Page 28 of The Charming Checklist
She wrapped her hand around his biceps to still him from moving forward, suddenly aware that she hadn’t touched him tonight. Not since they left the restaurant holding hands for her family’s benefit. She hadn’t touched him likethissince the night of their spontaneous kiss. The one he’d given her only to make a point. Not surprisingly, those biceps were still hard as a rock. She gulped.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to waste my money.” He took out a few bills and handed them to the teen behind the booth. “It’s all about the fun. Right?”
The game involved tossing nickels into jars that were strategically placed, exactly at points to make it unlikely for anyone but a sharpshooter to make. And though she was all about supporting business, someone had to be offering a product or service. This always felt more like a scam.
On the first round, Max tossed a nickel into every jar, shocking the clerk out of his daze.
“Great,” he said without enthusiasm. “Go two more times and you get the grand prize, or stop now and pick from any of our prizes right over there.”
“You should stop now. How can you be that lucky twice in a row?” Ava hissed.
Max went for it, making every jar two more times. Excitement bubbled up in Ava and she bounced, clapping and laughing every time he made the shot. This wasn’t luck but pure skill.
“Wow. Just great.” The clerk rolled his eyes. “You’re awesome. Which grand prize do you want?”
He turned to Ava. “What’s it going to be?”
There was no contest. Ava wanted the gorilla. When the clerk used a long stick to pull it down from the display, Max took the gorilla and handed it to Ava.
“I have to say, I didn’t see it going that way,” Max said as they continued to walk along the boardwalk.
“Thought I’d want the teddy bear?” She nuzzled the gorilla’s fur. “I need my own eight-hundred-pound gorilla.”
He blinked. “You never fail to surprise me.”
She wobbled along, clutching her gorilla, wishing this night would never end. Her fake boyfriend was even better than the real thing. Suddenly, Max stopped, and his gaze slid down her legs to her feet.
“I’m an idiot. You’re wearing high heels.” He tugged her to a nearby bench. “Sit.”
She didn’t argue at the order because she desperately wanted to sit down. Not one to complain, she’d tried to ignore the pain in her feet. She should have slipped them off earlier, but she did now, taking both off, and rubbing the heels of her feet.
Before she knew it, Max took one of her feet and started rubbing. “You should have said something.”
She swallowed hard, heart thudding in her ears, because the caress from his warm fingers felt sweet and delicious. Intimate. Though it clearly wasn’t. Max was simply performing a duty and obligation. He’d walked her around until her feet ached, so now he would fix that.
“I should have, but I’m having too much fun.”
Max opened his mouth, then shut it. His jaw visibly tightened. She followed his gaze and saw Nick, the Salty Dog’s head chef, walking around with a gorgeous redhead on his arm.
“Is that Nick? Who’s he with?”
Worry prickled her at Max’s sudden intensity, and she thought that maybe Nick was with someone Max had once dated or been interested in. He might be jealous. Nick was a real player, a different woman every week, it seemed. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but had an interesting face, and a very outgoing personality.
“She’s pretty,” Ava said.
“And very married.”
“Wh-what?” Ava moved, which made Max’s hand slip and wind up on her knee.
Oh, sweet thrill!“She’s married? Are you sure?”
“Unfortunately.”
Now Ava understood. Nick had offended Max’s sensibilities and sense of right and wrong. And she kind of loved that about him. Nick passed by, his arm low on the woman’s back, practically resting on her tiny rump. Though they were several feet away and could have easily been ignored, Max called out.
“Hey, Nick.”
The voice was loud and forceful enough that Nick stopped to follow the sound. His animated face went from relaxed to someone who’d been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Face drained of color, he walked over, letting go of the redhead quite suddenly, as if he could get rid of her that easily. No such luck, as she followed.
