Which Lucy thought was hilarious.
As we start walking across the square toward my street, I ask, “Any other hidden talents you want to share with me?”
“I wouldn’t know. They’re hidden.” But then as we pause to let Barrel sniff a patch of grass by the diner, she smiles. “Let’s see. I can tie cheery stems with my tongue. I can run a seven minute mile. I’m a whiz at charades. I can recite every song on every Taylor Swift album in order. Is that talented enough for you?”
“I didn’t hear a word you said past tying a cherry stem with your tongue,” I joke.
Winnie nudges my arm. “Haha.”
“But I don’t believe you,” she murmurs. “You’re a nice guy, Ian. Defender of high standards, elderly women, and misbehaving dogs.” She eyes me, her gaze alight with something unexpected.
Appreciation.
“And me,” she adds, her voice low, trembling a little.
“You can defend yourself,” I tell her. “Of that I have no doubt because you’re an amazing, talented, and clearly strong woman. But I really like you, Winnie. And I will defend you and protect you and appreciate you.”
I don’t just mean at the festival. Or tonight. I want to grow a friendship with her and I want to date her.
Later.
Tonight I want to have sex with her.
Not only is Winnie a damn breathe of fresh spring air into my life, she made me see that I belong in Wanted. That I’m accepted and appreciated here and I feel really good about that.
I want her to feel just as good as I do right now.
I erase the space between us and brush my lips over hers, a barely there, teasing kiss.
Winnie is trembling and I can’t tell if it’s from the cold or from me. “Are you cold?” I ask, running my thumb over her soft cheek.
She shakes her head, staring up at me. “No, I’m not cold.”
“You’re shivering,” I murmur, pulling her against my chest, feeling the press of her breasts beneath her sweatshirt against mine.
“Because you’re doing funny things to my insides,” she whispers. “And you know you are.”
That is everything I want to hear. “It works both ways,” I say. “You’ve been doing funny things to me since the second I first laid eyes on you.”
“You’re not sleeping on the couch tonight, just so you know. And you’re not cleaning up the kitchen before you take me upstairs either.”
Oh, hell, yeah. Winnie has given me the green light and I’m all fucking in.
“The kitchen never even crossed my mind.”
It hadn’t. I don’t care about dishes in the sink if there’s Winnie in my bed.
“Are you sure?”
“You are the only thing on my mind, trust me.”
Her eyes widen. “I like the sound of that.”
Grabbing her hand, I whistle to Barrel. “Come on, let’s go.”
I swear the dog rolls his eyes at me, but he reluctantly and very, very slowly walks toward us. If dogs could drag their feet, this would be it.
“See?” I tell Winnie. “He’s already over my shit. Order is restored and Barrel obeys no one.”
