Page 47 of Chasing Fireflies

“Cash, will you slide that closer to me?”

I do as she asks, placing the paint can closer to her. I feel cold paint touch my forehead, and she giggles.

“Did you just put paint on me?” I ask.

“Just a little.” She grins when I look up, and she taps her paintbrush on my nose. She laughs like it’s the funniest thing ever, and I stare at her, open-mouthed.

“You better hope that comes off.”

“A little paint never hurt anyone,” she says before she turns her back to me and continues painting above the windowsill. She can hardly reach it, and her shirt rides up, revealing her tan skin. I dip my finger into the paint and run it from one side of her hip to the other. She sucks in air. “Cash!” She turns around and looks at me.

“A little paint never hurt anyone. Remember, baby?” I say with a smug smile before I dip my finger again. She looks from my finger to my face.

“And what do you think you’re gonna do with that?”

I shrug. “I don’t know just yet. But I do think a little paint on your nose wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”

“Oh no, you don’t,” she says, dropping her brush into the tub. She holds her hands out in front of her. “Put the finger down, Cash.” I poke it at her. Some paint drops off my finger into the tub, landing right on her toe. I laugh.

“Cash Williams, you put that finger down and let me out of here.” She’s all smiles, but trying to sound serious. I climb into the tub with her and watch as she backs up. She laughs and jumps around me, out of the tub, and exits the bathroom. I follow, chasing her down the stairs. She bolts out the door onto the porch and laughs as she stands in the yard.

“What are you laughing at?” I ask.

“Your yellow nose, duh,” she answers. I walk toward her. “Cash, I don’t want a yellow nose.”

“Well, too bad. We are teammates, and if one teammate has a yellow nose, then the other should, too.”

“I don’t think I wanna be your teammate then.”

“This crushes me.” I put a hand over my heart.

She laughs loud. “You’re such a baby.”

I walk closer, and she backs up. “Where exactly are you going?” I ask.

“I’ll run until I can’t anymore.” She grins and runs a hand through her hair, removing it from her face. A huge wood bee buzzes by, and she swipes it away. I take this opportunity and grab her up. “Cash!” she yells and laughs, and I gently place her on the ground, sitting on top of her but careful not to squish her tiny body. The paint on my finger is almost dry, but I still touch her nose, even though she wiggles like a fish out of water. Her eyes are shut tight, and she has her mouth closed, but she still laughs from her chest. Her nose is now yellow like mine, and I sit back.

“Now, that’s better,” I say. She slaps my chest.

“Cash Williams, this paint better come off!”

“Well, you had no thought of that when you did it to me.”

“That’s because you’re a big butthead who deserves to have a yellow nose. You’re a bully, Cash.”

“I am not.” I smile and lean down, taking her lips with mine and making her forget what she was even saying. I taste her tongue when she opens her lips, and I rest my arms beside her head, gripping onto the just cut grass. Her fingers run over my back, and she pulls me closer, spreading her legs and letting me sink. She moans when I push forward. Just then we hear a car pull up. I open my eyes and see hers are wide. “Seems we have company,” I whisper.

“Get up, you big bully.” She grins, and I sit back and pull her up, too. I turn to see Chief Rogers and Anne. He opens the car door, and I look at Anne as she gets out.

“Hope we weren’t interrupting anything,” Drew says, clearing his throat.

“Well, of course we were, dear. Those two were about to get it on in the middle of the yard.”

I laugh, and Sara blushes. “Nah, I would have taken it inside.” I wink down at Sara who shakes her head at me and playfully slaps my arm.

“You two want a drink or something?” Sara asks.

“We just wanted to ride out here and tell you guys there’s an amusement park just outside of town. Thought you two might enjoy that. We could have called, of course—” Anne says, blushing herself.

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