Page 74 of Fresh Canvas
“It’s okay,” I said, ducking my head and shoving an errant wave behind my ear. “I know this used to be Ryan’s room too.”
I gasped as Val spun me against the doorframe, pressing my back against the molding. His large hands gripped my waist while he trailed kisses along my speechless throat. His lips brushed the curve of my ear.
“I couldn’t care less about your ex.” His hot breath tickled. “I just don’t trust myself again with you in any room that has a mattress.”
I forgot what words were.
My mouth flapped uselessly before I gave a jerky nod, trying to ignore the urge to pin him on said mattress.
After a long moment, I scavenged a few syllables. “Should we…go outside, then?”
Val didn’t move a muscle. His hungry expression stayed trained on my face, my heartbeat increasing with each passing second. The hand gripping my waist squeezed tighter, his thumb flitting tantalizing circles over the soft cotton of my t-shirt.
Suddenly, Val cursed, shut his eyes, and pulled me back down the hallway by my wrist.
“Trouble, trouble, trouble,” he muttered.
I followed after him with a breathy laugh.
The sparkling water rippled as Val dipped his hand into it. Summer sun glinted off the surface of the pool, casting a mirage of waves dancing against the house.
“I can see why you didn’t want to move to the city.” Val straightened and wrapped his arms around my waist. I loved that he seemed to want to touch me as often as I wanted to touch him. Looking around, he nodded and said, “I’d commute for this.”
I responded by looping my arms around the sturdy column of his neck. “I like it a lot more now that you’re here.” Val didn’t resist as I pulled him down, relishing the feel of his hot mouth on mine.
“So what are we doing today?” His smile brushed my lips, clearly not willing to pull away.
“Hmm. I can think of alotof things we could do…” I giggled at the shocked expression on his face. “But first, I’m going to kick your butt in paintball.”
Val startled. “Paintball?”
I grinned wickedly. “Paintball.”
He sighed. “Paintball.”
twenty
VAL
“Trouble, trouble, trouble,” I muttered again in the Death by Paintball facility’s bathroom. I shoved my legs into my gray sweatpants and pulled on my navy t-shirt, grateful that Amantha had at least suggested I bring a change of clothes. Though she could have warned me that they would soon be covered in gross, slimy paint. In fact, Amantha hadn’t stopped laughing since we arrived. I could still hear her cackle as I walked out of the bathroom and met her outside on the grass.
“I’m sorry.” She gasped. “I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to see you get all messy.”
I did my best to feign annoyance, though I couldn’t stop grinning at that laugh of sunshine and chaos. “As long as there are no birds or ponds, I’m in.”
She only laughed harder at that.
We approached the grassy compound, surrounded by a chain link fence. A pimpled Death by Paintball employee handed us folded stacks of thick white fabric. Gratitude swelled in my chest at the sight of the protective jumpsuit, and I swear I almost hugged the guy.
Rustling and zipping ensued as we pulled the jumpsuits overour clothes and listened to the rules and regulations. My zipper froze mid-chest as I saw Amantha sliding hers over her curvy hips. She caught me staring and winked.
I swallowed.
She tied her loose waves into a ponytail and I helped her put on her goggles. Satchels hung around our torsos, brimming with fragile paint pods that would burst on contact. I lifted my goggles to kiss her soft cheek, which flushed as I pulled away. Rolling a blue paint pod between my fingers with a sinful smile, I shrugged.
“You’re screwed, Adams.”
Amantha loaded her hands with yellow ones from her bag. “Shut up, Russo.”
