Sailor Proof (Shore Leave 1)

Oops. I’d totally forgotten to tell Derrick the rest of my plan.

“Sorry. I get like this composing, too. I get a big idea and I want to do it right away. I’m so pumped that I want to start making certificates and prizes. Screw the rest of the scavenger hunt that we weren’t going to win anyway.”

“Yep.” Derrick took my hand and led me several steps out of the forest, right to...

“The path? You knew where we were the whole time?”

“Maybe.” Derrick didn’t look all that contrite. “Maybe I like being lost with you.”

“You are so getting lucky later,” I promised because it was that or collapse in a giant puddle of goo over his ability to say the absolute perfect thing.

“Counting on it.” Derrick sped up his steps toward main camp. “We can probably raid the art supplies from yesterday.”

“Seriously?” I stopped in the middle of the path to whirl on him. I hadn’t expected him to drop the scavenger hunt. Or want to help. “You’re simply going to follow along with my idea?”

“Why not? It’s a good idea. And you’re cute all fired up. Who wouldn’t want to help you?”

“Who indeed. Damn, Derrick, I—”

Derrick cut off my big sappy declaration with another kiss, which was probably for the better. Telling him how much he meant to me, how very much I liked him, wasn’t going to change reality. But like him I did, everything from how he kissed me to the bounce in his step as we hurried to the dining hall building. I was the one with the big idea, but he was right there, handing me colorful construction paper and locating a tub of markers.

“Okay, put me to work.” He grabbed a blank piece of paper and attached it to a clipboard. “I can start a list for you of who’s getting what.”

“Organization. I love it. Knew you were good for something.” I made stacks of the various colors of paper, trying to visualize how I wanted the certificates to look.

“Hey, I’m good for lots.” Already he had a neat list of names in blocky handwriting, the sort of initiative I found super attractive. I was used to pulling off projects like this without assistance, and having him help was a much-appreciated novelty.

“Yeah, you are.” Leaning in, I gave him a fast kiss.

“Don’t tempt me into forgetting your big plan.” He turned me back toward the table. “Work first, then play.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“Gladly.” He gave me a look with enough heat to melt a box of crayons. Damn the way he fired me up. He distracted me from work in a way that nothing else ever had.

“Oops.” Too busy cataloging all the shades of amber in his eyes, I accidentally smeared the glitter pen I was outlining a name with. “Hopefully Lila doesn’t mind a little extra glitter on her sign.”

“Never too much glitter. One year I made ornaments with my grandma. I was in middle school, much too cool for crafts, but she insisted. I found glitter in my hair for weeks, but it was worth it for how much her friends raved over the ornaments we gave them.” Derrick’s nostalgic tone made me wish yet again I could have met his grandmother, if only to thank her for raising such an amazing human.

“That’s awesome.” Handing him Lila’s sign to put with the other finished ones, I started the next. “I love your stories about her and her friends.”

“They were quite the group. A few of them are still kicking.”

“Really? We—err, you should totally road trip to see them.” I stopped just short of volunteering myself for another vacation with Derrick.

“Maybe. I send cards as I can when I’m stateside.”

Derrick’s thoughtful tone made me weirdly hopeful he might take my suggestion. And if he did, then maybe I could renew my bid to join him and...

And what? I could already hear the playlist, but I had to drop my fantasy even if I loved the idea of Derrick and me and the open road and not a relative in sight. A vacation just for the hell of it, just the two of us, no fake relationship, simply because we liked hanging out.

“Bet they appreciate the contact,” I said instead of pressing my idea.

“I think they do. It was fun to send a picture of my car to Flora, the lady who taught me how to change oil. She sent a reply saying I overpaid, but also Grandma would have been proud at me saving up for it.”

“I’m sure she’d be proud of you for all sorts of reasons.” Reaching over to his chair, I gave him a fast one-armed hug.

“Thanks. I think that’s why I like being around your family so much.” Derrick added my next sign to the pile, straightening them into a precise stack he was cross-referencing with his list. “It reminds me of the best days hanging with Grandma and her friends, the friendly bickering with an added benefit of seeing what cousins and siblings would have been like.”