Page 49 of The Dating Game

“I’m sorry,” I say reflexively, my blush intensifying under the strain of my ridiculousness. “I do kind of get on my soapbox when it comes to hydration.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he says. “I find your obsession with hydration…” he pretends to search for the right word, then finishes with a wink, “refreshing.” I laugh and he grins.

“That was a horrible pun,” I tell him, but I’m smiling as I say it.

“Oh absolutely horrible,” he agrees affably. “Not to mention it was completely the wrong word to describe how I truly feel on the matter.”

“Oh?” I cock my head in question.

“Yup.” He nods. “In truth I find that particular quirk of yours very cute.”

“Cute?” I echo, surprised by how much I like this phrasing.

“Very,” he reiterates and the timbre of his voice makes my stomach swirl delightfully. “In fact I think it’s socute, that I’ve made it my mission to keep you hydrated this week, starting with this drink right here.” He passes me the cup once more and this time I take it. Do I make darn sure our hands brush during the transfer? Yes, yes, I do.

And now I am officially a hand brush fan.

I’m thinking I might start a club for fellow hand brush fans, and we’ll spend the meetings just passing items back and forth to each other. Obviously membership will be pretty exclusive. Just me and Will.

I’ll have to mention this idea to Belinda to use in one of her books. I’m imagining two track stars falling in love during a coed relay as they pass the baton.

I take a sip of the water. Delicious.

You know, maybe Will and I should start running track together.

“Good?” he asks.

“So good,” I say. “Thank you. That was so thoughtful of you.”

“Consider it my way of making up for not bringing you water on our bike ride.” He looks sheepish.

“I’m a grown woman,” I reply generously. “I should’ve brought my own, but,” I add boldly, “I do like the idea of you bringing me water regularly.”

Will grins that easy grin of his. “I like that idea too, my little cow.”

I sputter on the sip of water I just took. “Did you just call me a cow?” I exclaim.

Will chuckles. “Well, I would’ve called you my little camel, but someone told me that it’s a myth that they drink a ton of water everyday. Turns out that the animal that drinks the most water is a cow.”

Now I laugh too; a warm glow settling over me. “Look at you spouting off a random animal fact—don’t tell me you went to the zoo without me.”

“Nah, just usedGoogle for that one.”

I laugh again and our gazes collide, the impact like a match striking the box and setting my heart aflame. My laughter dies as his eyes search mine, attraction crackling between us. I want to kiss him.

A thousand different karaoke song lyrics about that very subject drift through my mind cementing that truth: this kiss, kiss me, sha-la-la-la-la-la, just a kiss, are you gonna k—

“Hey, Will?” A voice cuts in, completely ruining the moment and, though we were still feet apart, we spring even further away from each other. “Oh, sorry.” The girl who the voice belongs to looks between us, her cheeks reddening in a way that suggests she knows she’s interrupted something.

Did she though? Was Will going to kiss me?

I can’t be sure.

And now I’ll never know.

But that’s okay. Surely I can recreate this moment at some point during the next ten days. Right?

Will and the girl exchange words, then he turns to me with an apologetic expression. “I need to get back to the bus.”

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