Page 70 of The Summer I First Saw You
I try to shut the shower door, and she groans. “Seriously, Harrison? You’re going to make me stand outside? I’m freezing.”
I grin as I step out of my trunks. She’s impossible in the bestsort of way. “You can come in, but leave the bikini on and keep your hands to yourself. I’ve got a client meeting in forty minutes.”
Her eyes gleam. She’s wrestling with the desire to torture me, and I’m both relieved and chagrined when she opts not to.
“How are we tempting fate?” she asks as I roughly shampoo my hair.
“You’re going to be standing there looking luscious while everyone asks what we’ve been up to all summer, Daisy. So I’m going to be struggling to answer, and you can’t lie for shit.”
“I’m anamazingliar.”
I open one eye to raise a brow at her.
“I’m going to practice lying all day,” she amends. “I’ll be incredibly good at it by tonight.”
I laugh as I rinse my hair and spin her so she’s fully in the hot water as I head to the door. “Okay, Daisy, lie to me. Let the practice begin.”
“I don’t want to suck your dick right now,” she says from beneath her lashes.
I wince as I reach for a towel. “That sure seemed like a lie.”
“Of course it was a lie,” she says with a grin. “I always want to suck your dick.”
I’m tense all day.Yes, I’m worried we’re going to be obvious. I’m worried some guy is going to hit on her and I’ll wind up throwing a punch in the theater, or that she’ll whisper something in my ear about sucking my dick in front of her mom and uncle. Mostly, though, I just want her to myself. I don’t want her smiles given to anyone but me. I want to slide my palm against hers and brush my lips over her neck, and all those things are off-limits for too much of our goddamn night.
I gather my shit at six-thirty to leave for the theater. I’m onmy way out and passing Baker’s office when he does that finger thing, the one that means “wait,” as if I’m his fucking intern.
I stand, fuming while he chats to someone on the phone. Why the hell am I still at this job? I denied it before, but Daisy was right. I don’thaveto work. I could never work another day in my life, and as long as I didn’t start blowing all my money on drugs or exotic travel, I’d be just fine.
I’m here because I didn’t want to be my parents, and I also didn’t want to be some trust-fund asshole burning money while he jumped from one thing to the next. But is it making me happy? Did choosing the responsible career and marrying the “right” girl bequeath any of the benefits I was certain they would?
I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life because of the most irresponsible, unethical thing I’ve ever done. So fuck Baker, and fuck doing the right thing. Fuck anything that keeps me from Daisy.
Baker watches, bug-eyed, as I walk out the door.
I drive fast downtown. It’s nearly showtime when I get to the theater and I’m not even inside yet but Daisy already exerts a pull, as if we are magnetized.
I walk in, scanning the packed lobby for her and only her. She stands at the far end of the concession stand a few feet from her mom, talking to friends and wearing a tiny, flirty little dress so sheer I could shred it without even trying, so short that it offers blissfully easy access to the panties Ihopeshe’s wearing. I won’t be laying a finger on her when her mom and uncle are here, but if she’s not wearing panties, I guarantee she’ll let me know and the next few hours will be agony.
“Look who finally showed up!” Liam shouts, walking over and giving me a one-armed hug with Emerson’s hand clasped in his. Across the room, Daisy’s gaze meets mine, and she smiles.
“Yeah, place looks great,” I say, my heart sinking as Caleb and Lucie approach.
“Long time, no see,” Caleb says, raising a brow. I guess he could have said something worse, but the attitude still leaves something to be desired.
“When was the last time the three of us were even in the same room?” Liam asks.
I sigh. “It’s been a very long time.” Entirely my fault.
My phone chimes and Daisy grins at me. I shouldn’t try to read the message which is undoubtedly from her and undoubtedlytroublewith Liam two feet from me.
I do it anyway.
Daisy
I’m not wearing panties.
My eyes fall closed. I knew she’d do this. I both love and hate that she has. More love than hate.
