I set the ice bag beside the towel, then shook the blanket out on the smooth bank. “Come here.”
She checked the blanket, then me. “That sounded almost like a command.”
“It was an invitation with poor phrasing.”
“Better.” She stepped carefully onto the bank. “Try again.”
I held out my hand. “Come here, Sunny.”
She put her hand in mine. “See? You can be trained.”
I pulled her in slow enough to give her every chance to tease, retreat, or change her mind. She did none of those. She rose on her toes and kissed me, cold creek water still shining on her skin.
This kiss was different.
No bench between us. No fire at our knees. No crew down the road. Her body pressed against mine, her hands already under the hem of my shirt, her breath catching when I lifted the fabric over my head and dropped it beside the blanket.
Her palms landed on my chest.
Her palms stayed there, warm and steady.
Her palms moved over my collarbone and ribs. When I lifted my hand to her hair, her thumb found the old mark on my forearm. She traced it without asking, just touching.
I covered her hand with mine. “Later.”
Sunny nodded. “Later.”
Then she tugged at the knot of her red top. “Help me before I make this look like a fight with a tablecloth.”
I laughed against her mouth and undid the knot.
The top slid loose. I lifted it over her head, and the last of the sunset caught on her bare shoulders, her freckled skin, the red bra that looked like she’d chosen it to win an argument no one else knew we were having.
I went still.
Sunny’s chin dipped. “If you say something practical about underwire, I’m leaving.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“What were you going to say?”
I brushed my thumb over the strap on her shoulder. “You’re beautiful.”
Her breath left her in one quiet piece.
She stood there with her breath caught between us.
Then she swallowed and gave me a small, crooked smile. “Good answer.”
“It’s the only one I had.”
She reached behind herself, unclipped the bra, and let it fall.
My hands stayed at my sides until she took one and set it against her waist.
“Touch me,” she said.
So I did.
