The Last One(68)

I felt rather than heard his sigh. “I haven’t had much chance to be anything but in the last ten years.”

“I get that. But I hope you’ll try to smile more often. Play a little. There’s this whole side of you that no one really sees. If you’d asked me when we met, I would’ve said you were a grump. And maybe a little bit of an asshole.”

He laughed then, settling back on the pillows, and pulled me to lie against his chest, my legs still tangled with his. “Yeah, you had every right to think that. The day I walked into Boomer’s and saw you there, it just knocked me off my feet. I don’t know why, but being a jerk felt like the best way to deal with it.”

“You did it well.” I shifted so that my ear was against his heart. We were both silent for several moments, as the water evaporated from our chilled skin and a breeze stirred the leaves above our heads.

“Thank you for tonight.” I traced a line down the middle of his stomach. “This is the best date I’ve ever had, in my entire life.”

His arms tightened around me. “I’m glad. And me, too.” I felt him draw in a deep breath. “I’ve never brought anyone else to this spot. Ever.”

My heart stuttered, and I swallowed hard. “You haven’t?”

“No. My dad first brought me here when I was about twelve. He said as I was getting older, he knew there were going to be times I needed to be alone, to think, and fishing was the best way to do that. We had other spots he and my grandfather had taken me to fish when I was little, but this was secret, and special. He told me I was only the second person he’d taken to this spot.”

“Who was the first?” I snugged my body even closer to Sam’s.

“My mom. He brought her here on their first date. I, uh, assume they didn’t enjoy it in quite the same way we did, seeing as it was the first date, but he told me there was nothing like fishing with a woman to really get to know her.”

I laughed. “I think I would’ve liked your dad.”

“Oh, yeah, you would’ve. And he would’ve gotten a kick out of you. He liked feisty girls.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. I mean, look at Ali.”

“True.”

I hoisted myself above him and moved my mouth up his neck to his lips, where I nibbled and licked until I covered him, drawing out a long kiss. “Thank you, even more. It makes tonight special to know that.”

Sam held my face in his hands. “Not over yet. I think we still have three condoms yet.”

I smiled. “Wow. You really are ambitious. But it’s got to be getting late, and you have to work tomorrow. I mean, I do, too, but I don’t have to be up at the crack of dawn.”

“I don’t care. I can deal with a few yawns tomorrow. This is a night when we’re not looking at clocks.” He rolled over, pinning me down beneath him. “And I have so much more I want to do with you.”

I ran my hands down his back and gripped that solid rear. “And when I can’t walk tomorrow?”

He grinned into my eyes, a wolfish gleam in his. “Well, you can always teach sitting down.”



DAWN WAS PAINTING THE sky when Sam and I finally climbed back into the cab of the truck. I’d helped him fold up the quilts and pile them along with the pillows in under the tarp, and we’d gathered the fishing supplies, blown out the candles and put away the bug spray.

“You know, we still have one of these left.” I waved the last tiny square of paper as Sam got into the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, I know. I did that on purpose.” He winked at me. “I figured it was an incentive to do this again. Soon.”

“I don’t think I need an incentive.” I slipped my hand into his. “This was the most perfect night I’ve ever had, Sam. But the porch is going to seem awfully tame after tonight.”

“That’s okay.” He eased the truck over the road, and I grabbed the door with my free hand, trying to stay on the seat. “You need some porch time to balance out the nights when we can get away. You know? Like a tease. Coming attraction, and all that.”

“True.” I laid my head back, closing my eyes with a huge yawn. “God, what time is it?” We’d dozed a little throughout the night, but I felt heavy with sleepiness.

“I think about four. You can catch a few hours before you need to get ready for work.”

“What about you?” I rubbed my thumb on his palm, between our hands.

He shrugged. “I’ll probably just grab a shower and head out to the fields. If I start feeling bad, I can always come home and catch a nap mid-day. The house is empty, and it’s quiet.”