Page 22 of Her Greatest Adventure

“Hello, Sparks. It’s nice to finally meet you,” I introduce myself.

The hint of a smile. “Hi.”

“I gotta go, Addie. But please call me soon,” Tiny says, eyes pleading.

“Of course. Love you.”

“Love you more!” she calls before her picture disappears, leaving me staring at her contact. I immediately miss her.

When I slowly slip my phone back into my shorts, Cooper’s at my side, his hand outstretched. His fingers are long, and his palms are smooth. I grab it and let him help me up.

“Fancy a quick swim?”

10

COOPER

It turnsout that our quick swim wasn’t quick at all. My fingertips resemble raisins by the time we get out and dry off beneath the late-morning sun, but seeing her happy again makes it hard to care that I may have a bit of a sunburn.

I rub my sides with a towel as she bends at the waist and starts to dry her hair before folding it up in the towel the way women do after a shower. Her eyes bore into me as she stalks around the patio in a strappy bikini, bare feet slapping the tile.

My self-control hasn’t been stretched so thin in my entire life. I’ve never had a desire to look at Adalyn like this, but keeping my eyes from exploring is becoming a struggle as curiosity urges me to take one long look down her body, just to see what she looks like right now. Does that make me a bad person? Maybe.

Respect for Maddox has me draping my towel over my shoulders and heading inside.

“I’m going to get changed. Do you want to head out in like half an hour?” I ask, pausing at the patio doors.

“Yep!” she calls, voice higher-pitched than normal. I shrug it off and move inside.

In exactly thirty minutes, she pops out of her room dressed in a thin-strapped, flowy white dress with red and pink flowers all over it. There’s a pair of chunky pink, loosely tied Converse on her feet and a matching clip holding some of her hair out of her face.

“You look handsome,” she notes, fiddling with an earring. Her words are so genuine I fumble with a reply.

“Thanks. You too. I mean—you’re not handsome. You look pretty,” I mutter, trying not to focus on the flush creeping up my chest and neck.

She beams at the compliment. “Thank you. Shall we go?”

Nodding, I pull open the front door and usher her outside a second later, praying I don’t look as out of my limits as I feel.

* * *

“You have to try this,”Adalyn gushes, reaching up to shove a small wooden spoon toward my mouth.

The gelato starts to melt against my lips as I part them for her. The tastes of vanilla and raspberry hit my tongue, the added sweetness helping to cut the bitterness of the fruit. A moan builds in my throat, my body seemingly uncaring about the number of people around us on the street.

Adalyn’s eyes flash with approval. “It’s so good, right?”

I lean back when she doesn’t pull the spoon out of my mouth. “Really good.”

“Do you want to try a different kind before we leave? We can share it.”

There’s something almost fairy-like about the way she moves around in front of the gelato stand. She’s carefree and so damn happy. I notice the curious eyes that can’t help but take her in as she pushes through the crowd, pastel hair bouncing with each enthusiastic step.

I sympathize with those who can’t look away because despite how hard I try to tell myself to do exactly that, I can’t either.

There’s a gentle tap on my shoulder, and I spin around to see an older gentleman behind me, a green apron looped around his neck and over his front. A single word is sprawled across his chest.Valeria’s.

Behind him is the hint of a flower stand, hidden behind dozens upon dozens of fresh flowers. White and yellow and blue. Every colour possible. I take a deep breath and fill my lungs with the smell of them.

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