I’m a mountainous swirl of frosting with a moist, rich cake as my core but you’re smooth, delicious dark chocolate that tastes good from the second it hits your tongue and makes you want more the minute it melts away.”

His grin got bigger. “Shit, Tess, you’re makin’ me hard again.”

I took my hand from his face and slapped his shoulder, snapping, “I’m being serious.”

His grin faded clean away and his mercury eyes locked with mine.

Then he whispered, “I know.”

I stared in his eyes and what Vance said hit me as truth so pure and undiluted, it felt like I was touched by a rainbow.

Vance thought he was the lucky one that he had his wife, and one of the reasons he thought that was because he knew she felt like she was the lucky one.

And I was lucky and so was Brock.

“We should go to Vegas,” I announced. “We’re on a streak.”

His brows drew together. “Babe, not sure you’re payin’ attention, but shit that’s flyin’ around us does not say ‘winning streak.’ ”

“I’ve got a naked hot-guy bad boy on top of me who proves you wrong.”

At that, his brows relaxed and he smiled.

Then I informed him, “You and your boys’ birthdays are next week and I’m telling you now I’m giving you and the boys an all-inclusive, five-star beach getaway for spring break for all your birthdays and I’m not taking any lip and I don’t care the shit that’s swirling. We’re going no matter what.”

His smile didn’t die when he said, “We’ll talk about it later.”

“We won’t. I’m doing this.”

That’s when his smile faded. “Babe, you’re not payin’ for me and my boys to go on vacation.”

“Honey, I need a vacation, you need a vacation, and the boys freaking need a vacation. So much, it’s got to be a really, really good one. And I don’t bust my hump baking cakes not to live the good life and give it to those I love. So I’m going to give it to those I love.”

“You got a bakery to launch.”

“I got a vacation to take.”

He held my eyes and I held his right back.

Then he decreed, “I’ll buy the plane tickets.”

“Brock—” I started to protest but he talked over me.

“Tess, I’ll… buy… the plane tickets.”

He was being firm in that way of his I knew he was taking charge of his woman so that firm was unyielding.

“Oh, all right,” I gave in and he grinned again.

His head dipped so his mouth was at my ear. “Now, let’s go back to me bein’ like chocolate that melts in your mouth.”