Page 27 of The Best Wrong Move

Juju emerges again with an empty glass for Dom, which she quickly fills from the pitcher.

“So, what was all that about you opening the door for Liv yesterday?” Juju asks. “It seemed like you two knew each other a little bit before this morning?”

I’m guessing this girl has never known a stranger in her life — she’s so friendly.

Dom breaks into a hearty laugh, then studies me closely, his eyes dancing playfully. I can’t tell if this is all an act for our little audience, or if there’s some truth behind that look of admiration he’s giving me.

He squeezes my hip. “Do you want to explain that one? Or should I?” His lips twitch into a grin, then he kisses the side of my hair, just above my ear, hinting to our audience that we’ve grown more comfortable with each other since this little story began.

“You can take this one.” I bite my lip, challenging him a bit. I just want to watch Rex’s face when he explains how we met.

“Well, I was coming back up from a surf yesterday afternoon, when I heard this huge commotion. Lots of banging. It sounded like something — or someone — was getting beaten up, followed by this wild growl at the end.”

I burst into laughter. “Okay, I had been trying to get that front door open for like ten minutes at that point. It’s still freezing back in New York, and I wasn’t smart enough to change my outfit before leaving the airport, so I was still in jeans and a sweater. Sweating my face off.”

“Not by the time I saw you,” Dom adds, his voice deepening.

Blood rushes to my cheeks.

Rex’s mouth drops open.

I smile sheepishly at them both.

“Wait, what? Details!” Juju takes a sip from her mai tai and leans in, like she’s binging on her favorite show.

I shrug. “I was roasting. I didn’t see anyone around so . . .”

“So, as luck would have it, this incredibly gorgeous woman here was right in the middle of changing on the front porch when I walked around the corner to investigate.” Dom eyes Rex as he finishes my sentence.

Rex chokes on something — either his mai tai or the visual Dom just served up.

I smile to myself, watching Rex’s eyes dart between Dom and me while he clears his throat four times.

“You were changing on the front porch?” Rex manages to spit out.

Juju is too busy laughing to notice the look of horror spreading across his face.

“Just the bottom half.” I smile innocently at Dom like I’m still embarrassed about the whole thing. “It was practically the same thing as bikini bottoms, right?”

“Depends on what you call a bikini.” Dom moves his arm up around my shoulders. He pulls me against him, laughing.

“Girl!” Juju exclaims, nudging me in the ribs. “This is the most amazing story I’ve ever heard about how two people met. Tell me he got that door open for you. Tell me those muscles are for more than just eye candy!”

Rex chokes again, clearing his throat and pounding on his chest with a closed fist, as if something’s stuck.

I laugh, then finger one of Dom’s biceps appreciatively.

“Oh, they are definitely functional.” I lean into him like we’ve known each other much longer than we have. “And yes, he got the door open on the first try. Almost wish it was a little harder for him so he’d have worked up a sweat or something.”

Dom is eating this up, laughing at my recollection of how it happened. The funny thing is, he doesn’t know how that last little part is true. But even if this is all an act, his body feels rock solid against me, and I’m happy to have him here steadying me. To make me laugh through what would otherwise be a painfully awkward moment.

“Pretty much took everything in me not to ask her out right then,” Dom goes on. “I’d planned to come back to surf in the same spot the next day, hoping to run into her.”

My stomach twists in a knot, wishing that were true. “But we’d better go.” He sets his glass back on the table. “That mai tai was amazing, by the way, Juju. Homemade?”

Juju beams at him, nodding. “My secret recipe. I’ve been perfecting it for years. You’re welcome back to have one anytime.” She takes my glass from me, giving me a little side hug goodbye. “You two are a hoot. We won’t keep you any longer, though. Have fun tonight!”

“Not too much fun!” Rex calls after us.

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