Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(24)

“You’re right. Of course, I didn’t. What the fuck do you think of me?” I dove forward and tipped her back as I tickled her, and she laughed hysterically. “Do you think I’m desperate, Snow?”

She stopped laughing, and her hand came up as she ran her fingers over my scruff. “I don’t think you’re desperate, Bear. I think any woman would be lucky to be with you.”

“Repeat after me,” I said, reaching for her pinky finger. “I, Lila ‘Snow’ James, know that Hugh Reynolds would never jump in the sack with old Mrs. Runither.”

As she repeated the words while laughing her ass off, I tugged her hand up and bit her pinky finger just enough to make her squeal as she writhed beneath me.

My phone vibrated in my back pocket, pulling me from my daze as I jumped back and moved to my feet. What the fuck was I doing?

I pulled out my phone to see a text from Travis.

“It’s your brother. He’s asking how things went with Kline.” I cleared my throat, trying to pretend that I didn’t like what had just happened. That I didn’t like the feel of her soft body beneath mine or the way she ran her fingers along my beard.

“Tell him that I’m still out, and he should mind his own business because I’m an adult. Why don’t you tell him that?” She sat up, clearly aggravated that he was texting me.

I typed a quick text back to Travis, letting him know that she was home, and I was just saying goodnight to her, and everything seemed to go fine with Kline. I tucked my phone back into my pocket.

“You can’t be mad at the guy for caring. Read me the rest of your list now that you’ve admitted you were wrong to believe I’d mess with a married woman who was old enough to be my mother. And, for the record, I still don’t think your virginity belongs on a goddam list.” I crossed my arms over my chest. I wasn’t going to sit on that bed again because I needed to put some space there.

“Says the guy who’s not a virgin.” She smirked. “Number three is to tell off Drew Compton for making out with Dougy, my prom date, senior year. I don’t really feel strongly about that one. It’s more for Del because she despises her. I don’t care much for Drew or Dougy, so at this point, I’m fine with what happened back then.”

How the fuck does a guy lucky enough to take Lila to a dance end up making out with Drew Compton? That girl had taken her shot with me too many times to count. I was pretty good at reading people and had always known she was trouble.

“I’d be fine to see you tell her off. I’m not a fan. She cheats on her poor boyfriend all the time at the bar. And Dougy’s an asshole for doing that to you. I can’t believe you never told me that. I would have been all too happy to punch him in the face on your behalf.”

“Exactly why I didn’t tell you or my brother. I think Brax probably heard about it because his little brother was good friends with Dougy. But he was the one I didn’t have to worry about as much as you two.”

She was right. Brax was a bit more rational where Lila was concerned. He’d always thought we were a little over the top, especially the older she got.

“That doesn’t surprise me. What’s next?”

“Number four is to go to a biker bar and flirt with a hot bad boy,” she purred, and fuck me if she didn’t look sexy as hell when she was talking about it. “Number five was to get drunk, but I’ve done that now, and I’m not in a hurry to do it again. I still put it on the list because it’s nice to have one to check off.” She chuckled and reached for her water bottle and took a sip. “Number six is to skinny dip out at Cottonwood Cove because it seems like a rite of passage for anyone who grew up here, but somehow, I’ve never done it. Have you?”

“Does a bear shit in the woods? Of course, I’ve done it. Obviously, I grew up a few blocks from the cove and live even closer to it now. The tide comes in late at night, and that’s the perfect time for a dip. Hell, I still walk there some nights on my own when it’s hot as hell out and jump in to cool off.”

“Naked?” Her eyes perused my body from my face all the way down to my toes, and I didn’t mind it one bit.

“It’s the only way to skinny dip, Snow. That’s an easy one. Those are all fairly easy, and they definitely should not be on the same list as your virginity.” Why was I so focused on that? It was none of my fucking business.

“Will you go with me one night and stand guard while I strip down and run into the tide so I won’t have to drag the girls there? Sloane will not be able to do it on a night she isn’t washing her hair, Rina hates the water, and Del still believes that old wives’ tale that there’s a creature in the cove after dark.” She laughed.

I ran a hand through my hair and studied her as I thought about it.

“Or I could ask Kline to go with me,” she said, raising a brow when I didn’t answer quick enough.

“I’ll go with you. Do not ask any random dudes to take you down to the water to skinny dip, nor should you be telling them that you want to lose your virginity. Got it?”

“Got it, Bear.”

“So, that’s it?” I asked because she looked like she had something else on the list, but her hand was covering the bottom of the notebook.

“Well, I had just added this one before you walked in, but it seems stupid to put it on there before I check off number two.” She shrugged.