Shine Not Burn(92)

I eyed him suspiciously, pretending to hate the idea but secretly thrilled to know he would kiss me in front of his family. “One kiss and you’ll leave me alone for the whole picnic?”

“No. For fifteen minutes.”

I feigned outrage. “That’s not fair!”

“Well, if you want to do more than just kiss me, that could buy you more time.” He moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

I elbowed him in the ribs, smiling the whole time. “Go away, horn dog. No blowjobs at the family picnic.”

He gestured to a big tree with a stack of rocks next to it. “There’s a nice little hiding spot over there. We just have to be real quiet. And I wasn’t talking about blowjobs. I have other things planned for you.” He leaned in really close and whispered in his best wicked voice. “That’s why I bought you a dress and not shorts.”

My eyes bulged out of my head. “Stop! Someone’s going to hear you.” My face turned bright pink and a chill rushed over my skin, goosebumps coming out to reveal my physical reaction to his suggestion. I could picture him down there with my dress pushed up to my waist almost like it was already happening.

He put his arm around me and leaned in again. “Come on. Stop torturing me. One kiss. Fifteen minutes. Take me up on the deal now before I change the terms.”

I stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick peck on the lips, pulling away before he could prepare or react.

“Oh, no way,” he said, grinning like the devil he is. “That doesn’t count.”

“Yes, it does.” I tried to hold back my grin and remain serious. “You didn’t specify a certain type of kiss.” My heart was ready to explode with the joy of just being stupid with him.

Then I heard a car door slam shut over by the front of the house and remembered that Bradley could come rolling down that dirt road and show up at any minute. The joy that had just threatened to overwhelm me dissipated into the hot air around us, leaving behind frustration in its wake. Some evil part of me instantly became angry at Bradley for forcing my hand like this. Maybe I’d get lucky and a semi-poisonous snake would bite him if he tried to come interrupt this day - but only the kind that would send him to the doctor and not actually kill him. Half a second later I was overcome with guilt for almost wishing that on him. He was just doing what Mack would have done in the same circumstances. I am such a terrible person. How have I fallen so far in such a short period of time?

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you smiling anymore?” Mack tried to move in closer. “It’s because you didn’t get any tongue action, isn’t it?”

I shook my head, forcing thoughts of Bradley to leave my head. Until he showed up or I went back, I could pretend those problems didn’t exist. I could do that for Mack, at least.

“No, that’s not the reason.”

“You know it is. Come on now, pretty girl. I’ll give you another chance.”

Being called pretty girl like that probably should have offended me as a strong, professional woman, but instead it warmed me to my core and made me want to go explore that little spot behind the tree. I shook my head at myself. This sexy cowboy really knew how to press my buttons and make me forget what I was supposed to be doing - namely, detaching and preparing to leave.

The sound of a loud vehicle pulling up and an even louder horn announcing the arrival of someone special distracted both of us from our silly flirting games.

“Oh, shit,” said Mack, sighing as he looked out towards the main gate. His shoulders sagged low.

“Who’s that?” I asked, trying to see the person getting out.

“Welcome to my nightmare,” he said, dropping his arm from my back and stepping away to greet the visitor.

“Hannah Banana!” yelled Boog from across the tent area as the Barbie doll beauty came from around an old beat-up truck to join the crowd mingling by the front of the house.

“Don’t call me that, Boog!” she yelled back, sounding like a country singer the way she said it. Then her face turned into pure sunshine as she noticed Mack coming in her direction.

Jealousy overwhelmed my thoughts and had me staring daggers at both of them. Where are those poisonous snakes when you need them, anyway?

“Hey, Mack! Hey, Miss Maeve. How’re y’all doing?” Hannah chirped. “Brought my blueberry tart, just like I always do, every year.” She held something wrapped in tin foil up above her head like she was the Betty Crocker Statue of Fucking Liberty or something.

I tried to use pure brain power to tip the thing out of her hand and onto her head, but apparently I have zero psychic connections because nothing happened. She brought it down in one smooth maneuver and peeled the foil back to reveal the food beneath for Mack. Unfortunately for her, he walked right past her and towards his brother Ian who was standing off to the side.

My jealous heart plumped up to three times its normal size. He really doesn’t like her! He wasn’t lying!

“It’s your favorite,” she said in a singsong voice over her shoulder, not at all dissuaded by his brush-off.

“No, it’s not,” he deadpanned. “I’m allergic to blueberries.”

“Since when?” she asked, clearly offended.

“Since the day you were born.”

His insult echoed throughout the entire party and everyone went dead silent for several seconds, before the singer in the band broke the mood by working on his equipment. Even I felt a little bad for Hannah, as obvious and obnoxious as she was, when I saw her face fall.