A winning grin spreads on my mouth, and I throw my arms behind my head to rest against. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“Considering you have maple syrup in your hair, I’m fairly confident that you’re staying right here.”
Her fingers instantly go to her hair, and she pauses when she feels the goo. “Crap.”
“See? Told you maple syrup is evil.”
Grabbing my shirt from the side, I hold it to my body to avoid the floodgates of syrup spreading onto the mattress, then I stand and walk straight to her, drop the shirt, and frame her face with my hands.
She seems taken aback by my move, but positive, nonetheless.
Her lips are pink and swollen, sweet for sure. I want to kiss her, but I want to drive her crazy more.
I move to wrap my arm around her middle and pull her flush against me. Her breath catches when she feels the stickiness of my body bond to her skin.
“You’re nice and messy now too,” I proudly declare, and as tempting as it is to kiss her, I purposely don’t.
A chortle escapes her lips. “I need a shower now.”
“By all means, go on, but I think we both need to be cleaned up, and you seem like someone who cares about the Lake Spark water supply and lack of rain this summer.”
Her forehead falls forward into the crook of my neck. “That’s one point to you.”
“So, we’re keeping score?” I confirm.
“We’ll call it a tie.” Violet steps back. “Join me in the shower?” She offers me her hand.
“I mean, if you say please.”
I’m already scooting her toward the bathroom.
* * *
The waterin the shower rains down, and steam is already filling the room.
We’re both quick to discard our clothes, and I appreciate that we feel familiar enough around one another that it comes easily. Violet isn’t shy, but then again, I don’t think she ever is.
I hold the shower door open for her, as any gentleman should, and she steps in first, followed by me.
“Okay, I think I understand the fear of maple syrup. I just feel all… messy.” She grabs a bottle of shampoo, and the idea of her smelling of my soap is kind of hot as hell.
“Maybe we should just go all out then and get you completely filthy,” I murmur into her hair, letting my fingertips glide along the curves of her body. She swats me playfully, and I respect that she’s keeping us grounded. “It all started with a trip to a tree farm, you know.” I begin to lather soap against my stomach.
She grimaces over her shoulder up at me. “Do tell.”
“I was seven, and my father was insistent that I attend a business meeting with him up in Canada. It just so happened to be at the tree farm where they collect sap, it’s next to one of the hotels my father owns. There was a bucket of the stuff that was cooling after being boiled, and I’m not even sure how it happened, but I ended up with the glue all over my hands, and then I stupidly put my hands in my hair, and it just went downhill from there. Everything I touched stuck to me, and then we had to rip off things. It was traumatic.”
Violet giggles. “That’s it? No grizzly bear making an appearance? Just a lot of maple sap? Wow, thoroughly disappointing.”
“Trust me, the memory haunts me. There was also a time when my cousin threw a can of maple syrup at me because I pushed him into a pool. Did you know the best way to store syrup is actually in a tin can, just like olive oil? Anyway, I once had a broken nose after a game with Toronto, and I kid you not, after the painkillers they gave me, I was hallucinating about that damn tree and a can.”
She bursts out with another laugh. “Okay, okay, I believe you and shall never involve breakfast syrup in foreplay again.” She feigns a serious tone.
I gently pull her hair in reaction before tickling her side and drawing her closer to me, with her back against my front and our slippery bodies now connected. My hand rests against her stomach, and I feel her exhale as she relaxes.
“You were a good player,” she states.
