Page 58 of Love Bank
I tipped my head to the side and whispered, “Not really hanging right now. More like outgrowing my boxers the second I saw you.”
Lucy swallowed hard and looked around, like she was afraid someone would have overheard my whispered admission.
“Jesus, Bain. Keep your voice down, would you? We don’t need the whole town talking.”
I frowned. “Do you really care what the town has to say?”
She looked back at me, her face serious. “Of course I do. In fact, I was hoping to talk to you tonight about keeping this—whatever this is—just between us. I don’t want anyone knowing about it.”
Oh, hell no.
“Now why the hell would I do that? I like you, Lucy, and you already told me you liked me too, so what’s the harm in people knowing we’re spending some time together?”
She huffed and glanced around again before spearing me with a look of annoyance. A look I didn’t like. Not because she was setting up to argue with me, but because there was a pinch of pain behind those gray eyes. She shivered and I didn’t think, just put my arm around her to shield her from the wind. Lucy pulled back out of my embrace.
“See? Things like that. You can’t do that in public, okay? You don’t understand the small-town dynamic like I do.”
I gritted my teeth and prayed for patience. “Fine. Why don’t we have a seat over on that blanket by the fire?” I gestured to a free blanket sitting close enough to the fire she’d be warm in that skimpy tank top. I almost offered my flannel but figured she’d refuse that too lest any gossip mongers think we were going steady.
Thankfully she didn’t argue, just had a seat, leaving me enough room to join her. I sat down, purposely sitting close enough my leg brushed against her knee. The silence stretched out, and while I didn’t mind it as long as Lucy was near me, I wanted to get to the bottom of her reluctance to be seen in public together.
“I don’t suppose you want to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours, do you?” She looked hot as hell in that tank top, her shoulders bare and begging for my fingers to dance across them on their way to all the delights she had to offer.
Lucy studied me, for what I wasn’t sure. After a few seconds, she finally spilled, her sweet voice a little shaky.
“Do you flirt with every woman you meet?”
I reared my head back, wondering what she was getting at. “No, not at all. Why would you ask that?”
She lifted one shoulder and let it fall, breaking our locked gazes. “I just saw the way you talked to Amelia and I wondered.”
I put my hand on her leg, not giving two shits who saw us. “Lucy. I haven’t historically dated women long term, but when I am with a woman, she’s the only one who has my attention. Right now, that’s you and only you.”
Her gaze fluttered back to mine, a tentative win. “Historically, I’ve been labeled as a bit boring. A bit prudish. No one hates me, but I’m used to being overlooked.” She glanced down at my hand on her leg and began picking at the threads where the denim gaped open, telling me a story.
“I had a friend in third grade. My very first best friend. Her name was Lacy. I started going by Lucy just so our names would be similar. Like we were sisters. We did everything together, but one day in fourth grade, a new girl moved to town. Lacy took one look at her and ditched me, spending all her time with the new girl, who was so pretty she became instantly popular. She started telling everyone I was too boring to hang out with. I just kind of learned to keep to myself. Easier and far less painful that way.”
Lucy shrugged again and pasted on a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
My grip tightened on her leg for a second. Then I threw caution to the wind and put my arm around her, pulling her into my chest. She came willingly and I took that as another win. She may say she wanted to keep us a secret, but Lucy wanted me.
I cupped her jaw and forced her to make eye contact. “I will never, ever ditch you for someone more fun. How can a woman who blackmails a law enforcement official while opening a spank bank be boring?” I chuckled, shaking my head at her belief. “You’re the only woman I see and I want us to be exclusive. I don’t date. But I want to with you. I want to know everything about you. Say you’ll date me and who the hell cares who knows.”
Her eyes went soft, the color coming back to her cheeks as she melted into me. “I’ll think about it,” she finally whispered.
My heart sank, but I was nothing if not determined. “I’ll hold you to that, gorgeous.” I kissed her forehead, my lips aching for her mouth. “Now how about we go check out that sea cave?”
Her jaw dropped open and she pushed me away. I gave her a wink, knowing full well she wouldn’t agree, but wanting to see her laugh anyway. Arguing with her was better than nothing at all.
“Maybe one day, Bain Sutter, but today is not that day.”
22
Lucille
“Oh God, oh God…” I chanted, my back sliding dangerously with each thrust of Bain’s hips.
The tiled wall became slick, the hot water steaming up the shower stall, water flying everywhere in the small space. I was at Bain’s mercy, my legs dangling as he held me pinned to the wall. This was a very excellent position to be in. I had full view of his rippling muscles as he pistoned into me over and over. I held his shoulders, finding purchase on those boulders, trying to help him hold up my weight when the assist was completely unnecessary.
