Page 117 of Knockin' Boats
“Tastes like what?” he asked with a laugh.
“You’ll see.”
We took the boat over to the marina, since that was closer to the town center, and walked from there. On the way to Tastes Like Grandma—a small breakfast diner with thebestcornbread pancakes and biscuits and—well anything Grandma Rosie decided to make, honestly—we passed the Outdoor Market.
“Whoa, I didn’t know this was here.”
“Oh yeah? You haven’t been properly introduced to Swallow Cove then. Have you visited town at all?”
“I went to Just The Sip.” He perked up. “Can we grab a coffee there? I love the Mocha Me Moan, Daddy.”
I snorted. “Didn’t know you were looking for a daddy.”
He grinned. “Just call me good boy when I’m on my knees, and we’ll call it good.”
“Deal,” I said with a laugh. “But let’s get food then coffee, okay? I’ve been up since five.”
We cut through the market since it was on the way, and Ash marveled over the weird array of goods. Watching the way he lit up as he darted toward a table covered in crocheted roosters made my stomach flip.
“Look, Sawyer! Their cocks are so cute!”
He brandished it at me, and I batted his hand away. “Stop.”
“What? Don’t you like a co?—”
I slapped a hand over his mouth before he outed me to the whole town. “This isn’t Shallow Beach,” I muttered. “What you say here travelseverywhere.”
Ash tugged my hand down. “‘Don’t you like a cocky bastard?’ I was going to say.”
I really doubted he was going to say that. But casting another look at the crocheted rooster, I smirked. “It does remind me of you.”
I glanced toward the vendor, a lady named Jean who was watching our exchange a little too closely.
“How much?” I asked.
“Forty bucks.”
I winced. “Ten.
“I can’t do that,” she said.
Ash pulled out another ten. “Twenty?”
“Deal.” She snatched the bills from our hands and shoved the cock—er, rooster—into my hand.
“You really know how to handle a cock,” Ash said under his breath.
I wasn’t worried anyone would hear as we walked away, but I still elbowed him in the ribs, making him jerk with a grunt.
“What? It was a compliment!”
A shit-eating grin spread across his face, and I didn’t have a single urge to smack it off. But I did want to kiss it.
I tugged him around the side of the building beside us, pressed him to the wall, and kissed him hard. “Stop talking about cocks.”
“Mm, but you like cocks, don’t you?” he teased.
“Just yours.”
