Voices around the tank rose. A group of pubescent schoolboys was trying to score and tip me off my perch into the water. No doubt they wanted to see more of me, and drenched was the way to go. Unlike Ray, I didn’t have a bikini top beneath my tee, just my bra. Hopefully, Ray would be back before someone scored a direct hit.
A dark-haired boy grinned and blew me a kiss. I stuck out my tongue at him and didn’t care I was too old for that childish gesture. It was fun, and I hadn’t done anything like this in forever. I’d been too wrapped up in Devyn, and he was far too possessive, didn’t like me talking to guys, no matter the age. So this felt good…liberating.
The teen grinned and pitched the ball hard. Missed. “Dammit! So close.”
Laughing, I glanced at the far side. A familiar figure walked toward me with an easy gait that was utterly sexy and uniquely his. Even with the distance, the heat in his gaze scorched me—the seat under me shuddered and gave way.
Oh.Shit! With raucous yells of excitement and whooping from the boys, my own shriek was lost amidst theirs. I fell into the cool water of the makeshift pool.
Spluttering, I surfaced and wiped the water from my eyes. By the time I’d climbed out, Max was there. He reached up, hands on my waist, and lifted me down as if I weighed no more than fluff in my drenched clothes. “You okay?”
With a wry smile, I nodded, shoving my wet hair away from my face. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He gave me a quick kiss. “You’re great, you know that?”
“Aww, c’mon!” A whiny voice that sounded like he had a frog lodged in his throat protested. “I tipped her over. The least I deserve is a kiss. The jock did nothing but help her out.”
I glanced at the pale-skinned, redheaded boy, and snorted.
“She’s my girl,” Max said. “Only I get to kiss her.” At his cool stare, the boys laughed, raising their hands in peace before they shuffled off.
Ray hurried toward us, passing the boys, her face flushed from the exertion. Hastily, I stepped away from Max. I wanted her to hear about us from me, not flaunt our relationship in her face. She drew to a screeching halt—darn, she’d seen us—her gaze shifted between Max and me.
“Of course, dammit! How stupid of me.”
My face heated. “Ray, let me explain—”
“Sis, it’s cool.” Her eyebrow rose as Max drew me protectively to his side, then she shook her head wryly. “So that lover-like dance last night wasn’t play-acting, huh?”
“No,” Max answered.
“It looked real enough. Andyouaren’t that good an actor, Max,” she retorted. “I was too mad at Simi to pay much attention to you two. It makes sense now, all those questions you bugged me with when you first met her…damn!” Then warm hazel eyes met mine. “I’m really happy to see you finally looking at another guy, even if it is his ugly face. But Max—” She pinned him with a gimlet glare.
“Yeah, yeah, I recall the threat,” he drawled, one corner of his mouth tipping up, his fingers stroking my waist.
I inhaled a deep breath of relief, grateful that Ray had accepted us as a couple.
Max turned to me. “So, our afternoon’s free. What do you want to do?”
I raked back my wet hair. “Give me a minute, I want to get out of these wet things.”
After I’d changed into my dry clothes again, sans bra, we meandered the pathways of the fair, stopping at stalls to admire the goods on display. Spying one with trinkets, bracelets, and stuff, I dragged Max over because I loved little knick-knacks like that. After a little browsing, I selected a black leather plaited bracelet with Max’s initial woven in it for him.
“No, not that one.” He skimmed through them, dropped the M down and took the L and let me fasten it on his wrist. At another stall that held jewelry made from all kinds of stones—semi-precious to a few rare ones, he bought a pair of tiger-eye stone earrings—small oval drops that hooked into the earlobe. I lifted my eyebrow in question.
“They remind me of your eyes, fiery and dangerous when you’re riled,” he said with a hint of a smile.
“I’m not that bad.”
“No, you’re difficult...” I scowled. His smile deepened. “Stubborn, and beautiful.” He moved my hair aside, put them on for me then pressed his lips to my nape.
A shudder skated through me. He was making it so hard to keep this relationship in focus. I looked up and became aware of the stall owner’s stare. I’d avoided the fair last year because I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of people’s pity. Guess I couldn’t avoid it now either.
“They know you?” Max asked, his fingers stroking my neck after he’d finished putting on the other earring.
“Some. But you’re more noticeable than me,” I teased. Fishing in my pockets for my hairclip, I fastened my damp hair into a haphazard topknot and secured it. “They’re probably wondering what you’re doing with me?”
He shot me that rare killer smile that made me weak in the knees. “More like wondering how in the hell I got so lucky.”
