Page 56 of Sparrow

“Then why are we still sitting here, Daddy? Bring on the ice cream.”

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(Amelia)

“Are you really going to let yourself be beaten by little ole me?” I tease him, as he lines up his shot on the very last hole.

When he called me yesterday to ask me to go out with him and Cadence tonight, I didn’t even hesitate. I took Case’s advice and chose to do what makes me happy.

After my chat with him at the park on Sunday, it’s like the sun finally came out. I haven’t heard a peep from Jaxon. I am getting more hits on my new blog. I’m here with Grayson and Cadence. And I’m about to win this intense game of putt-putt.

“Not a chance, darlin’. Not a single chance,” he says, before he taps the ball, sending it flying.

We are on the last hole. I finished in three strokes, and he’s just taken his second. If he makes it, he wins. If he misses, he tries for a tie.

Cadence runs down the path to watch for the ball, as she has for every hole thus far. We wait on pins and needles until we finally hear her shout, “He missed!” She comes bolting back toward us with a smile on her face.

“Guess it’s time to try for that tie then, Aldrich.” I smirk.

He is so in the zone, he only shakes his head. Men and their competitiveness.

He lines up his shot, the one for all the marbles, and he beautifully misses.

“Yessss!” I start to do a little jig.

“I demand a rematch. Unfair.” Gray pouts, while still smiling.

“I beat you fair and square, Aldrich. You just can’t handle it.” I poke him in the ribs, which prompts him to lift me up and spin me around, sending a loud, happy laugh from my lips.

“Daddy, you said you were good at this game,” Cadence chimes in.

Gray places me back on my feet and I reply, “Oh, he is, I’m just better.”

“Girls rock, right, Amelia?” she asks.

“That’s right, Cadence. They sure do.” I do my victory dance once again.

Gray steps closer, wrapping a hand around my waist and placing it at the small of my back, leaning in to whisper, “I want to kiss you senseless right now.”

My skin tingles in a delicious way. I lean into him so our bodies are touching just enough. I peek behind him and Cadence is distracted, putting the small pink ball into the hole, retrieving it, and then putting again.

“Kiss me quick. We only have a few seconds, so make it good.” I smile.

“Yes, ma’am.”

He swoops down and claims my lips with his. It’s quick, only lasting a few seconds, but it sends my heart aflutter and ignites my blood. I’ve missed him this way, just as much as I’ve missed just being in his presence.

He pulls away and places a kiss to the tip of my nose. “How was that?”

“Absolutely perfect.” I swear, I’m swooning right here in front of him.

“What do you say we head inside, let Cadence play a few games, then go back to my house for the night?” He curls his fingers around mine.

“Are you asking me to spend the night? Is that a come-on?”

“Absofuckinglutely.”

I glance over his shoulder to check on Cadence. She’s perfectly fine, still playing near the end of the course, but that’s not what is sending a chill up my back. It’s who is standing behind her, maybe twenty feet away, which shakes me to my core.

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