Page 93 of The Secret We Keep
“She’s going to love that.”
He blinks slowly.
“And then when I tell her that you brought me to Lovers Lake… she’ll be planning our wedding day and taking all the credit for it.”
Silence.
That’s all I can hear.
Paddy’s hand slips from mine.
Shit.
Why did I have to go and saythatout loud.
Say something.
Say something.
Anything.
Paddy’s lips part in horror.
“I didn’t mean that. I didn’t… I meant that you brought me here to do something—”
“Jesus, curly fries,” he interrupts me. “What is it youthinkI brought you here to do?”
My mouth falls open. “I don’t know.” My hands slap my face, sweltering heat engulfing every inch of me. “I saw the sign for Lovers Lake. Figured you wanted to… Oh crap, I don’t know.”
Oh my God.
I want to die.
I peek a look at Paddy from behind my hands.
Opening his door, he gets out of the car and walks around to my side. The door opens, and he gestures for me to get out with a raised thumb, avoiding eye contact.
I’ve blown it. Well and truly overstepped the friendship line. I don’t know what he’s thinking, bringing me out here, but Icertainlydidn’t think anything untoward was going to happen.
Swinging my legs out, I open my mouth to talk, but Paddy presses a finger to my lips.
The second he’s touching me, I hold my breath, staring at the beautiful man before me.
“No more talking.” He slowly removes his finger. After a moment of staring at me with a horrified expression, he says, “This is aboutdriving, curly fries. Nothing more.” He holds up his hands. “To be clear, there will be no touching you up, proposals or anything along those lines.”
Jesus Christ, I’m so hot with embarrassment I can feel my legs shaking.
“I get the feeling your dad would cut my bollocks off and make me eat them if I tried anything like that, so, I won’t.”
I draw in a ragged breath, eyes wide in shock.
But he would try something if he didn’t think my dad would try to kill him afterwards?
Reading my mind, Paddy slams his eyes shut. “Shit, I didn’t mean it like that. Fuck…Driving, that’s what we’re going to do.” With his hands now on his hips, he gives me a stern nod, almost like he’s trying to convince himself. He’s rambling. And I didn’t notice until this very second, but I can’t help but smile. Confusion and awe all rolling into one.
Paddy grins at me, letting out an exhausted breath before he clears his throat, and I press my lips together to avoid laughing in his face.
“We have to be quick though, if we want to get an hour in. After six, this place is a dogging hotspot.”
