He only grinned as she called him a tease. Fact was, she was the tease. A first-class, horribly horrid tease. She touched him and sashayed around him and laughed in that lilting sort of way that made his gut twist in a pleasant and hopeful manner all the time. And then there was the way that she always hung on his every word and batted her lashes at him.

She was the tease and there was no two ways about it.

He didn't say that, though. There was little point in doing so when she would likely only argue it with him or give him a look. She was good at those.

"It can't be a surprise if I just tell you what it is," he argued, leaning over and poking the tip of her nose with his finger, "and you can tease away all you want. I still know you want me."

Leaning back, he popped the top off the fire whiskey and took a mouthful, which only caused him to start coughing as it burned down his throat nearly making him spit it out. He'd only ever had a sip of the good stuff once before. Wiping his hand across the back of his mouth, he held it out to her, his eyes watering and his voice a bit of a croak. "Here. Try this. And I'll get the surprise ready. If you want me to."


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