“This.” I grabbed the second glass.
His hands shot up, palms outward to stop me. “Blue,” he growled.
Noticing my narrowed eyes, he dropped his hands and stood still when I emptied the second glass over his head. Eyes on me, he hissed in a breath through his teeth while roars of more laughter bellowed through the restaurant.
“Now I’m happy,” I choked out.
“Good. Then you wouldn’t mind me hugging you, would you?” He lunged for me. Squealing, I tried to sidestep him, but he was too quick. He grabbed me from behind and held me tight in a grasp, not caring that everyone was watching or cheering him on. Even old Mrs. Tilly, the owner of The Shack, stood at the counter, grinning from ear to ear. Turning me in his arms, Shaye rubbed his wet hair in my neck and wherever he could, staining my white dress while I struggled to get free.
“Shay!” I half laughed, half shrieked. The sticky liquid made me cringe and I pushed at his hands.
He didn’t budge, continuing to mess me until he was satisfied. Calm finally descended on us, and Shay released me, both of us laughing at our stupidity.
“I smell like bubblegum.” I wrinkled my nose at Laika.
“At least Shay’s crotch smells like strawberries,” Samantha blurted, shocking us and the owner.
Grinning, Shay looked at her while I gave Samantha the death stare. “Sorry, Mrs. Tilly,” he apologized.
“All good, boy, nothing like a little fun for our hardworking soldiers.” Mrs. Tilly winked, her expression full of admiration. I bet she wished she was younger.
When he dragged both hands through his hair, unconsciously flexing his muscles as he did so, the female half of the restaurant gawked, and that sting of jealousy was back in place.
Quickly, I shoved it down when he turned to me. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.” He glanced at the girls before his eyes roved from my face down to my toes and back up, heating up my insides. I clenched my thighs to keep from moaning out loud. “Unless you feel like sitting here all sticky and sweet in that pretty white dress.” I didn’t know if his smile was meant to be playful or sexy, either way the underlying meaning to his words were the only thing I heard.
Stop it, Skye!
Last time he left for sixteen months because of an unhinged moment, I didn’t want to lose him again. “Sure.” I kissed the girls on their cheeks, promised to meet the next evening for a party, and walked out with Shay’s arm around my neck. Surprisingly, there was no awkwardness now and I internally rejoiced. Glad the time apart had put us back into that space we occupied pre-kiss.
On the way home we chatted about the happenings in town since he left and he told me about some of the dangerous situations he’d been in, obviously minus the classified details. I said a silent prayer that he was home safe and pushed aside my vow to hate him for leaving me without any form of communication.
After Shay parked the truck, we both climbed out and instead of going inside, we crossed over to the lawn where Dad watered the garden.
I figured he either knew Shay was coming or they’d already met because he glanced casually over his shoulder. “Hey, you two.” Then taking in our scruffy appearances, his brow shot up. “Should I even ask?”
Shay grinned. “She started it.” He jerked a thumb at me.
“You did,” I scoffed. “Or did you forget what brought it on?”
He lavished me with a smirk and before I could gauge his intention, he grabbed the hose out of Dad’s hand and aimed the cold spray at me.
“Aargh!” I yelped, protecting my face with my arms. “Shay! You’re such an ass,” I screamed, running around the garden with him on my tail, the hose on full blast and Dad’s laugh mixing with Shay’s. Shivering, I stomped my feet before ducking behind Dad. Shay didn’t stop, he let Dad have it too.
“Hey,” Dad shouted and turned around, trying to shield the two of us.
I looked up at him, our faces dripping, and we burst out laughing. Shay directed the spray away from us and the second he did, Dad and I tackled him. He fell backward taking us with him into a patch of mud, splattering the sludge and covering us in brown liquid. Winded, we lay there laughing. It was like the last sixteen months had been a simple twenty-four-hours we all missed now and then.
“Is this family fun or can anyone join in?” The sudden question had my body snapping up to sit. Dad and Shay remained on their backs.
Ryleigh, stunning in white pants, a red blouse, hair pulled into a ponytail and make-up pure perfection, stood on the edge of the lawn, smiling at me.
Unfortunately, the monster in me reacted with a sullen, “just family,” before I could stop myself.
His expression unreadable, Shay sat up with Dad. “Hey, Ry, I thought we agreed to meet later,” he sounded vaguely uneasy and shot to his feet while Dad and I were slower to rise.
Her steps cautious, she crossed the garden to where we stood, her white heels sinking into the wet ground. “I’m sorry, baby, I couldn’t wait. Did you tell them the news? What—”
“What the fuck, Ry?” Shay cut her off sharply, shocking Dad and me.
