Body Shot (Last Shot)(23)
“Arrested?”
“Pretty sure sex on the beach is against the law.”
Her body shook and he peered down. Okay, good, she was laughing.
“You are a bad man.”
“That’s not what you said last night.”
Now she laughed out loud. “You’re right.”
He held on to her but let her lift her head and lean back. “This is so weird.”
He smiled. “What is?”
“Doing this. Me. You. I don’t even know you.”
“What does it matter? As long as we’re having fun together.”
“Right, right. Fun is what life is all about.”
“When you’ve seen the things I have…done the things I’ve done…you realize a little harmless fun is a pretty special thing.”
Her smile faded and she gazed at him with warm eyes. “I guess I can understand that.”
“Come on. I’ll buy you ice cream.” He waved a hand at the boardwalk.
“I like ice cream.”
He reached for her hand and they walked across the sand. “What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?”
“Vanilla.”
“Oh no. Hell no. Not vanilla.”
“Why not? What’s wrong with vanilla? It’s a lovely flavor.”
“Sure it is. But you need something more exciting.”
“I like vanilla.”
They crossed the street to the small ice cream shop and studied the menu. “Be wild,” Beck murmured. “Try something new.”
She gave a huff, then ordered Crazy Cookie Sundae Swirl. “I don’t know how I’ll stand the excitement of eating peanut butter and chocolate.”
He grinned, charmed by her sarcastic humor. “I’ll have two scoops of chocolate,” he requested.
She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “Chocolate? That’s almost as boring as vanilla.”
Moments later they were seated on the low wall that ran along the boardwalk. They faced the endless blue of ocean and sky, licking their ice cream.
He watched her tongue and lips as she ate, his groin tightening. What he’d said about not being able to explain the chemistry between them was very true, because she wasn’t the type of woman he’d usually be attracted to. Not that there was anything wrong with the way she looked—her skin was pale gold, smooth and perfect. Big brown eyes framed with long lashes and a generous mouth didn’t need a lot of makeup to emphasize them, and though her dark gold hair was a nondescript style, long and straight, it was shiny and healthy, though he preferred it loose rather than pulled back into the low ponytail she wore today. She wasn’t obvious with her beauty, hiding a sweet body beneath loose clothes. Although today those long legs were on display beneath the hem of her shorts, and they were as amazing as he’d thought.
“You’re looking at me that way again.”
He jerked his mind back from thoughts of those legs wrapped around him. “Yeah, you seem to have that effect on me.”
She held his gaze as her tongue came out to lick her ice cream, and the guy downstairs stirred again.
“Your ice cream is melting.” She gestured.
Chocolate was running down the side of his cone. He quickly lapped it up and devoured the rest. When they were done, he rose. “Let’s check out the arcade.”
“It’s been an hour.”
“Live dangerously. Take another hour.” He swung his legs over the wall to stand on the sidewalk and reached for her hand.
“You’re very persuasive.”
“It’s my charming personality.”
She snorted, but he caught the smile.
Another hour of playing Donkey Kong and shooting basketball hoops—or attempting to, in her case—passed quickly, but Hayden didn’t seem to notice, intent on sinking a ball at least once. She really wasn’t very good at it, but she was determined, her little tongue out as she carefully focused on the net. Finally she sank one and turned to him, beaming that gorgeous smile and shoving her hands in the air. “Yes!”
It was late afternoon when they emerged to stroll past little shops. “I’m getting hungry,” Beck said, patting his belly. “How about you?”
She stopped walking. “I really need to get home.”
“You need to eat dinner.” He saw the indecision on her face. “I’ll take you somewhere quick. You’ll be home by seven.”
“I’ve wasted the whole afternoon.” She bit her lip. “And I have a really important meeting tomorrow I need to be ready for.”
“I’m sure you’re ready. And you need to change that attitude. This afternoon was not a waste of time. I know you were having fun.” They’d laughed their asses off as they’d competed against each other playing Pac-Man. “That’s not a waste, Hayden.”