Page 52 of Seas the Dating Coach

Weaknesses could cost you.

Vivian hums, her fingers soothing through my hair again. “You get migraines?”

I open my eyes, expecting to find disappointment or judgment, but there’s none in Vivian’s evergreen gaze. It makes me want to tell her all my secrets.

Every. Single. One.

“Yes.”

She frowns, her hands settling on my shoulders again. “What would you normally do when you get a migraine, besides taking medicine?”

“Lie down. Try to decrease stimuli.”

Her lips press into a line as she nods. “I’m sorry we’re so far from home, but maybe you can lie down in your car?”

“I’ll be fine.” I straighten, leaning back so her fingers fall away.

This has all gotten too intimate. I’m supposed to be keeping my distance.

The hard set of her jaw should be a warning. “Finnegan Reynolds, you are going to take your medicine and lie down right now, or I’ll sing ‘Alouette’ at the top of my lungs.”

“How did you know my full name, Vivian?” I can’t help the flirtatious twitch of my lips. “Did you look me up?”

Her fingers on my shoulders flex. “I swear to the sea, if you pour that fake charm over this, I will blind you with my phone’s flashlight.”

A chuckle tumbles from my mouth. “You’re a stubborn little thing, aren’t you? You pretend to be all sweet and quiet, but really, you’re a fighter.”

Vivian nearly growls.

Though my smile grows, I want to tell her my words are a compliment. If she could see herself the way I do, she’d never doubt her ability to do anything. But instead, I wink, poking the adorable teddy bear.

“Don’t.”

Vivian moves forward, hands firmly framing my face, and I’m done for. Whatever she wants, she can have. My lashes flutter before I remember myself and meet her steely gaze.

“Don’t do that.” Vivian hesitates a breath, her tone softening. “I like you like this.”

My eyebrows lift. “In pain?”

Her curls bounce with a subtle head shake. “Honest.”

The sharp breath stumbling into my lungs is entirely too noisy. In addition to causing mortification to sprint through my veins, it draws Vivian’s gaze. I expect her to focus back on my eyes, to continue my talking-to, but her attention fixates. My vision goes a little gray at the edges as Vivian sways forward, her tongue wetting her bottom lip.

“Miss?” An older woman I hadn’t noticed stands at the entrance to the tent, clutching a dress. “Could I get this for my granddaughter?” The willowy teen beside her doesn’t look up from her phone.

Vivian startles, her blush fierce against her pale skin.

“Of course,” she says, moving toward them.

“I’m going to head to the car,” I mutter, giving the trio a wide berth as I step into the piercing sunshine.

A hot streak of lightning crosses from my left eye to the back of my skull. I squint, fumbling for the sunglasses tucked into my collar. The entire walk to the car, I focus on the searing pain in my head, not the wobbly uncertainty in my chest.

Because I’m sure my exhausted brain is playing tricks on me.

There’s no way Vivian just leaned in to kiss me.

twenty-two

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