Page 56 of What If I See You

“Is that so?” Mom perks a brow. “Tell us your favorite date, Layken. Let’s see how good he is.”

“I have two, actually,” she says to my family. And now my interest is piqued because I have yet to take her on a date anywhere which means she’s about to make something up on the fly. Or I’m about to hear her favorite date with some other guy.

Fuck.

That has to be it.

My chest tightens at the thought.

“The first of my favorite dates was actually our very first date because Griffin was super nervous.”

“No way.” Gage shakes his head laughing. “Griffin never gets nervous.”

He couldn’t be more wrong but that’s okay. I’ll let him keep thinking his big brother is the strong hero type.

“Well, he was nervous that night,” Layken says, grinning at my brother. “He picked me up and drove us out to the beach to watch the sunset while the tide rolled in and it was the most breathtaking couple of hours I’ve ever spent with another human being.”

Mom smiles as Layken tells her story.

“He brought sandwiches and sodas,” she tilts her head, “because he didn’t want to drink before a game day. So, we sat on the rocks and talked and laughed and watched the sunset. It was the most impressive display of colors I have ever seen. It was almost like mother nature planned the perfect sunset just for Griffin to be able to impress me.”

“And it worked, see?” I smirk at her.

“That it did. The ombre of colors from yellows to pinks to purples to dark blues…mmm.” She shakes her head, her eyes closing as if she’s picturing the very night it happened in her mind right now. “Amazing.” She opens her eyes. “But even more amazing than the color of the sunset was how great Griff was that night at conversation. He was so easy to talk to. He took a sincere interest in me and my life. It wasn’t just hockey, hockey, hockey. He asked questions so I knew he was paying attention and I did the same with him. And when the night was over, he took me home, kissed the living shit out of me, and breathlessly told me he really hoped I would see him again.”

Talk more about that kissing part.

I like that part.

“Thank God, you agreed.” I get up from my chair and kiss her lips like it’s something I’ve done for years, forgetting that it’s not something we’ve really done since our wedding night except for that moment in Coach’s office. She doesn’t back away from my advance though and kisses me back sweetly, her tongue poking out to lightly brush against my lips before pulling away with a blushing smile. The minute she backs away I want to tug her right back in.

I want to kiss her again. Really kiss her.

I want to get to know the feel of her mouth.

I want to fully know what she tastes like.

I want to swallow every satisfied moan she gives me.

I want to take her breath away.

Fuck.

What is happening to me?

“What’s your second favorite date, Layken?” Gage asks her.

“Oooh, the second date is by far my all-time favorite date ever and Gail, you’re going to love this.”

Mom performs a little excited dance and says, “I’m all ears.”

“So, it was a bookstore date, because of course,” Layken begins.

In tandem the rest of us answer, “Of course.”

“But not just a walk-in-the-bookstore-and-buy-me-books kind of date.” She wags her finger. “Ooh no. Griffin took me in there with this elaborate scavenger hunt planned for the both of us.”

Mom is already swooning. “Aww.”

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