Page 48 of Fumbled Into Love

Breaking the kiss, I hover an inch away, our breaths mingling. Her eyes crack open as I whisper against her lips, “Do you think they bought it?”

The question comes out solid even though my body is on fire. Kissing her the first time was eye-opening, but this kiss was a confirmation of what I feared.

She’s going to be the death of me.

I’m going to crave her like the finest dessert I can’t have.

Nathalie’s fingers brush her lips.

“Y-Yeah,” her voice cracks. “I think it was pretty convincing.”

I release a husky laugh as she blinks. Gordie meows and it breaks the haze—Maren’s smirking when our gazes meet.

“I’m going to find the guys,” I say to Nathalie, dragging a palm down her spine. She shivers but sways into the touch and my chest puffs. Maybe I'm not the only one affected by this ordeal after all.

This is affecting her. My chest puffs.Iaffect her.

“Are you good for a solo adventure for a bit?” Nathalie nods, and I lean down and kiss the crown of her head. “Have fun,Nat,” I purr, and as I'm sliding the door shut, I hear a symphony of screams and squeals.

“Why are you half-naked, anyway?” I ask, slowly sipping on my beer.

If I know Nathalie—and I do—she’s halfway to Hammered Town, and I need to be able to drive her and Gordie home later.

Jack lounges in a large chair in the back of the greenhouse, wearing nothing but a pair of swim trunks, the tattoos covering his skin on full display. I’ve avoided asking the question, enjoying the silence with Jack and Henry instead of the chaos inside the house.

Jack shifts in his seat, and his skin…sparkles?

“Do you have glitter on?”

“Did you see Maren?” he asks.

“Yeah? She didn’t look much different than usual, except she had a SCUBA mask on her forehead.”

“Maren is Marine Biologist Barbie, and I’m,” he waves at his swimsuit and sparkling torso, “Ken.”

“What kind of Ken?” Henry asks.

“Maren said, ‘Just Ken’.”

I shift my cape from beneath my thighs, and Henry’s brows furrow.

“What are you supposed to be?” He asks, finishing the last of his beer.

“Nathalie and I are Hobbits and Gordie is Smaug.”

“Who’s Gordie?” Henry and Jack ask in unison.

“My cat?”

Have I never spoken about Gordie before?

“You brought your cat to my house dressed as a dragon?” Jack’s eyebrows reach his hairline. He snags a beer from the cooler and saunters past me. “I gotta see this.”

“Never pegged you as a cat man,” Henry chuckles.

“He hates me,” I admit.

Thumping music rattles the walls of the house as we weave through small groups of people searching for my cat. We find Nathalie, Sawyer, and Maren sitting in the living room on the floor surrounding Declan, who cradles Gordie in his arms.

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