With his pulse washing through his ears at what must surely be a dangerous rate, Fin took a steadying breath and slowly turned. Sweeney was dancing some kind of jig, the dying golden light of day gilding her against the blazing backdrop of lake and sky. At least her boobs were firmly tucked away now. Where they should always have been.
Instead of living rent free in his head for the rest of eternity.
Fin drew in a steady breath and repeated to himself—act fucking normal. Folding his arms, he shot her a look of faux outrage. ‘Sweeney Pearl Bailey, did you justflashme to get that ball past?’
She grinned as she picked up the ball. ‘Damn straight I did.’
‘I’m going to tell your mother,’ he sing-songed like they had as kids.
Sweeney snorted. ‘If you want to encourage their little fever dream, go right ahead.’
Crikey, she was right. Any sign of intimacy between her and him and they’d be incorrigible. ‘I didn’t know you had it in you to play so dirty.’
‘Maybe there’s a lot you don’t know about me now.’
Hmm. That was probably true but, having spent the last fortnight under the same roof, he was confident that she hadn’t changedthatmuch. Surface stuff, sure, but not the stuff that mattered. Not really.
‘What if it hadn’t worked?’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Call me a psychic but you’re’—she pointed to him—‘a guy. And these’—she jabbed a finger at her chest—‘are boobs. It wasn’t a stretch.’
Fin kept his eyes firmly trained on her eyes. Do not look at her boobs—do not.
‘Boobs,’ he deadpanned.‘Ewww.’He gave a faux shudder and wrinkled his nose, hoping it didn’t instantly grow a foot long.
She laughed. ‘Good try, buddy. If this had been summer and the gnats had been out, you’d have choked on an entire swarm of them just now.’
So, hehadbeen gaping. ‘Okay, fine, I’m a boob man, sue me.’
‘Shocker,’ she said with a grin.
‘Yeah, yeah.’ Fin’s heart rate had settled to normal now and he was enjoying their banter. It was familiar and he needed that after her little act had set them adrift in very unfamiliar waters.
Not that she seemed to be rattled by it at all.
Which was another discombobulating component of this entire scenario and just too damn much to wrap his head around after a day of things too hard to wrap his head around.
Best to just move the conversation on.
‘Here.’ He clapped his hands as he tipped his chin at the ball still wedged between her hip and her arm. ‘Throw it to me.’
But it seemed she had the devil with her tonight. ‘Oh, hell no.’ She shook her head, her eyes sparking mischief again. ‘If you want the ball you better come take it from me.’
Fin wanted to call a timeout to figure what kind of fresh hell this was, but she looked so eager and playful, bouncing on the balls of her feet, it was infectious. ‘Oh, really?’ he murmured, bending his knees into his defensive goalie position again, playing along.
‘Uh huh.’
He waited several beats, swaying from side to side just watching her, clocking the alertness in every line of her body despite the grin splitting her face. He lunged then on a burst of energy and adrenaline, roaring as he leaped forward. Her eyes bugged and she let out a little squeal as she reacted a split second after him, bursting into laughter as she turned and took off down the beach.
There was no way she could outrun him but Fin was loving watching her try, her ponytail flying behind her, her laughter following her down the beach, loud and free as the dusk kookaburra chorus.
‘I’m closing in,’ he growled as he quickly gained then deliberately decelerated a little to give her some more time on the run.
It was worth it for her sassy, ‘In your dreams, Finley William Murphy,’ which she tossed over her shoulder.
Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly where this scene was going to end up. And thanks to her cheeky little flash, they’d probably both be naked. Pushing that unwelcome thought aside, he kicked on a spurt of speed, as the jetty and the teenagers who were still making out fast approached on the lakeside.
Gaining quickly, he reached out to grab her shirt and yanked. She gave another little squeal as her forward momentum stopped abruptly and their bodies clashed. Twisting in his hold to try to break free, her breath was warm on his neck as she panted and laughed. Even as she tripped and went down—dragging him with her—she was laughing.
