Page 26 of Aim Assist

He winks, a playful gleam in his eye. "Would you believe me if I said I was retired?"

I roll my eyes, fighting back a grin. "Not even close, mister. You're nowhere near retirement age."

"Oh, really?" He arches a brow. "And just how old are you, then?"

"Twenty-one," I answer without hesitation.

Liam stops dead in his tracks, staring at me in obvious surprise. I can't help but laugh at his expression. "What, do I look that old? Gee, thanks."

"No, no, not at all." He shakes his head vehemently. "Quite the opposite, actually." The way he says it sends my heart fluttering in my chest.

He runs a hand through his hair, looking a bit chagrined. "It's that I'm a solid thirty-four. Trying to adjust my thinking process so I don't feel like a total sleaze for kissing you earlier. Shit. I'm robbing the fucking cradle here."

I can't contain it anymore. I burst out laughing, the sound carrying across the beach. "Oh my God, your face! What, do you think twenty-one is the same is sixteen? Get over it, Liam."

Lucky comes bounding over, drawn by the commotion. She jumps up at Liam's legs, tail wagging a mile a minute.

He reaches down to pet her, chuckling. "See? Even your dog is judging me."

"She is not." I crouch beside him, ruffling Lucky's ears. "She's excited because she thinks you're going to play with her."

Liam glances at me, a soft smile playing about his lips. "Is that so?"

"Mmhmm." I meet his gaze, feeling the sparks of flirtation between us. "She has good taste."

"Well, in that case..." He straightens, brushing the sand from his knees. "Who am I to disappoint a lady?"

With that, he takes off down the beach, Lucky barking wildly as she chases after him. I watch them go, my heart doing a funny little flip in my chest.

Thirty-four, huh? The age gap should bother me more than it does. But right now, with the sun on my face and the sound of Liam's laughter mingling with the crash of the waves, I can't bring myself to care.

Though, it feels like I might be missing something.

Eh.

If it's important, I'll remember it later.

Leaving Lucky in the hotel room alone makes me a little nervous. She's asleep on the bed and completely zonked, but I have a few thoughts of what I'm going to do if she eats a cord or pees on the bed.

Maybe I should have put her in the carrier, after all.

But I'm already in the elevator, so… maybe not.

I adjust the straps on my little black dress, smoothing my hands down my curves. This dress hugs every inch, leaving little to the imagination. It requires a metric fuckton of confidence I like to fake having and some expensive Spanx to suck me in, but I manage to pull off the dress.

I don't look like a model. I never will. But at least I look fuckable, and that's what I'm going for.

Perfect for a hot date, but is it too much for drinks with a guy I met today? Even if that meeting included the hottest kiss I've had in forever...

The elevator dings and I'm suddenly back in that moment with Liam. His clean scent filling my head, his firm chest pressed against me, his fingers digging into my hips. The way his mouth devoured me.

Shit. I should have brought spare panties. At this rate, they're going to be soaked before my first drink.

Chill, Amy. It's just drinks. In a public hotel bar. With an insanely attractive man who kisses like he means it.

He said he's thirty-four, right? Right around Asher's age, and Sam says that he's the hottest sex of her life.

Maybe this is my Asher.

---