Page 15 of Must Love Alligators

Bailey blew out a breath and ran a hand through her hair.“Maybe we should just…not.”

That wasn’t okay.“Maybe we just need to be on a soft surface with nothing else around next time.A large, wide, soft surface.Already horizontal, so no one falls over.With pillows.”He grinned at her.“And maybe no clothes.Just to take away any risk of something getting caught or snagged.”

Bailey’s cheeks were pink again, but she asked, “So naked on a bed before we even manage to kiss?”

He shrugged, feeling stupidly good for a guy who couldn’t seem to pull off even a peck on the lips.“I’m willing to see you naked without knowing if you’re any good with your mouth ahead of time.”

That mouth gasped and formed a perfect little “o,” sending his thoughts in some very delicious directions.He lifted a finger and pushed up on her chin, closing her mouth.For now.

“Both of you.Out.Now.”Maddie finally said with a sigh.“Dock two.”

4

She was no expert,but it seemed that kissing someone should be a lot easier than this, Bailey thought, as she followed Chase out of the Boys of the Bayou office and onto the wooden platform that would lead them to the docks where the airboats they used for their swamp tours were tied.

The outside air swirled around her bare legs and she smiled at the fact that she was wearing adressin December.Mostly the dress was because she’d wanted Chase to see her in something other than her khakis…which was really stupid.She hadn’t even been certain he’d be here.But being out of uniform should have been a sign to the other Landrys that she wasn’t here in a work capacity.Still, she did enjoy wearing capris and skirts and sandals this time of year.It wasn’t uncommon for December temps in Minnesota to be in the single digits, especially with wind chills.The fifty-something temperatures here felt almost balmy and today, in the bright sunshine, it was in the low sixties.She might be alone, her family all way up north, but at least she wasn’t scraping ice off her windshield or wearing four layers of clothes to keep from freezing to death while she did her Christmas shopping.She’d find as many silver linings as she could.

Like being here with Chase.

Like just being here, period.

She’d come here hoping Chase would be here for Christmas, but also with the hopes that the Landrys reputation of making all strangers into friends and all friends into family would maybe extend to her.Just for December twenty-third to the twenty-sixth.Give or take.

So, while the Landrys scrambled to distract her from…whatever they were up to…she was going to let them.She hoped whatever they were all running around after totally eluded them for hours.Maybe all day.And night.

She and Chase rounded the building that housed the front office of the Boys of the Bayou tours and stepped onto the dock.The wooden platform rocked under their weight as they headed toward the older couple that was currently loading boxes and bags into one of the airboats.

“Chase!”An older woman, with salt and pepper hair in a braid that hung nearly to her butt, enfolded Chase in a huge hug as soon as he got close.

Chase was easily eight inches taller than she was and his long arms wrapped around her thin frame.He was also grinning widely in a way that made Bailey’s heart flip.His affection for this woman was clear.

“Hey, El.”

She pulled back and reached for a large glass jar that was filled with a strange grayish green liquid.“Made this for you.”

“Will this cure me of my hangover, my smart mouth, or just my general stupidity?”Chase asked, accepting it and unscrewing the lid.He took a sniff and winced.

Ellie laughed.“Hangover.You’ve met my grandkids.You think I have a cure for stupidity or being a smartass?”

He chuckled and took a taste.“Huh, not terrible.”He looked over at Bailey.“Ellie and Cora are well-known for their home remedies.”

“And hangovers are a common affliction around here,” Ellie said.She shot a look at the man next to her.“Of course, that’s also a point of pride.”

Her husband beamed.

“Don’t suppose you have a love potion, do you?”Chase asked, shooting Bailey a sly look.

Ellie lifted a brow.“A love potion?What for?”

“Bailey thinks we should just give up on the whole idea.I was hoping for a little help convincing her otherwise,” he told her.

Bailey rolled her eyes.The guy was incorrigible.They weren’t falling in love.They weren’tnotfalling in love either.This wasn’t about love.This was an awkward flirtation between people who were obviously terribly mismatched.

He was just too cute to completely shut down.

“I will have you know,” Leo said, drawing himself up tall.“The Landrys have never needed a love potion.When we fall in love, we know it immediately and so does everybody else.We don’t need any hocus pocus.”

Ellie laughed and waved her hand at her husband.“Yeah, yeah.”She focused on Bailey.“The Landry family really does have some of the very best love stories.Big and bold and crazy.But—” She glanced at Chase.“Chase isn’t a Landry and he hasn’t hung out with us enough for it to completely rub off.Yet.”

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