Her face was unreadable when I looked back down at her.
“Well, you could’ve just said that,” she finally said.
Knowing she wasn’t pissed, I cracked an easy smile. “Ah, but what would be the fun in that, babe?”
She rolled her eyes and pushed away, but I tried to hold her for a second longer against me
“Why do you always do that?”
She lightly patted my stomach and looked up at me. “Because ‘babe’ rolls off your tongue way too easily. It makes it seem like you’re really practiced in being a flirt who just goes around calling all girls ‘babe’ because you’ve forgotten the real name of the girl in front ofyou.”
“Really? I just like calling you babe,” I said honestly. “But I’ll stop if you want metoo?”
Her mouth twisted and she paused.
“Should we actually hit the bathroom before the boat?” she asked, changing the subject.
So, did she want me to eliminate the “babe’s” or not? Maybe she just needed me to clarify that she was the only one I was calling “babe”? I guess I’d just have to gauge herreactions.
I ushered her in front. “Ladies first, as Momma Vsays.”
21. TJ
I had never loved a boat ride more in my life. We were all packed into the pontoon tightly, so it gave me the excuse to smoosh close to Ellie and put my arm around her, and she didn’t push me away. Instead, she seemed to enjoy the closeness. I was super aware that the entire side of her, including her boob, was touching my side. My ridiculous excitement level over this made me feel like a lovesick teenage boy.
The other upside of the boat ride: there was no talking. The wind and music playing were too loud, so there was no chance I could stick my foot in my mouth. We needed more opportunities like this.
When we finally stopped by a sandbar toward the end of the lake, all the guys started to hop over the sides of the pontoon to throw around a football.
When I hesitated in my spot, Ellie pushed me. “You can’t be the odd one out when you’re also the new guy. I’m good here,” she whispered. She sipped from her drink and gave me a wink.
I backed up like I’d been shot. “You’ve stolen my move, girl! There’s power in that wink.” I gave the ends of her hair a little tug, “You sure?”
She nodded with a small smile. That was the push I needed to bail overboard and join theguys.
As soon as I waded my way to a good spot, a missile was thrown at me that I had to jump to catch. There was no way I could drop it here in front of all the guys as the rookie.
When I resurfaced all the ladies were clapping for me, and Ellie even gave me a thumbs up as I launched the ball back to a defenseman that I didn’t know yet.
Out in the water, I was able to watch Ellie without holding back or being deemed weird. I was mesmerized by the way she wove her hair into a long braid.
While she was moving around the boat and chatting with the other ladies, I couldn’t help but notice how hot she looked in her sleek Tankini. The girl didn’t need to wear anything skimpy to show she had a bangin’ bod. She was small in stature, but muscular like an athlete, and I’d make it a point later to get what sports she played out of her. While I always thought I’d go after a taller girl, she made the others look lanky and uncoordinated to me now. I only had eyes forher.
Catching her laugh off-hand at a joke was a breath of fresh air. Here on the lake, she looked so much different than the small girl lying on the floor of the venue fighting choppy breathing.
After a couple minutes of throwing the football around, some of the girls decided it was time to join theaction.
First in was Duke’s girl, quickly followed by about three other girls.
I waded my way toward the pontoon, curious if Ellie would take the plunge.
When I made it there, I grabbed hold of the boat’s ledge and hoisted myself up so I could lean half my bodyinside.
Ellie gave a little yelp of surprise. “TJ, you’re dripping on me!”
“C’mon in,” I urged. “Can’t hold myself here forever, yaknow.”
She gave me a smirk. “Those muscles just for show?” she asked behind her dark aviatorsunglasses.
