Page 28 of Deep Waters
And like that, we were alone. Granted, we floated in a sea of townspeople, but the way Rae looked at me made all of them fall away. Just white noise in the distance.
“Did you have a good day at work?” I asked, clearing the rust from my voice and trying to inject some normalcy into the pool of silence that threatened to grow into a moat between us.
Rae’s face softened. “Yeah. Mostly just routine preventive maintenance for a couple of regulars today. Nothing too complicated.”
“Sometimes, simple is good.”
Her lips twisted. “It wasn’t all boring. My brother accused me of stealing his keys, so that was fun.” She rolled her eyes.
“I know you would never.” I grinned sheepishly. “But I totally would.” I coughed, trying to suppress my smile. “Stealing keys is in the Fenwick Family Prank Book. Page five.”
Her soft giggle dissolved the lingering annoyance that had wrinkled the spot between her brows. “Your family and mine arequitedifferent.”
“You can say mine is better,” I said with faux modesty, wishing, for her sake, that it weren’t one hundred percent true.
“Modest as always, Fenwick.”
“Captain, modesty doesn’t get the girls.”
She arched one brow. “According toyou, you’re a reformed man. Doesn’t that mean modesty should be your middle name?”
I leaned back on my elbows, taunting her silently with my grin. Making her wait for the punchline she had to know was coming.
“Honey, I misspoke. Modesty might get the girls… but I’m done chasing girls.” I paused. “I’ve only got one woman on my mind.”
Chapter 13 – Rae
Be still my fucking heart.
Zach held my gaze after claiming he only had one woman on his mind, making it clear exactly who he was talking about. Me.
He lounged against our picnic blanket, elbows digging into the blue fabric, tanned skin and white smile a gorgeous contrast. Literally throwing myself at him would be bad, right? Bad? Or good.
That damn taunting grin, the way he kept teasing me, made it difficult to remember that half the town surrounded us.
He crooked one finger, tilting his chin in silent challenge. Even the damned backwards ballcap that covered his brown hair tempted me to touch him. Flip it off. Muss him up. Anything to stake a claim. His dark eyes were warm and liquid, tracing my face, my neckline. It felt like a caress, but he hadn’t moved an inch.
Heat cut through me like a laser, focused and precise, filling me with a yearning that had no place in a public park.
Dammit.
Two could play that game.
Dropping to hands and knees, I crawled toward him. My breasts swayed, my tank top gaping. His tongue licked out, whetting his lips as his gaze locked on my chest.
One palm forward, then the other, taking my time. We were close enough that I could smell the mint on his breath.
Instead of closing the distance, I reached past him, flipping open the cooler. Holding his gaze with a challenge of my own, I pulled out the container of ranch dip and carrots. I sat back coolly and snapped the lid off, as if I hadn’t just bested him at his own game.
Zach barked out a cough that might have been a laugh at his own expense. “Can I have some?” he asked, voice raw.
I offered him the container. “Sure. Help yourself.” I added an evil little smile to turn the knife.
Something tumbled in his dark eyes, but he took a carrot, snapping it viciously between white teeth. “Don’t mind if I do.”
His expression promised retribution, but all I could feel was triumph. Playing with Zach like this, flirting so openly, was a new experience. And Ilovedit. The anticipation. The freedom to tease. It bubbled in my veins like the sweetest wine, making me feel floaty. Satisfied. Happy.
“Aunt Rae, can I have some grapes?” Hana reappeared at our blanket, and I scooted closer to Zach, making room for her.
