Page 33 of Rebel Bride
“Don’t forget the running of fingers through your hair.”
“You said raking.”
She held the bagel to her lips. “I did, but it sounds weird. Like you’re taking a gardening implement to your head. You know in Portuguese they call it ‘cafune’ when someone else does it to your hair or you do it to a lover’s.”
She took a bite and chewed.
Something weird was happening here. It was like we’d leapfrogged the getting-to-know-you and landed in the middle of some kind of ’ship. Relationship. Situationship. Friendship.
Attractionship.
Knowing that Summer thought my eyes were gorgeous and the rest made me uneasy. I might not be Carter’s biggest fan but there had to be some adherence to the bro code.
She swallowed her bagel bite, took a sip of coffee, and stared at me.
“Have I made it weird?”
“No. Okay, yes. We’re not … friends.”
“And this feels too friendly?”
I pushed the remainder of my cream cheese toward her. Given her usage so far, she might need it.
“A bit.”
She held up her hands. “Got it. Let’s keep it strictly … well, how would you define this?”
“Helping out a … work colleague.”
That pleased her, which strangely pleased me. Fuck, I was losing the plot.
“A work colleague. I can get down with that. So, I have a hugely important question to ask you.” She cleared her throat. “Any chance we can hold some work meetings … on this boat of yours?”
I couldn’t help my laugh. “If I can get it out of storage soon, we can go out tomorrow if you like.”
“Really?”
The way her face lit up sent my pulse into outer space. She leaned in like she wanted to hug or kiss me, and my cock stirred, anticipating either, yet knowing neither was good for my mental health.
At the last second, she sat back and said, “Thanks, Dino Boy.”
I groaned. “Why’d ya go and ruin it?”
She chuckled. “Did your dad really conceive you while wearing T-rex-themed underwear?”
Unfortunately the public was far too knowledgeable about my parents’ sex lives. I had my dad to thank for that.
“Hard to conceive while wearing the underwear.”
“I dunno. I’m guessing some guys are spurty enough to break through the cotton barrier.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Spurty enough? You’re assigning way more power to any guy’s sperm than it deserves. And I really don’t want to think about my dad’s swimmers.”
“Even when it resulted in the miracle that is you?”
That drew another laugh, deep from my belly, and loud enough to attract Gemma’s attention.
“Especially that.”
