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“And I like that you got me…trying to read shit.”
“Seriously?! Eeeeeek!” Excitement has her boot covered feet clumsily clomping over. “Like what?!”
“Get in, and I’ll tell you.”
Her frown is instant.
“Come on, Emmerz…” Dipping lower into the water occurs in an effort to keep me cool. “I know you’ve never done this before.”
“Correct.”
“But have you ever wanted to?”
Her teeth chomp down on her bottom lip to keep quiet.
“Has…future you…” my wading closer begins, “done this shit?”
“Idontknowprobably,” she unhappily huffs. “That crazy harlot does all sorts of wild things.”
“Harlot?”
“An old timey word for…hussy…ho…hooker…things of that derogatory nature.”
The grunt out of me is equal parts intrigue and irritation. “Never refer to my current woman or my future one that way again.” Hardening of my expression can’t be helped. “Understood?”
In spite of her best efforts not to, she swoons.
“I take that as a yes.”
She eagerly nods.
“Good. Because no one’s allowed to disrespect my Old Lady.” Leaning forward is accompanied by me adding, “Especially not my Old Lady.” I don’t leave an opening for argument. “Can you swim?”
“Not…well,” she openly confesses on a soothing rub to her arms.
“Then we can stay right there by the dock.” Moving closer continues. “You can use it and me for support.”
Hesitation persists.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Emmerz.” My arrival at the edge seems to melt away her remaining resolve. “Ever.”
Post another minute of internal debate, I’m given a reluctant nod of surrender.
“Distract me,” she demands at the same time her shaky fingers begin by removing her emergency fanny pack and jacket. “Tell me about this lake.”
“Lake Mage,” escapes upon me resting my arms on the wood. “One of Avallone’s private lakes.”
Emmerz’s pondering is attached to her shoe removal. “We have private lakes?”
“Several,” I answer, stare fixated on the way she’s caressing her own skin, skin that’s meant for me to be caressing. Touching. Tasting. “And The Lords see to them staying that way.” My eyes struggle to lift to hers. “Fines for trespassing can reach up to waterfront mortgage levels.”
“That’s insane!”
“So’s trespassing on Lord’s property.”
“Are we?!” Her fingers pause at the button to her jeans. “I can barely afford Noodle’s yearly vet bills. I damn sure can’t afford that kinda ticket!”
Light laughs precede me throwing my thumb over my shoulder. “See that house in the far distance?”
