"Penelope," she heard him calling behind her, "Stop right there goddess."
"Something wrong?" she asked innocently, turning and smiling at him.
"I know you have it, mama, don't play dumb."
Her eyes widened, "Have what?"
He came closer, his eyes darkening "The last piece of licorice. I saw you grab it from the table just before Gideon turned the lights back on. That's my licorice Garcia."
"Ha!" she said, "Why exactly is it yours?"
"Because I called it, then the lights went back on and you grabbed it."
She shook her head, "You don't call candy, you call shotgun in a car. Besides," she shrugged, "I don't even have it."
"Yes," he said, and now he came within a breath of her, "you do." He looked around her to the hands she was holding behind her back, "Give it."
She stared at him, then before he could re-act she pulled her arm around, taking a bite of her licorice and hiding it again.
He shook his head, "That's just mean mama."
She stuck out her tongue, licorice visible, and her eyes twinkling at him. She thought she'd won this particular battle when suddenly he moved forward, capturing her mouth, his hand on her chin, tilting her mouth so he could thrust his tongue inside.
Then just as suddenly he was pulling back….and chewing.
"HEY!" she yelled as she realized she'd been duped, "Not fair."
He shrugged, "Man's got to do what a man's got to do." He leaned forward and kissed her softly again, "Thanks for the candy, sweetness," he whispered before walking off, leaving her with half a licorice stick and a racing heart.