Protecting What's Mine(37)

She shot him a small, rueful smile that had him staring at her lips again. “Yes, it does.”

“And you’re more pissed that you couldn’t hold up. You didn’t quit because it was your idea. You had to quit.”

He watched her suck her bottom lip into her mouth.

“It’s okay,” he told her. “You can tell me what I had for breakfast today if you want to.”

“Microwave breakfast burrito,” she said. “It’s less fun now that you know I can see into your place.”

“Speaking of less fun. Those curtains on your bedroom window are awfully thick.”

“Room darkening so I can sleep past dawn.”

“Do you?”

“Nope. Zero-five-thirty on the dot.”

The music on the speakers changed to a slow country number.

“Why fight it?” he asked, pulling her to her feet.

“What are we doing?”

“We’re gonna dance.”

“No one else is dancing,” she said, looking around the patio.

“I’m going to explain my idea to you, but it works better if we’re dancing.”

“Do small-town girls really fall for this shit?” Mack demanded.

He tugged her into his arms. “Big city doctors, too.”

She cocked an eyebrow but let him draw her closer. “Apparently.”

“Get a room, chief!” The same skinny guy in a dirty ball cap from the car on the street last week hooted from a table full of similarly suited softball players.

“Get a vasectomy, Carl,” Linc shot back with a grin.

Carl and his tablemates dissolved into laughter.

“Now, back to my idea.”

“If this idea involves us getting naked together, I’m still interested, but it’s still not going to happen,” she said.

“Hear me out,” he insisted.

She rolled those meadow green eyes. “Fine. I’m listening.”

“I’m gonna write you a prescription.”

“Hands off my prescription pad, buddy.”

“A Chief Sexy Pants prescription,” he corrected.

“And what will this prescription entail? Orgasms?”

He pretended to consider the idea. “Those would certainly fall under the umbrella of this protocol. I’m ordering you to have fun.”

“Fun?” She said it as if it were a cuss word.

“Yeah. You know, like doing things that make you smile and laugh for no good reason?” he prodded.

She frowned up at him. “You’re joking, right?”

“I’m deadly serious,” he insisted. “I’m volunteering to be your fun coach.”

“This whole town is really weird,” she mused.

He squeezed her tighter. “Pay attention, Dreamy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime offer.”

“Okay. I’ll bite. What does a fun coach do?”

“You mean besides handing out orgasms?”

She gave him a withering look, and he grinned. “Remember to save that look for our kids. If the girls take after you, they’ll be handfuls.”

She purposely stepped on his foot.

In retaliation, he dipped her backward until her body arched toward the ground.

“Is this fun? I can’t tell,” she said snarkily.

“Honey, we’re dancing under a starlit sky on a Wednesday night with a bunch of people looking at us like we’re crazy. This is fun.” He swept her back up.

“Well, I mean. If this is the best you’ve got,” she teased.

“Ah, Dreamy. You just keep making me fall harder and harder for you.”

She held his face in both hands and peered into his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to check your pupil dilation.”

“I don’t have a head trauma.” Just a blood flow issue.

“Just making sure.”

They swayed together, moving seamlessly into the next song. Another couple joined them between the tables. Then another, until most of the occupants on the patio were dancing to Alabama Shakes.

Sophie poked her head out the door. “What the hell is going on out here? You having a prom? Does anyone need another round?”

“Yes!” the entire patio shouted.

Mack shook her head. “I don’t fit in here.” There was more to the statement than a moment of doubt. And Linc was going to get to the bottom of it. Very carefully.

“You feel just fine to me,” he said, drawing her an inch closer.

“You make it very difficult to resist you.”

“Why deprive us both?” he insisted and then felt lighter when she laughed. “Dreamy, you don’t have to try so hard.”

“If the next words out of your mouth are ‘go with the flow,’ I might murder you right here,” she warned him.

“Just consider my offer. That’s all I’m asking. I’ll literally show you a good time.”

She snorted. “That’s the worst line ever. I expected more from you.”

“I’m off my game. I’ve got a beautiful woman in my arms and a lot of dark fantasies in my head.”

She bit her lip. “I’m not going to ask you about those fantasies,” she announced.