Brock grinned. “Yournickname. I was at breakfast with Rachael, Jake, and a few others and we were discussing what your nickname should be. Wolf’s wife, Caroline, came up with a good one.”
Brianna pulled her head back, an incredulous look on her face. “Wait, what? Rachael Collins was talking about giving me a nickname?”
“Yeah, we all were.”
Now Brianna was smiling. “Oh my God, tell me what it is already.”
“Nope. Doesn’t matter. I think Badger fits you best.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You areterrible.”
“Yup.”
“Theworst.”
“That’s me.”
Her eyes narrowed again. “Wait. Why are you agreeing?”
He laughed. “Because I actually am being terrible right now, all on my own, without you pinning something on me. See the difference?”
“Gah!” She pushed him playfully. “If I say yes, will you tell me what my actual nickname is?”
He pretended to consider. “Well…”
“Comeon!”
Okay, okay, but only because you badgered me into it.”
“I did no such thing! You—” She pointed at him, grinning. “Ooohh…I see what you did there.” Her playful smile tantalized him.
“All right. Caroline thought you needed a nickname like hers—Ice—that describes what you did during the crisis. So, Jake was bragging on your behavior in the van and Rachael added that you’d already saved her life”—Brock savored the pretty pink blush creeping into Brianna’s cheeks at that—“so Caroline came up with Lifesaver.”
“Huh.” Brianna tilted her head. “Lifesaver.” She pursed her lips. “I like it. But what did Rachael think of it?”
“Oh, she liked it.” He chuckled.
“Okay, there is obviously more to that.”
“Well, she—” he had to pause through his laughter “—she wondered what flavor you’d be.”
Brianna’s mouth went as round as her new nickname. “Tell me, Brock, that you didnotsay cherry.”
He broke into harder laughter.
“Brock!”
He waved his hands back and forth. “I didn’t, I didn’t, I promise. It’s our secret.”
Brianna huffed. “Thank goodness.” She started walking toward the food vendors. Brock took two long strides to catch her. He grabbed her hand and she squeezed it.
“I’m sorry we just argued,” she said.
“That was an argument?”
“I think so.”
“Then baby, that was the most fun I’ve ever had arguing. Let’s do it again soon.”
