Page 26 of Bad Boy Crush

He pulled his shoulders back at the mention of his achievement. Behind him, Ant’s lips compressed. She read his expression easily. Gimme a break.

Suddenly serious, Hunter put one hand over his medal and the other on the sapling. “This tree is for the one you lost. What you’re going to see today might look brutal, but us lumberjacks care a great deal about the environment. Replanting is an important part of the process. Mother Nature is our playground, but we respect her.”

While she agreed with the sentiment, his delivery was a bit over-the-top. Ant must have agreed. He coughed into his fist, smothering what might have been a laugh.

“Thank you,” she told Hunter as sincerely as she was able. “Again.”

“My pleasure.” He took her hand in his, a first for the day. As he bent to touch his lips to her knuckles, a low voice boomed behind him.

“I don’t fuckin’ think so.”

* * *

Hunter, his stupid mouth hovering way too close to Lou’s hand, jerked his head to glare over his shoulder. “Can I help you, Renaldo?”

“Yeah. You can get the hell outta my way.”

Ant hadn’t planned on decking someone at the opening ceremony, but there were a lot of things he hadn’t planned on today. Like a gift for Lou, who had neglected to tell him she’d be sitting in this seat for…whatever the fuck this bizarre ceremony was about.

He should have read the rules she’d printed for him more thoroughly. He’d looked at them for an hour last night, skimming for numbers. He knew what time the events went off, and how many hours the sculpting contest lasted. As far as safety rules—pfft. If he didn’t impersonate Jason from Friday the 13th during the events, he figured he’d be good to go.

The announcer interrupted the would-be standoff before it escalated. “Help me welcome our state champion, Hunter Medway, everyone! Hunter, come up and say a few words.” Hunter, pleased to accept the spotlight, dropped Lou’s hand and forgot about his earlier agenda. He took the megaphone and greeted the cheering crowd.

Ant stepped closer to Lou, grateful for the attention not on him.

“Hello, Anthony.” Her mouth quirked into an amused, sexy lilt.

“Hello, Lourdes. Impressive basket of goodies you have there.”

She straightened her horns. “Well, I’m very popular.”

God, she looked good. Her shorts were short, revealing most of her creamy thighs. He especially appreciated the small fray high on one leg that gave him a peek at more skin. Her T-shirt was pale blue, his favorite color on her. It made her blue eyes appear bluer.

He hadn’t seen her since the night he’d toppled into the lake at Brady’s house. They’d sat around the bonfire and had a few drinks with their friends, shooting the shit about everything and nothing until midnight rolled around. That was when Brady offered to take his new boat for a spin and invited everyone to join. Ant announced he was going home to get some sleep, assuming Lou would beg off as well. Turned out, she’d been up for a midnight cruise. At home, he’d regretted not climbing aboard with her, even though he hadn’t trusted himself not to kiss her if he had.

He felt a similar way now.

She held out her hands. “Where is your offering, peasant? I hear the more I like it, the luckier you’ll be today.”

He opened his mouth to explain how he’d half-assed his homework like a prepubescent kid, when Hunter abruptly wrapped up his speech and directed the crowd’s attention to Lou and Ant.

“Looks like our final offering of the evening is about to happen!” Hunter called out, the dick. He’d noticed, and mentioned, the lack of gift in Ant’s hand while they were in line. His primary goal was to humiliate Ant, and now, with the crowd’s focus squarely on him, Ant felt more like the kid who’d showed up to school naked.

“Fuck,” he said under his breath. He had nothing for Lou. And soon everyone would know it.

“Let’s see what the town artisan has prepared for our master of ceremonies.” Hunter smirked before returning the megaphone to the announcer.

“Now’s your chance to impress me,” she whispered, searching for evidence of her offering and finding none. Dammit. She’d gone out of her way to help him qualify for this festival, and he’d shown up empty-handed.

What else could he impress her with?

Thinking fast, he leaned in and set his mouth squarely on hers. He’d meant for the kiss to be brief. He wasn’t full-on making out with her, but the kiss ended up being less of a short stamp and more of a lingering pull.

Her lips softened, inviting his exploration. She tasted like sugar and cinnamon, like she’d eaten a handful of Red Hots candy. The unexpected brush of her fingertips against his bristled jaw sent white-hot sparks to the surface of his skin.

He didn’t want to stop.

Ever.

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