Page 85 of Most Likely to Fear Love

Her laughter, bright and uninhibited, hit me right in the chest. “I know, but it made you laugh.”

“Pure shock value,” I said, unable to keep the grin off my face. “Got any more?”

She sat up straighter, eyes sparkling. “Oh, I’ve got plenty. What do you do when you see a space man?”

I turned back to the barbecue, trying to hide how much I was enjoying this. “No idea. What?”

“Park in it, man!” The triumph in her voice was adorable.

I groaned, shaking my head. “You’re killing me, Cass.”

“Oh, come on! You love it,” she teased, her voice doing that lilting thing that made me want to abandon dinner entirely.

“Love is a strong word.” I flipped the burgers one last time before closing the grill and turned to face her, crossing my arms over my chest. The way her eyes traced the movement didn’t escape my notice.

“What did the fish say when he swam into a wall?”

“Do tell.”

“Dam!”

“Har har.”

She was on a roll now. “Two muffins are sitting in an oven. One turns to the other and says, ‘Wow, it’s really hot in here.’ The other says, ‘Holy shit, a talking muffin!”

Despite myself, I cracked a smile. “Okay, I don’t hate that one.”

“Two guys walk into a bar,” she continued, barely containing her glee. “The third guy ducks.”

“Right. That’s it.”

I moved toward Cassidy, and her eyes widened as she tracked my approach. The moment understanding dawned on her face, she scrambled to escape the recliner, but I was already there. In one smooth motion, I scooped her into my arms.

Her laughter turned into a full-on shriek as she wriggled in my grasp. The negligee rode up dangerously high, but I kept my eyes locked on her face, enjoying every second of her mock outrage.

“Harle! Put me down!” she gasped between fits of giggles, her legs kicking uselessly in the air.

“Not a chance,” I murmured, grinning down at her. She was laughing so hard that tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, her face flushed. Something in my chest constricted at the sight.

“This is kidnapping!” The accusation might have carried more weight if she wasn’t still giggling.

“Nope, it’s justice.” I adjusted my grip, making sure she was secure as I started toward the lake. Her arms instinctively wrapped around my neck, and even though she kept squirming, I felt her holding on tighter.

“Where are you taking me?” The words came out breathless, caught between laughter and anticipation.

“You’ll see soon enough.” I took my time, each step deliberate. The way her body tensed with growing realization was too good to rush.

Her eyes went wide again, and she shook her head frantically, laughter bubbling up even more. “No, no, no! Not the lake!”

“Oh, definitely the lake.” My grin widened as I reached the water’s edge, enjoying every second of her mounting hysteria.

The dogs barked, joining in the commotion, circling around us, as I waded into the cool water. Cassidy’s shrieks became louder, mingled with laughter, her grip around my neck tightening. I savored each step deeper, the water swirling first around my calves, then my knees, the anticipation building with every inch.

“Harle, I swear to god—” The rest of her threat dissolved into a scream as I finally dunked us both into the lake. The watersplashed around us, cold and shocking against our sun-warmed skin.

We resurfaced together, Cassidy sputtering and gasping, her hair plastered to her face in wild tangles. The sight of her, all indignant surprise and sparkling eyes, made my heart stutter with something dangerously close to adoration.

“You... are... the absolute worst!” she managed between gasps.

---