Page 34 of Another June with You

“Come on,” he pleaded. “Just get it over with.”

She raised the gun again, concentrating on her aim.

“Isn’t there another way?” Micah asked. “I’m sure we can come up with some—”

Shannon fired and hit him square in the stomach, exactly where he had hit her.

He groaned and grabbed his gut. “Gah, that smarts.”

“Oh, well, if it wasn’t that bad, maybe I should do it again so you know how bad it was for me.” She aimed again.

“No, no, no!” He held his hands out in front of him. “It hurts. It hurts like a son of a gun.”

Shannon lowered the gun, but there was no look of satisfaction on her face, only sadness.

Micah rubbed his stomach, hoping the sting would subside quickly. He walked to Shannon and gently gripped her arm.

She looked up at him with a weak smile.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know.”

He slid his hand down the side of her arm before letting go. It almost felt like she shivered, but maybe it was his imagination. “I’ll take you home when you’re ready.”

She pressed her lips together. “All right. Thanks.”

Micah handed the paintball equipment over to Chase and retrieved her camera.

He was on edge as they walked to his car. He needed somewhere to focus this excess tension. Shannon had gotten him all riled up in a way he hadn’t been in a very long time. He liked it and he hated it, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to endure sitting next to her in a car for half an hour. Being close to her these past two days reminded him of all they once had and how much he wanted it all again.

But if there was one thing he wanted more than anything out of this weekend, it was to get the truth out of her, to finally understand why she’d ended things with him. If she hadn’t loved him, he could’ve lived with that, but he knew that wasn’t the truth. He’d always known it. No one could fake the kind of connection they had.

So, what was the truth? Why had she pushed him away? He had to know.

Chapter 11

When Shannon had left home that afternoon, unsure of what to expect, she never would’ve imagined she’d end up shot. Being shot by Cupid’s arrow wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility, thanks to Keely’s matchmaking ways, but shot with a paintball? And by Micah, of all people?

Shannon giggled to herself, feeling proud that she’d actually had the guts to shoot him back.

“What’s funny?” Micah turned his attention briefly from the road to her face.

She grabbed hold of the front of her shirt then pointed at his and couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up.

He let out a few chuckles. “It’s not that funny.”

“It’s painful, that’s what it is. I’m sure I have a nasty bruise.”

“Well, so do I.”

She laughed again. “We’ll have matching bruises.”

Micah smiled over at her, then looked back at the road. “Do you mind if we stop at my aunt’s on the way? I need to grab clean clothes before I meet up with the guys again.”

Shannon shook her head.

Micah’s aunt was a quiet woman who kept to herself, which probably had a lot to do with that side of Micah—the side that craved a simple life. She was pleasant and kind, but not extremely affectionate. Micah had learned that from her.

---