Page 70 of Feel It All

“Here, Winry, you start us off again.” A guy named Andrew tosses her the ball. He has been blatantly staring at her the entire game. I know he knows that I see it, but who doesn’t pay him any attention is Winry. Her mind is solely in the game and beating me. I love every second of it.

She hits another killer serve and we struggle to recover it. My team pulls it together the first half but fall apart in the second. We are one point away from losing and Winry is back up to serve. She hits it over with ease and we volley it back and forth for a while, but ultimately Winry hits the spike to win the game.

She jumps up and down in joy, her team gives her a round of high fives then she bounces over to me. “I’m sorry, babe, better luck next time,” she taunts.

“Come here, you little sassy pants,” I pull her into me and give annoying kisses to her neck and tickle her.

“Ah, let me go,” she giggles.

“Say you’re sorry,” I continue.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” she says breathlessly.

I stop and let her go. We walk back to our blanket again. I check the time on my phone and find a few more messages from my mom that I ignore. It’s a little after 6, and the beach is starting to clear a bit.

“You ready to go eat?” I ask her.

“Yes, let’s rinse off and take this stuff to the car and we can change clothes in the car.”

“Sounds like a plan,” we clean up and dust everything off.

At the showers, my erection comes back watching Winry rinse off under the water. She is so sexy, especially in these moments when she isn’t trying to be. When it’s my turn, I am thankful that the water is cold, not that it helps much.

We dry off and I let her change in the back seat first. I know if I am in there, things will turn steamy quick. She comes out and does a little twirl, showing off her dress. It’s a little white flowy sundress that ties behind her neck, so it shows off her sun-kissed back. Her hair is pulled back again in her clip with a few strands down in the front.

“You are quite possibly the most adorable thing I have ever seen.” I take her hand and twirl her around again. I give her a quick kiss then grab my bag to change in the back of the cramped car. I throw on a pair of jeans and a white short-sleeve button up.

“Looks like we match,” she giggles as I climb out.

“We sure do, I like it. You ready?” I hold out my hand for hers.

“Let’s do it.”

We head to the restaurant, Flounders, and Winry asks for a table on the back deck. It overlooks the water, and there is a stage where a band is starting to set up.

“They have live music?” I ask.

“Yup, every night. They even have an open spot for dancing,” she winks.

We take our seats, and the waitress comes over immediately to take our drink orders, and I watch Winry as she studies the menu. Her cheeks and nose are a little pink from the sun, and freckles sprinkle her shoulders.

I am helplessly in love with this woman.

She looks up at me, and I swear there is a twinkle in her eyes, but then she quickly shifts her eyes away. “I, um, I wrote you something,” she mumbles.

“You did?” Warmth spreads through my chest. I have been wanting to read some of the stuff she writes, but I haven’t wanted to push her either. “Can I read it?” I ask.

“Yeah, I…uh, sorry I haven’t shared my writing with anyone before, so I’m nervous.” She slides a letter over to me. “I wrote this poem the other day, I was just thinking of you, and it sort of just came to me. I wanted you to have it, but I have been too chicken to give it to you.”

“I’m sure it’s great, Winry.” I open the envelope and pull out the poem:

When I pray for love.

Let the sound of your voice always make me smile.

Bless the opening of my eyes to see that the grass I am standing on is always greener.

May the touch of your hand make my heart beat a little stronger.