Page 100 of Chips & Checks
“This is unhinged. This is completely deranged. I love it so much I could cry.”
“You did cry over that one TikTok with the aquarium wedding,” he points out, smug.
“I was hormonal, and the stingrays were dancing.”
We both stare at the clamshell bed for a second, letting the glorious absurdity sink in.
“I was going to paint the ceiling like the ocean, too,” Bowen adds. “But I ran out of time. Plus, I thought I’d let you pick the sea creatures. You know, for accuracy. We can get a projector if you want instead.”
I whirl and throw my arms around him. “You’re insane. You’re mine. And you’re insane.”
“Is that a yes to christening the Pearl Throne™?”
“Not tonight. I’m still recovering from the Oracle.”
We both crack up, and he leans down to kiss me, soft and lingering. Not hungry. Not demanding. Just… him. And me. And the mermaid bed he built for no other reason than to make me smile.
Fantasy Fulfillment Services™, folks.
Five stars. Would recommend.
* * *
Two days later, we’re lounging on the absurdly opulent mermaid bed—yes, on purpose—sharing a bag of kettle corn and watching a documentary about octopus intelligence, because nothing says romantic bonding like watching a sea creature pick locks while casually plotting world domination.
Bowen’s head is on my lap. He keeps tossing popcorn into the air and trying to catch it in his mouth. The current score: Bowen, 2. Gravity, 17.
“You’re not allowed to be this hot and this bad at popcorn physics,” I tell him, popping a kernel into his mouth manually.
He chews with a smug grin. “I prefer to keep you guessing.”
I toy with the edge of his hair, twisting the soft strands around my fingers. “You know this means I have to add more items to my list, right?”
“Baby, I’m counting on it.” He stretches, arms behind his head, abs shamelessly on display. “I like having goals.”
I fish my phone off the nightstand, unlock my notes app, and scroll down to the bucket list.
“Okay,” I say. “What about... underwater quickie?”
Bowen props himself up on one elbow. “Jacuzzi or actual body of water?”
“Whichever one doesn’t get us arrested.”
“Consider it done. What else you got?”
I chew my lip. “Hmm… sex in a locker room?”
He makes a face. “Team facility or mine?”
“You have a locker room?”
“Gym locker. Still counts. I’ll disinfect it myself.”
I grin. “How thoughtful.”
Bowen sits up, pulling me into his lap. “Come on, Vi. Hit me with the weirdest one you’ve got. Let’s see if we need to add a category called Fantasy Fulfillment Services: Mythical Edition™.”
My cheeks flush as I scroll all the way down. There, buried at the bottom, is the one fantasy I never thought I’d say out loud.
