Page 93 of Hot Girl Summer

“I did, actually. Maybe I’d fit into your world after all.”

I cement my passive aggressive comment with a trip to the sink to fill a glass of water. When his hands grip both sides of the basin around me, I drop the glass, and I’m lucky that I don’t end up with a hand full of broken shards. I turn around, and instantly sink into the depths of his hazel eyes. The water maintains a steady stream as he gently presses me backwards with his body until there’s nowhere left for me to go.

“What part of any of this feels wrong to you?”

He leans in, pressing his body against me. I try so hard to ignore the ache in my chest and the heat pulsating throughout my body, but it’s pointless. I inch closer, leaning towards his lips.

Just one more time. Then we’re done.

Bang. The front door opens, then shuts, and Amelia catches us mid-embrace. She raises an eyebrow.

“Don’t mind me, I’m not staying,” she says.

Neither am I.

I knew the moment we were alone it would lead to bad things, or extremely good things, depending on how I look at it. How could I let myself get sucked in again? His poor niece can’t climb the stairs quick enough, and before I know it, we’re alone again, and the brief interruption had done little to dampen my desire to taste him.

Reaching around my waist, he turns off the tap and retreats.

“Careful. We don’t want to waste water, Miss DeLuca.”

Fucking tease.

“Now put your shoes back on, the date isn't over yet.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Theamusementarcadeisfull of teenagers, and I’m the oldest person here by at least eight or nine years, so I dread to think how old Danny must feel, but he seems completely at ease and in his comfort zone. I admire his ability to adapt to any environment, like a sexy, sarcastic chameleon.

Tucked in a corner are two grabber machines with identical canine-themed prizes. I take the one closest to the fire exit, and point my aim towards a Dalmatian toy.

“I hope you know I’m choosing to ignore your comment earlier about reliving happy memories,” Danny says.

“Why is that?”

“Because I want you to have the best day you’ve ever had. I don’t want you to compare it to any other day you’ve had in your life, because every day should be as new, exciting and unpredictable as the last.”

I don’t say anything, because I don’t need to tell him that he’s already won. My eyes focus on the prize, and after minutes of trying and countless attempts, the claw prongs wrap themselves underneath and around the spotty leg, drag it over the Perspex screen and drop it down the chute.

What are the chances?

“I’ve won! I actually won something.”

I’m so happy, I bounce straight over to Danny with my prize and wrap my arms around his neck. His citrus scent brings back so many memories, and I curse my olfactory nerve for coaxing me into almost forgetting where I am. In my mind, it’s just the two of us, and the rest of the world doesn’t exist. When I let go, my eyes fall to the floor, and I use the time to compose myself. When I look up, I’m treated to his kind hazel eyes and wide smile.

“You went for the Dalmatian, huh?”

“They’re my favourite breed.”

“Oh? Since when?” I give him a pointed look, as if to say stop teasing, then I dart my eyes over to his machine. “What are you trying to catch?”

“Other than you? I’ve got my eye on the King Charles...for obvious reasons.”

I scan the Perspex box, and buried underneath a Jack Russell is the Cavalier. “You picked a hard one.”

“Doesn’t matter how hard it is, I want what I want.”

Heat floods my cheeks, and courses through my body. He’s making himself damn hard to resist, and if his smirk is anything to go by, he knows it too.

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