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“Is that chocolate I smell?”
Gus looked up at her as he held a bowl and stirred. “It is. Want to help?”
Curious, she moved closer. “What are you making?”
“Truffles.”
Her eyes widened. “Like your family’s truffles?”
He nodded.
She watched in fascination as he continued stirring whatever was in the bowl until it looked smooth and creamy. “What can I do?”
“Grab that block of chocolate and the grater and grate it into that bowl.”
She did as he said, but kept her eyes on him as he transferred the smooth substance into a pastry bag and squeezed small rounds onto a pan. He looked so focused, with his bottom lip between his teeth and his eyes narrowed.
He glanced over at her when he had finished, and she quickly returned to grating chocolate while he placed the pan in the fridge to cool.
Gus turned on the stove burner, placed a pot of water over the flame, and leaned against the counter. Merritt could feel his eyes on her as she continued with the task at hand. She felt his body heat as he came up beside her.
“Is this enough?” she asked.
“Keep going.”
She looked over at him. “Am I doing it right?”
He nodded, and she smiled.
When the water was boiling, he took the metal bowl from her and placed it over the water to melt the chocolate. Merritt was fascinated by this process. She’d never seen truffles made before. Once the chocolate was melted to the proper temperature—tempered, as Gus explained—he removed the pan from the fridge and showed her how to form them into balls and properly coat them in the chocolate.
“Oh my gosh, I’m horrible at this,” she said with a laugh after her first attempt came out looking nothing like his.
“It takes some practice.” He expertly submerged a truffle into the melted chocolate, producing a perfectly smooth coating.
“Okay, I can do that.” She tried again, improving a little.
He chuckled.
“Hey, at least I tried.”
“You’re doing fine for being a truffle virgin.”
She playfully smacked his arm.
“Here.” He grabbed a new truffle with the dipping tool and handed it to her before moving behind her and taking hold of her hand with his. He guided her hand to dip the truffle just so.
His body heat and warm breath against her neck sent unexpected goosebumps over her skin, and she looked over at him. His lip was back between his teeth again as he concentrated.
Then his eyes met hers for several pulse-increasing moments, and there was a sudden plop as the truffle dropped into the chocolate.
“Oops!” he said with a chuckle as he let go of her hand and fished it out.
They laughed at the mess it had become and went on to finish the rest.
When all was said and done, they had several shiny, perfectly coated Schultz Chocolate truffles and a few not-so-pretty ones.
“Here.” He handed her a truffle. “Try your masterpiece.”