Page 14 of Love Me Reckless

“You could just build libraries ‘cause you feel like it, you know. It doesn’t have to be a punishment.” Though the idea of her draped across my lap while I smack her tight little ass is going to make it impossible for me to sleep tonight. Or any night. Ever.

“Yes!” she says. “But I want to do it myself, with my own money. I’ll get the supplies and everything, and then I’ll build them and paint them and fill them with books.”

“Great. What else?”

She frowns. “That’s not enough?”

“Come on, go big.”

She inhales another breath, but I keep my eyes on her face this time for safety. “Okay. I want to open a community art center where people can make things and kids can take classes.”

I contain my surprise—barely. This woman could do anything in the world. A hot air balloon ride. A deep dive in a submarine. Hell,she could probably orbit the moon. Instead, she wants to do something for her community. “That seems totally doable.”

“My dad thinks it’s a waste of time.”

“Do you need his approval?” I don’t ask it to be mean, maybe Daddy owns the town, too.

“No.” She says it slowly, like she’s thinking it through.

“Would it hurt him or your family somehow if you did it?”

Her lips purse, like she’s concentrating. “I can’t see why it would.”

“All right. One community art center… done.”

“And several little libraries, apparently.”

“You’re going to be too busy to get married.”

She laughs so hard she wraps her arm across her middle. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Anything else you want to add?”

Her eyes turn anxious. “Um. Skinny dipping. And… I want to go to a sex toy store.”

I burst out laughing. Who is this girl? “Can we unpack those a bit? Like the skinny dipping. This seems like prime territory.” I jerk my chin toward the lake. “You’ve seriously never done it?”

“I didn’t get to spend a lot of time here when I was growing up,” she says in a rush, like she’s afraid if she doesn’t spit it all out at once, she’ll lose her nerve.

“Why not?”

“School.” She says it like I should understand. I’m starting to.

“Why a sex toy shop?” I ask. “You shopping for something in particular?”And can I help you find it?

“No.” She scoffs. “I just… I don’t know. I want to see one. See what it’s like.”

“Is there one in Finn River?”

Her face tenses. “Not sure, but I can’t do ithere. Everyone knows me.”

“Field trip, then.”

She nods. “Missoula or Boise probably has one.”

“Pretty sure you could shop online too.”

She gives me a shy sideways glance. “Where’s the fun in that?”

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