Vaarsuvius reached into the brightly coloured foil wrapper, and with delicate fingers broke off a piece of chocolate egg. Even in the shade of the tavern the chocolate was melting in the desert heat, and as Belkar watched the elf brought the chocolate to its lips, tongue slipping out to lick it off with agonising slowness. As a finishing touch, the elf slipped each sticky finger into its mouth in turn to lap up the last of the bitter sweetness.
The elf then repeated this ritual, without even looking up from the book held in the other hand. Seated a short way along the bench at the other side of the table, Belkar was uncomfortably aware of how much he was reacting to all this. Vaarsuvius seemed to be oblivious to the attention.
Belkar didn’t like his attention going unnoticed. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion that the elf was doing this on purpose, which was absolutely unacceptable. Nobody was allowed to be that tempting and without consequences. Pushing his empty beer glass to one side, he scooted along until he was sitting directly opposite the red robed mage, who continued to ignore him. He cleared his throat loudly.
“Hey, ears! I want some chocolate too!”
Vaarsuvius looked up from the book with an eyebrow raised nonchalantly, and observed him in a way than made the Halfling feel he was being read like a spellbook. “Certainly you may have some.”
Triumphantly Belkar reached over towards the chocolate egg, but the elf smacked his hand away. “Not like that.”
Vaasuvius was holding out a piece of chocolate towards him, which was already starting to melt against the elf’s fingers. Belkar stared.
“You’re kidding.”
“I am not.” The wizard replied, mouth curling into the hint of a smirk. “I will not have your grubby hands near my food.”
“But yours are okay?”
“Naturally. Now be quick or this is going to melt.”
Curiously the Halfling leant forward and curled his lips around the elf’s fingers, and licked the chocolate from each slender fingertip. After a moment he sat back, licking his lips and watching Vaarsuvius’s face for any hint of a reaction. The elf appeared unfazed.
“What was that about?” He demanded as the elf’s hand reached towards the chocolate egg again.
“You asked for it.” Vaarsuvius said, leaning forward across the table. “Now would you like some more?” the elf enquired, and placed a piece of chocolate between its lips.
