Page 28 of Invisible String
Her eyes widen. “That’s mean. How rude.”
I stick my hand in the car and unlock it.
“Hey.”
“Out.”
“Fine, you grump.” She sways her hips, and her ass hangs out.
Fuck.
Shutting the door, I turn to her, then grip her chin. “From now on, I’ll drive whether it’s in mine or yours. My mom died in a car accident. I’m worried your reckless driving will cause something to happen to you.”
She presses a kiss on my knuckles. “Max, I’m so sorry. Did my driving cause you to re-live those memories? Were you with her?”
“I was with her,” I admit, as much as I want to divert from the conversation. From the day my mother passed, I no longer spoke of her death or celebrated her life. My father changed. He loved my mom and me more than anything. He turned into a completely different man the day he lost her.
“Wow… I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to express my condolences. I know it was years ago. I’m sorry you went through so much. You know, without your mom.”
I put the car in drive. “Yes, it was years ago.” I shrug. “How about you just enjoy being a passenger, princess?” And in need of driving lessons.
As we approachthe gurgling stream, my stomach churns at the crowded banks. Groups of people with their own tubes lounge on the grassy shore while others wait in line to rent them from a small shack nearby. I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the chaotic scene ahead.
Lana waves us down and runs to us, the guys following behind. Lana’s gaze rolls over me. “You’re not wearing trunks.”
“No.”
“And you have a shirt on and slides.”
Rainey tries to lift my shirt.
“I prefer not to get sunburned,” I lie.
Rainey nods, stepping back.
“Oh, okay. That’s okay. Who fucking needs them anyway, right? You two took so long that I went ahead and rented the tubes. The only problem is that they didn’t have many available. We would have to wait for people to bring them up when they’re done. I figured one of us could share.”
“We can share, Lana.” Dan winks at her, rubbing her ass. That guy is a punk. I don’t get why she’s seeing him.
“Sounds good to me,” Lana purrs.
“How about we share a tube, Rainey? I’m slimmer, and we’ll fit well in it.” Peter’s gaze eats up Rainey as she rolls her shorts off and unbuttons her shirt, leaving her in a bikini.
“Nah, she’s with me. She fits perfectly on my lap. Don’t you, sunshine?”
“Uh-huh, and in other places.”
Damn, she has a dirty mind, or is it me?
Rainey laces her fingers with mine. Her warmth does something to me. She fills me with something I can’t pinpoint. An emotion I’m unfamiliar with. “Not territorial. Huh.”
“No!”
She wears a cheesy grin. “Possessive.”
“You’re ridiculous. It’s protectiveness,” I mutter under my breath.
We maneuver around a man distributing giant yellow tubes. I grab one and sling it over my shoulder to carry along with us. Crowds of people sit on huge family-sized tubes. I’m so close to saying fuck it and head back. These past few days, I’ve been getting out of my comfort zone forcefully, all because of Rainey. I’m allowing her to get under my skin. I kissed her in front of everyone, claiming her.
