Page 67 of Knockin' Boats
I didn’t want Ash to make me fucking happy.
“Sawyer?” He frowned. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fucking fine,” I snapped. “Let’s just work.”
Ash rolled his eyes. “That’s what I was trying to do. I’ve got to change this menu, because I refuse to stop serving the food I want. I need a new way to make it appeal to people.”
“Well, Ex-Squid-site Bites is fucking ridiculous.”
Ash grinned, his blue eyes lighting up. “Yeah? Then it’s perfect.”
“From frou-frou menu items to fucking jokes, huh?”
“If that’s what it takes.” His jaw tightened. “I’m going to make the food I want, and I’m going to make the people out there want it, damn it. I refuse to be a short-order cook flipping burgers all day.”
“Jerk-off Chicken?” I suggested flippantly.
“Sawyer!” He laughed, eyes crinkling up. “That’s terrible. I need to keep it family friendly.”
I shrugged. “Good luck with that.”
He stepped in close, lowering his voice. “I’m not opposed to the idea of, uh, jerking off something else, though. If you know what I mean…”
I sucked in a breath. “No idea. We should keep working.”
“We’ve finally got a lull. We could take a dip in the lake?”
I took a step back. “Our clothes will just get all wet. I know how you hate that.”
He grabbed the bottom of my T-shirt and tugged me back toward him. “So we’ll take them off.”
I pulled away. “We should catch up on the cleaning while we can.”
Ash exploded. “Okay, what the fuck is wrong with you today?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“You hate cleaning. Youalwayswant to cool off during our downtime.”
“And you bitch about it. So, now I want to clean, and you’re still not happy? Fuck off, Ash.”
“No. Uh-uh. Something is going on with you.” He poked me in the chest. “What the fuck, Saw?”
I knocked his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
“Why not? Usually it’s the best way to get along. We start fighting, and then we start?—”
“Don’t say it,” I growled. “Don’t fucking say it.”
“Why?” he challenged. “Does that make it too real for you?”
“Fuck you, Ash. Fuck. You.”
He threw up his hands. “Go ahead. Fuck me. We both know you want to! I’m sorry if that’s too much for you to?—”
My pulse rushed in my ears, blotting out the rest of his words. I grabbed his throat, and in that moment, I really didn’t know what I’d do. Choke him silent or slam him into the wall.
Or maybe I did know. Because when I jerked him forward, crashing our mouths together, there was no surprise. Not in his eyes or mine. Only sweet relief.
