Page 85 of Laugh

I’ll never know if Deborah was listening to what I said to my dad. She’s been known to eavesdrop on occasion, and I sort of hope that shedidhear me. It’s always a wish for the person who you feel has wronged you to finally get the hint to make the change and justbe better.

It rarely works that way, which is a shame. But like I told my dad, I’m not responsible for her feelings, just like she’s not responsible for mine.

Beau and I walk silently to the car and continue to say nothing until we’re parking in front of the restaurant, where I’ll get my promised milkshake.

He shuts the car off and turns to face me, worry etched on his face.

“You know how I told my dad that I’m not responsible for her feelings?” I ask him, forcing my face to stay serious because, honest to God, I need the mood to lighten. It’s time to fuck with him just a bit.

He tilts his chin down, eyes locked on me. “I do. I think that was part of what made him actually listen to you. You did good, happy girl. Really good.”

Waving him off, I don’t let him see how much his praise affects me.I could be a goddamn actor. “Yeah, I did good. But that’s not what I’m trying to get at. I don’t want you to get any misconceptions about how this relationship is going to go.”

I bite my cheek when his brows furrow slightly and his head jerks back. “What do you mean ‘how this relationship is going to go’?”

Blinking slowly, with as much of a straight face as I can muster, I say slowly, “Youareresponsible for my feelings. I may not have a lot of dating experience, but if I’m not happy, that’s on you to fix. Us women have lots of hormones that we can’t always control, and I can’t always be held responsible if I get a little crazy now and then.”

“Are you serious right now?” His question comes out like he doesn’t want to set me off but can’t quite believe I’m actually being serious.

“I am. And right now, I’m feeling sad because my friend died, and I had to be mean to my dad.” Ialmostfeel bad when his eyes soften, but then they narrow on me, and I stop myself from clapping with joy. I toss a quick sorry up to Marcus for pulling the dead-best-friend card, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do when she wants to make her boyfriend laugh.

Beau’s body leans forward slowly, his glare slightly intimidating, but I keep a straight face. “I ought to get you a small milkshake for being a smartass.”

My mouth drops open in shock. “But I had a hard night!”

His finger slides under my chin and snaps it shut. “Serves you right. But if you’re a good girl, I’ll still get you fries.”

“Sold! Let’s go, Cap!” I start to laugh when he grips my chin in his hand the moment I try to pull away, stopping me. My breath halts for just a moment when I feel the heat of his mouth hovering. As he speaks, I can feel his bottom lip graze mine.

“I want a kiss from my happy girl first.”

My eyes drop to his lips, then back up to his eyes, and I smile. “But… milkshakes.”

“Kiss,” he growls.

My tongue peeks out to lick my bottom lip at the sound of his lust filled voice, inadvertently swiping his. The moan that rumbles deep in his chest makes my thighs clench. Instead of climbing on top of him like I want to, I swipe my tongue across his lower lip again, more firmly this time, to tease him.

Beau’s hand grips my chin harder and the heat from his hand causes a shiver to race through my spine, my body aching over his display of need for me.

“Fuck. Kiss me, Happy.”

He sounds on the edge, somewhere between begging and taking.

“Because you weresoamazing tonight, I’ll just give you a small one.”

His eyes flare with heat and I wrinkle my nose as my smile grows when he leans in to graze his lips along mine once again. Tilting his head slightly, bringing our mouths a hair’s breadth away.

“I want all of it. All of you. Give me everything, Happy.”

Leaning in, I fuse our mouths together, and slide my tongue along his to give him everything I have. Beau doesn’t release my chin. He brings his other hand up to thread through my hair and grip the back of my head, holding me close so he can dive his tongue deep inside.

Beau tastes… better than milkshakes.

He attacks my mouth with fervor, like he can’t stop until he’s consumed me and thoughts of anything but going home and riding him like the God he is escapes me. When he uses his hand on my chin to pull down, forcing me to open further for him, I moan into his mouth and claw at him to bring our bodies closer.

I don’t care if people can see us sitting here in the car, practically eating each other alive. They can be jealous. I would be if I were them because Beau’s mouth is fucking heaven. I’m not sure when our kiss slowed down, but I melt into the way that Beau is sipping from my lips. It’s like he just can’t stop, and I reallyreallydon’t want him to.

Finally, he blows out a breath against my kiss swollen mouth and grins. “Fries?”

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