Every Little Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 2)

“Well I didn’t know if Lawson’s less than subtle suggestion was to aid you because you’re excellent at the ring toss, or to aid me because you’re bad. Now I know.” Vaughn grinned wickedly. “Rifle range it is.”

“Oh, damn it,” I muttered under my breath as I strode through the group toward him. “This way.”

Cooper Lawson and anyone who had spent any time with me at the fun park behind the boards knew that I was hopelessly inadequate at the rifle range. Weirdly brilliant at ring toss, but terrible at the rifle range. Which made no sense because didn’t they involve similar skills?

I was so going to get my ass handed to me. Unless Vaughn was worse than me.

Oh, who was I kidding? No one was worse than me at the rifle range.

“Hey, welcome to the rifle range,” the kid at the range said, sounding bored out of his mind. I was pretty sure he was Annie from the market’s kid.

“Ben, right?” Vaughn and I each took position behind a rifle. I felt the heat of our small group of friends at our backs.

A thoroughly entertained group of friends.

I was going to kill them later.

“Yeah.” Ben nodded.

“How much is it these days, Ben?” I nodded to the rifle.

He pointed behind him at two big signs. The first said, Five Dollars—Hit Three Blue Hens and the second, And Win Prize of Your Choice.

I’d never in my life hit one hen.

Vaughn handed over ten dollars.

“I would have paid for my own.”

He smirked. “Oh, I’d gladly pay a thousand dollars to see this happen, Miss Hartwell. Five bucks is nothing.”

“Hey, guess what? I don’t think I like you stick-free after all.”

Vaughn threw his head back in laughter, and I knew I’d just lied. I liked him stick-free. I liked him stick-free a whole lot.

Complaining under my breath, I picked up the rifle in front of me and took aim.

And missed.

I shot a look out of the corner of my eye and watched Vaughn lift the rifle and point it with expertise. He took aim. He fired.

One blue hen down.

Determined now, I tried again.

I missed.

Vaughn hit two more in the time it took me to miss once.

“Damn it!” I glared over my shoulder at Cooper, who was shaking with the effort to control his laughter. “Are you happy?”

He just laughed harder.

“Here.”

I jumped because the word had been said right in my ear. Vaughn had put down his rifle and was standing right next to me. Right in my personal space. I could smell his cologne and see the silver striations in the iris of his eyes.

My body tingled all over at his close proximity.