Chocolate Goodies Read Online Free PDF Page A

food out, arranging it attractively on the table.
    “We have scallops with a sea garden topping, deep fried stuffed crab claws, Peking duck, Maine lobster, fried rice, and for dessert, mango pudding and Chinese pastries,” Ransom told her.
    “Wow,” she murmured. “I think I’ll have a little bit of everything.”
    “You are a woman after my own heart!” He chuckled and picked up the chopsticks.
    “Are you really going to eat with those things?” Coco asked.
    “Aren’t you?”
    She shook her head. “Oh no, that’s not part of my skill set.”
    “You have to try it,” Ransom said. “C’mon, I’ll help you. Just watch me and then you do it.”
    Coco put forth a valiant effort to eat with chopsticks, but ended up laughing at herself. “Okay, I give up. I’m using my fork or I won’t be able to enjoy dinner.”
    “You were doing fine.”
    “Yeah, right,” she said, pointing to the stain on his silk shirt. “That’s why you’re wearing some of our dinner. Seriously though, I’m real sorry about that and I’ll be more than happy to pay for the cleaning.”
    Ransom waved away her concern. “Don’t worry about it.”
    Coco stuck a forkful of lobster in her mouth, savoring the flavor. “This is delicious.”
    “Have you tasted the duck?” he asked.
    “I’m trying it now.” She sampled the tender meat and nodded in approval. “It’s really good.”
    Coco took a sip of her iced water. “So tell me something,” she said. “Why are you always playing rap music? Most of that stuff degrades women and glorifies gang life, right? I would think that it goes against what you stand for.”
    “Have you listened to the lyrics?” he inquired.
    “Not really,” she admitted. “I can’t stand hip-hop, so I don’t really pay attention to it. I’m more of a classical music and old school R & B kind of girl.”
    “I think you should be more open-minded when it comes to music, Coco. All you heard coming from the center was hip-hop and you immediately assumed it was bad. You didn’t even bother listening to the lyrics. If you had, you would have realized that it was gospel or Christian hip-hop. I don’t know if you’ve realizedthis but classical music has been sampled in several hip-hop songs,” Ransom explained. “Nas skimmed from Beethoven’s “Für Elise.” Young Buck used beats from Mozart’s Requiem. Ludacris snagged from both Requiem and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9. ”
    “I didn’t know that,” Coco said. “That’s pretty interesting—this whole hip-hop, classical com bi nation.”
    They continued to talk about music while they finished their meal.
    Afterward, Ransom drove her home. Since it was their first date, he didn’t want to keep her out too late and sought to end the night on a high note.
    She was still on his mind when he pulled into the garage at his home in Santa Monica.
    Coco had a wonderful sense of humor. He had enjoyed the evening with her. Ransom smiled as he recalled how clumsy she was with chopsticks. She’d been laughing so hard at her inability that the results had been disastrous. He glanced down at his stained silk shirt. It was ruined, so he decided to toss it. The evening had been worth it, however. Ransom was looking forward to seeing Coco again.
     
    Coco had misjudged Ransom completely.
    He was a really nice person who cared deeply for youth in the community. He was also a lot of fun, she admitted to herself.
    He certainly is a good sport. I don’t think I’d be that nice if someone ruined my silk blouse.
    Okay, so I know I wouldn’t be as magnanimous.
    Coco loved the way his kissable lips parted whenhe laughed that deep, throaty laugh. He was a very handsome and sexy man. She thought about the sensual product line in her store. She’d sold quite a few of the items, but had never tried them herself. She really wanted to try the body frosting, since she had received such rave reviews on it.
    Okay, so I’m totally in lust over this man. Maybe I should