"They said it's this huge town celebration. Pie contests, local bands, dancing in the square. Louisa said she makes her award-winning peach cobbler every year."
"It's... a thing, yeah."
"I want to go."
Every instinct in my body screamed no. ”Steph, I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not?" She sat up, and I could see her getting defensive.
"Because you'll be in public. Exposed. There'll be hundreds of people, and if even one person recognizes you?—"
"So what? So what if someone recognizes me?"
"Your stalker is still out there."
"In LA. He has no idea where I am."
"You don't know that. One photo on social media, one person posting 'Look who I saw at the Copper Creek Festival,' and he could find you."
"So I'm supposed to hide forever?" Her voice was getting sharp. "Never go out? Never live?"
"That's not what I'm saying?—"
"It's exactly what you're saying." She straddled me suddenly, hands on my chest, and I lost track of my argument because she was naked and beautiful and using her body as a weapon. "Lee, I need this. I need to feel normal. To do something regular people do."
"Steph—"
She rolled her hips, and my brain short-circuited. "Please? I'll be careful. I'll wear a hat and sunglasses. We'll leave if anything feels weird."
"That's not fair," I groaned as she moved against me again.
"What's not fair?"
"Using naked persuasion to win arguments."
She smirked, hips rolling. ”Is it working?" She leaned down, kissed my neck, that spot that made me crazy.
"You know it is."
"So we can go?" Another roll of her hips, and I was gone.
"Fine. Yes. We can go. But?—"
She kissed me before I could list conditions, and then we were back to where we'd been before her phone interrupted, except now she was on top, in control, taking what she wanted with a confidence that made me forget why I'd been arguing in the first place.
"You're going to be the death of me," I said when we finally collapsed back onto the bed, both breathing hard.
"But what a way to go," she grinned, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
"You don't play fair."
"I play to win." She kissed me, soft and sweet this time. "And I really do want to go to the festival. I want to hold your hand in public. Eat terrible fair food. Pretend we're just normal people in love."
The words hung in the air between us. In love. She'd said it casually, like it didn't change everything.
"We are in love," I said carefully.
"I know." She traced patterns on my chest, not meeting my eyes. "That's what makes it complicated."
