"I don't have a B game."
I lean in to give him the lightest of kisses. "No. You don't."
When I pull away, there's an odd look on his face. "Although there is something I want to tell you."
My heart drops.
Chapter 9
Landon
"You're beautiful," I say, and lean in to kiss her.
Laughing, she gives me a playful smack. "You're the worst."
I give a half-shrug, smirking.
Then I keep on paddling. It helps keep my mind clear. Or clearer, anyway.
Goddamn is she beautiful.
I keep fucking putting my foot in my mouth. Or maybe she's just jumpy. She has a right to be.
All I know is that I'm kicking myself for saying I'll paddle her around some more, when all I really want to do is kiss her. And kiss her. And take her.
How am I supposed to keep my mind on our surroundings when she's dressed in that sundress - the tight in and out of her waist, the flaring around her generous hips. Were her breasts always so perfectly sized? I itch to touch her. Stroke her. Kiss every part of her.
But that will have to wait.
"You like it?" I ask, as I paddle us into the cove.
There's a gazebo on shore, and some flowers, and no one but us.
"I'm pretty sure about three different friends have done their wedding photos here," she comments with a chuckle.
"Looks the part," is all I can think to say.
I used to figure you were the girl I was going to marry, is all I can think.
Whoa. Where did that come from?
Maybe Kyra and I were great in bed - OK, definitely. Still.
Times have changed. I messed things up all those years ago. I'm lucky she's going along with even this.
Clearly, my head's getting screwed up from how fast things are progressing. Maybe Kyra wasn't far off with wanting to take it slow.
Too bad my foot's jammed on the gas.
"There's the ice cream," I say, pointing at a little stall truck in the park.
It's a bit earlier than I expected, but if I'm thinking crazy marriage thoughts, then I clearly need to get the hell out of this boat. And some food in my belly.
We dock on the shore, and I help her out, having to pry my gaze off her ass.
You'll get that later - if you're lucky.
Damn lucky, by the looks of it. As we head for the food truck, Kyra's quiet - usually a bad sign.
"You OK?" I ask her, hand automatically going to the small of her back.
"Yeah, I..." She trails off, nodding.
"Yeah?"
"Just, thanks." God is she pretty when she smiles. Pretty enough to kiss. "For all this, I mean. It's way better than I expected."
"What did you expect?"
She shrugs, laughs. "I don't know, a walk? Feeding the pigeons?"
"OK, that was one time, and that was with my grandfather, OK?"
"OK, OK." She's chuckling now, and I am too. Even as it dies down, I can't seem to stop smiling. "So."
At the ice cream truck now, I pause. "So. Mint chocolate?"
"Not anymore."
"Oh, so you have changed."
"You have no idea."
There's something sad in the way she says it. Why do I keep feeling like she's hiding something from me, something big?
Goddamn am I hungry.
"OK... double chocolate?" That was her second favorite, I'm pretty sure.
"Nope." A smirk. She's enjoying this, the little minx. "Guess again."
I groan. "Chocolate caramel? C'mon, I have to be close."
"Cherry," she says, half to me, half to the bored tween with earbuds in her ears manning the ice cream truck. Clearly someone's kid who got roped into doing this.
"Damn it," I say, "Who are you, even?"
A vicious grin that stirs my cock. "The lawyer who's gonna kick your ass in court."
Fuck yeah, if I could just get her over to the shady part of the park, the part that's thick with trees and brush where no one goes, just me and her, then kiss her again, kiss her hard and stroke off that hot little sundress...
"Hello?" Kyra waves a hand in front of my face. "Earth to Landon - you getting anything? Because all you're getting of mine is a bite."
Oh, I'll be getting much more of you - and you'll enjoy it.
"Mint chocolate," I tell the even more unimpressed tween, who's looking to the heavens, clearly thinking, 'This is my life and it's ending one minute at a time'.
Once I've paid - a quick, cute struggle for the machine has me grab Kyra by the waist and tap the card reader as she thrashes in my arms - Kyra shoots me a death look.
"If you can't in good conscience eat your ice cream, I understand," I say in a faux-grave tone. "And will take it off your hands."
Gaze on me, she takes a big, long lick of it that hardens my cock even more. "Not a chance."
She's enjoying this torture.
Linking my arm through hers, I get us walking. That should take my mind off things. A bit.