Fortune's Perfect Match. Allison Leigh

and even though she was more interested in her dinner companion than she was in the dinner itself, the spicy aroma coming from her plate did its magic and she tucked into the meal, feeling more ravenous than she’d expected.

      Two bites in though, she realized just how spicy the dish was. “Oh, my word.” She gasped, grabbing her water and downing half of it. “I’ve burnt off the top layer of my tongue,” she said when she finally set down her water.

      Max was grinning. “Didn’t pay enough attention to Julio’s warning when he described the dish?”

      “Evidently not.” She realized she was grinning, too. She couldn’t help it in the face of his.

      “Here.” He pulled the wedge of lime off the rim of her margarita and held it up. “Suck on this.”

      She didn’t know what possessed her.

      Maybe it was the fact that her palm was still humming from the touch of his against it. Maybe it was the way his lips canted up a little higher on the right side than the left when he smiled. Or maybe it was just the balmy evening, the flickering candlelight and the tinkling sound of water from the fountain in the center of the patio.

      Instead of taking the lime from him, she simply leaned forward and sank her teeth into the small wedge, closing her lips around it to suck at the tart fruit.

      His pupils flared.

      Time seemed to stand still.

      Finally, he let go of the lime and sat back. “You want to dance?”

      She slowly drew the lime from her mouth. “Okay.”

      And despite the fact that their plates were still steaming hot from the kitchen, he abandoned his chair and walked around to hers, pulling it away from the table.

      She stood, too, and felt a shiver trickle down her spine when it seemed as if she could feel his warm breath on her neck.

      Then he held out his hand.

      She dropped her glasses on the table next to her plate and set her palm against his.