Page 19 of The Love Wager

“I don’t know, really.” She breathes, watching me fight mud off myself.

Our feet are still lying inside the puddle, and water filters over the top of my boots, filling the insides.

“Are you alright?” she asks as I turn and look at her.

She’s covered in muck, and it’s endearing. It makes no sense, but somehow, she’s cuter this way. Her guard is down, and the inner rays of Indie are shining outward, nearly blinding me. In a moment of ignorance, I lift a hand to her right cheek and lean inward, crashing my lips to hers and silencing her chuckles.

Fuck, there’s no going back from this.

SEVEN

Indie

His lips smash against mine, and I freeze, unsure if I should lean into the moment. My head wins out, urging me to jerk away from him. His hand still cups my cheek. His eyes are soft, but his pupils are blown wide. He wants this.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry, Indie. I shouldn’t have—” he mumbles, pulling away and situating himself to stand.

Something comes over me. Maybe I’m caught up. Maybe it’s knowing this is the in that I need. But when my core pulses with an all too familiar ache, I know what it really is.

“Brooks,” I whisper.

His head jerks back in my direction, and I throw myself into his chest, knocking him back to the ground. He lands with a huff, the air blowing across my face.

“Kiss me again,” I murmur nervously.

He hesitates long enough that my body tenses, ready to be thrown to the side and embarrassed. The first fat drop of rain lands in the muddy puddle we’re currently half occupying, sending the water rippling toward our bodies.

Then, it all happens at once.

The sky opens, drowning us in a spring shower. I’m manhandled to sitting, my hips straddling Brooks, as his rough hand tangles in my wet, messy locks.

“I’m not letting you get away this time.”

He squeezes, holding me in place, chest to chest, as the rain bounces off our bodies. His searing kiss steals the breath from my lungs. My hips rock of their own accord, and the friction pulls a moan from deep in my chest.

He swallows it down, making me melt further into his heat. I’m lost in our entangled embrace and don’t think I ever want to be found.

“Excuse me!”

I hear it, but I’m too preoccupied to pry myself free.

“Excuse me!” The rattling voice comes again, this time louder and with more irritation.

We pop apart and look up.

The older woman who sits behind the inn’s front desk to check people in glares down at us, tucked tightly under the largest umbrella I’ve ever seen. Suddenly, I’m thrust back into my teen years, getting caught in the back seat with my high school boyfriend.

“This is a nice and respectful establishment, young man. My guests don’t need to be looking out their windows, seeing you mauling this poor girl. Don’t you be thinking I’m too old to be whipping that butt, just as I did when you were a boy.”

I scramble to my feet, the sudden movement hiding the shock of laughter that falls from my lips at her threat.

He’s quick to join me standing, but my eyes widen in shock when they catch on the thick bulge, indecently making its presence known. He catches my gaze, following its path. His hand shoots out, pulling my body in front of his as a human shield.

He reaches out for the umbrella, taking it from the old woman, watching our fumbling chaos unfold. “Ain’t no one peeking out the windows watching us, Auntie. Now, let’s get you back inside and out of this cold.” He slides between the two of us, ensuring we’re covered until we step onto the porch.

The old woman—his aunt, apparently—gives us a knowing look before returning inside the inn. The old, rickety screen porch slams behind her retreating form.

“Well, then.” I let out with a soft laugh.

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