"Get away from me with the chocolate sauce."

"It's not chocolate sauce," Hunter said innocently. "It's war paint. Where were you?"

"I was busy being horrified that you were telling them to wear their food rather than eat it," Cam informed him. "They're six, Hunter. They don't need that kind of encouragement. Half their food winds up on their clothes anyway."

"Yeah, see?" Hunter acted as though Cam had just agreed with them. "I taught them to be careful where they put it. Chocolate under their eyes is not the same as flying spoonfuls of ice cream, and believe me, that's the way they were headed."

His real problem, of course, was not that Hunter had drawn chocolate stripes on the kids' faces while they were supposed to be making ice cream sundaes. It was that Hunter was now trying to do it to him, and they really shouldn't be that close right now. All it would take was a few more seconds, and his self-control would be totally shot.

Hunter would laugh if he found out that Cam thought his way with kids was touching, adorable... sexy. But he did, and what he had expected to be an obligatory and annoying afternoon of babysitting--mitigated only slightly by Hunter's presence--had turned into something entirely different. While Hunter pissed off everyone from pre-teen on up just by being who he was, he became familial, solicitous, and startlingly affectionate in the company of anyone under ten.

It was a ridiculously powerful turn on.

"Hold still," Hunter was telling him. Cam had let him sneak up on him with no more than a token glare for his obvious intent. "It won't kill you to get in the spirit of things."

"We're supposed to be cleaning up," Cam pointed out, trying not to watch Hunter squeeze chocolate syrup onto his fingers. "I think the time for war paint is over."

Hunter applied chocolate to either side of his face with his thumb and forefinger. He dabbed the last of it on Cam's upper lip as he lowered his hand, smirking when Cam licked his lips automatically. "Shows how much you know."

They kissed gently, comfortably, but neither of them pulled away afterward. The moment stretched just long enough that the invitation was obvious. Cam leaned into him, craving touch in a way that he usually ignored, overlooked, or just... didn't. Today he wanted it, wanted to prove to himself that the affection Hunter gave the kids so easily was his too--his for the asking. His for the taking.

The muscles in Hunter's arms rippled, fighting their natural urge to wrap around him. He had learned caution when it came to holding Cam for any length of time. Usually Cam appreciated his restraint, but today he wouldn't have minded having the breath hugged out of him. He settled for kissing, mingled breath, and the taste of chocolate on his tongue.

He felt Hunter's fingers against his neck, clearly fighting a losing battle to keep his hands to himself. Only when it dawned on him that they were sticky did he object, reaching up to catch the offending hand as he drew away. "Are you trying to cover me with chocolate?" He was dismayed when his voice came out a lot huskier than he'd intended.

Hunter didn't seem to mind. Watching him through half-lidded eyes, he didn't bother to close his mouth as he smiled. "Wouldn't be such a bad thing," he drawled.

Cam lifted a hand, but it was Hunter's turn to stop him as he leaned forward. "I got it," he murmured, tongue flicking over Cam's skin. Cam tilted his head without thinking about it, closing his eyes as Hunter's mouth made its way across his neck. He wasn't convinced that would solve the problem, but at this point he didn't really care.

Fingers brushed against his mouth, and his lips parted involuntarily. He could smell the chocolate even before his tongue darted out to lick fingers Hunter hadn't bothered to clean. Hunter made a sound, and he felt teeth graze his skin as Hunter buried his face in Cam's shoulder. He smiled a little, taking two fingers into his mouth and sucking gently on them.

Hunter surged against him, his free arm locking them together as he rocked his body against Cam's. "Playing with fire," he growled, the warning made all the more real by the shudder in his voice.

"Yeah?" Cam breathed, the tone making his heart race. He continued to lick the chocolate off of Hunter's fingers, pausing just long enough to murmur, "What are you going to do? Burn me?"

Hunter actually choked, although it was an open question whether he was trying to stifle a groan or a chuckle. "God, Cam... we have got to get you and chocolate together more often."

Cam drew back, Hunter lifted his head, and before he knew what was happening he was pressed up against the counter with Hunter's tongue in his mouth and hands that were making no effort to be polite on his skin. He knew he was still wearing his clothes--he had to be--but when Hunter set his mind to making out he could make a winter jacket feel like nothing. T-shirts weren't even a challenge.

A scream from the next room made them break apart, and for a single moment it was just Hunter's heat pressed up against him and blue eyes burning into his. The childish scream was followed by the sound of running footsteps, and Hunter wrenched away from him. Cam gasped, trying to gulp enough air to even out his breathing.

One of the boys pounded into the room, a little girl in hot pursuit even as the boy took refuge behind Hunter. "I didn't do it on purpose!" he hollered, cringing as the girl put her hands on her hips and stamped her foot at Hunter.

"He knocked over my ice cream," she declared, her voice escalating as she glared at her cowering rival. "He says I should clean it up! I didn't knock it over!"

Hunter caught Cam's eye over their heads. "You, me, and chocolate," he said, as though the kids weren't even there. "Later."

The little girl was just staring at him, but the boy dared to take a step out from behind cover and look up at him curiously. "Why are you giving Sensei Cam chocolate?" he wanted to know.

"Because he helped me clean up a sundae when I made a mess with it," Hunter told him seriously. His gaze flicked to Cam just for a second, and he winked. "So now I have to do something nice for him, to thank him."

The boy gave his pursuer a dubious glance. "You think if I clean up her sundae, Melinda will do something nice for me?"

Hunter grinned. "She might stop chasing you," he said. "But I've got a better idea. I'll clean up the sundae if you'll make Melinda a new one. Cam can help you, okay? Melinda, you're going to have to show me where the ice cream spilled."

The girl was pouting. "But he won't make it right," she protested.

"Maybe next time you won't leave your ice cream sitting on the floor," Hunter countered. Melinda closed her mouth, and Hunter glanced over at Cam again.

He couldn't help it. If it had been anyone but a couple of six-year-olds, he wouldn't have done it at all. He licked one of his fingers, stuck it in his mouth--just like a little kid. Or not. He saw Hunter's eyes narrow, and he barely kept himself from smiling.

Hunter cleared his throat as he guided Melinda toward the door, making his voice as light as before when he spoke. "Don't think I'm gonna forget, Cam," he called over his shoulder. "I'll thank you for that later!"