Page 190 of Will Bark for Pizza
“You don’t have to apologize, Red.”
“I hurt you, and that wasn’t fair. I wish I could just show up as this completely healed version of myself that never let anything knock me down, but that’s not realistic. It felt really fucking good to tell Travis off. But that doesn’t mean I’m not a little battered and bruised. But I want to try again. I want to put myself out there, and well, I kind of already did that?—”
“Kira?”
Shit, I was rambling. “Yeah?”
“I’m battered and bruised, too. In case that escaped your mind.”
“The redheaded curse,” I said, laughing.
“Yeah.”
“Just so you know, I think I’m leaving my hair red. It’s really grown on me.”
“Good. Because I’d call you Red even if your hair was green.”
“Green?”
Beckett’s smile stretched his cheeks and lit up his eyes, reminding me of its potency. If we didn’t get on the water soon, I might do something reckless like tackle him and take him right here on one of the paddleboards.
“All I’m saying is that I’m all in,” Beckett said.
“I am, too.”
He kissed me again, and this time even Husker’s insistent wedging wasn’t enough to slow us down. Beckett’s warm hand roamed up inside my shirt, settling on my breast. His thumb brushed over the peak of my nipple, and I whimpered.
“I fucking love that sound,” Beckett said, his words a near growl. “I love making youmakethat sound.”
“We could go back to the cabin,” I suggested, snaking my hands up the back of his neck.
“Yeah?”
“But it’ll have to be after we get on the lake,” I said, nodding at Husker, who was pacing around us in circles, his leash wrapped around our legs. “He’s been cooped up all week while I finished my book. He deserves a little adventure on thewater first.”
“You finished your book?”
“I did.”
“Number twenty-six.” Beckett kissed me again. “I’m so damn proud of you, Red.”
My entire body flushed from the compliment. “Well, you certainly helped with the inspiration.”
“Good. I hope I help inspire many more books to come.”
“I think that’s a fairly strong possibility.” I kissed him once more, and then proceeded to untangle us from Husker’s leash before someone on the other side of the lake saw us making out and called my brother to report an indecent exposure.
I turned to the boards before I remembered Beckett was wearing jeans.
“Did you want to grab shorts?”
“Nah.”
“Really?”
“I’ve gotten pretty used to swimming in jeans when it comes to you, Red.”
I gave him a flirty shrug. “I’ve gotten used to getting yououtof wet jeans.”
