Page 96 of Double Play

I thread my fingers through hers. “Are you ready to see our picture, sunshine?”

“You bet, superstar.” She squeezes my hand. “It feels like that shoot was a lifetime ago.”

I nod in agreement. “It does. It’s been the best few months of my life.” I kiss her neck. “I adore you.”

“Hmm. I want to kiss you, but the makeup people will kick my ass.”

I smile into her neck. “Later. And we’ll more than kiss, I promise.”

She bites her lip. “Will you judge me if I tell you that the day of the photo shoot has been running through my mind on a constant stream all day? It’s the day that everything changed for us. I’m excited that it’s memorialized. It was special to me.”

I kiss her hand. “I feel the exact same.”

She takes a deep breath. “Let’s go before we don’t make it out of this bus. You get out first and make sure I don’t show my Britney.”

I start to stand but she grabs me by the shirt andpulls me back to her. She then licks my ear and whispers into it, “By the way, I’m not wearing any panties.”

Oh hell.

ARIZONA

After an added minute or two to calm himself down, Layton steps off the bus and I see a million flashes go off. Unlike the first time, he doesn’t pause to pose or wave. He immediately reaches for me. It warms my heart that he doesn’t want to be in photos without me. For a guy who has no girlfriend experience, he certainly knows how to treat his woman and make her feel wanted. More than wanted. Treasured.

He helps me out of the bus, and we stand there, staring at each other. The flashes go off but we’re in our own bubble. Sometimes I feel like I live in a fantasy. How many people get to be with the celebrity whose name they used to write in their high school textbooks with little heart doodles everywhere? The best part is that the real Layton Lancaster is even better than the fantasy.

Our bodies are pressed together, and our faces are only a hairsbreadth apart. He runs his hand up my arm, giving me goosebumps.Flash flash flash.

We stare into each other’s eyes.Flash flash flash.

I’m choked up with a tidal wave of feelings as it finally truly hits me. I’m completely, undoubtedly in love with this man.Flash flash flash.

He leans his head down.Flash flash flash.

He reaches my ear and whispers, “I love you, Arizona Abbott.”Flash flash flash.

My breath catches.Flash flash flash.

He kisses my neck.Flash flash flash.

I’m speechless.Flash flash flash.

He takes my hand in his. “Come on. Let’s go inside and see our picture.”

Wait, I want to say it back to him, but he’s pushing us through the sea of photographers, protecting me from the onslaught.

I missed my opportunity. He told me he loved me, and I froze.

We start moving along the roped off portion of the red carpet, stopping every few feet to pose for pictures.

After smiling for what feels like a million photographs, we finally make our way inside. I’m still processing what he said. I was on autopilot through all those photos for the past fifteen minutes.

Before I can get out a word to him, the Daultons greet us. They’re standing with an attractive couple, likely in their forties, both with dark hair and piercing green eyes.

Reagan flashes us her big smile. “You two look great. Are you ready for tonight?”

Layton kisses her cheek. “You look beautiful.” He turns to me and smiles. “I think we’re ready, right?”

I still haven’t said a word since his L-bomb. I nod. “We are.”

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