Page 69 of Beauty and the Boss Man

Chapter Twenty-nine

Aiden

“Aiden, I’m sorry, but this just isn’t going to work,” I hear Romy say behind me. “Time to say goodbye.”

Damn.

When I turn around, I’m faced with the barrel of her laser tag gun.

“Don’t move,” she warns.

Dramatically, I say, “So, this is how it ends—the end of an era.”

“Any last words?” She asks.

In one swift motion, I knock her gun out of the way and push her against the wall behind her. My mouth attacks hers like it’s on a mission.

Her body relaxes against mine as we make out under the glow of the black lights. I hope no kids are running by because if they are, they’re getting quite the show.

Romy intensifies the kiss and uses one hand to fist the collar of my shirt. I feel her other hand lift, and I wait for it to wrap around my neck like it always does.

But the only thing I feel is the vest strapped to my chest start to vibrate.

Looking down, I see it light up, and my mouth falls open. “You shot me. I was kissing you, and you shot me.”

She pokes her finger into my chest. “Don’t play with me, Boss Man. I know the only reason you were kissing me was to keep me from shooting you. Didn’t work.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Are you always this competitive?”

Her brow furrows. “Yes. Always.”

We head toward the door and return our vests and guns. Romy and I have had so much fun today. We’ve acted like a couple of kids—playing games at the arcade, searching for shells on the beach, and playing laser tag against each other.

Hanging out with Romy is more fun than I’ve had in a long time—maybe ever. She has a way of brightening my grumpy disposition like my little ray of sunshine.

After we leave laser tag, I glance at my phone to check the time.

Seeing it’s later than I thought, I say, “Come on, we have to hurry, or we will miss the boat.”

“Boat?” She asks. “Are you being metaphorical?”

We hurry over and get in the rental car to head toward our destination.

“So, are you going to tell me where we are going?” Romy pesters.

“Can’t you be patient?

Her hands fly up in the air. “No! Haven’t we established that by now?!”

I point at things out the window to try to distract her. It only half works, but thankfully, it’s less than a ten-minute drive.

I park in a small lot across from a dock. When we get out of the car and head that way, she sees where we’re going.

“We’re going on a boat?” She beams.

“Do you like boats?”

“I don’t know. Never been on one.”

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