Page 48 of Knot My Band: Part One
“Never pegged you as a man who’d be scared of jumping off a pier,” she fires back with a wink.
“Hey, now, I have to protect my girl. It’s the only thing that matters,” I say honestly.
Her expression softens. “Really?”
I cup her cheek. “Of course.”
She presses a soft kiss to my lips. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you.”
“I’m still glad we jumped, and I’ll make you keep doing things like that,” she says, smirking.
We polish off the corn dogs in comfortable silence.
“Ready to keep exploring?” I ask once we’ve tossed our sticks in the nearest trash.
“Absolutely,” she agrees, slipping her hand into mine.
We walk down the shore, and our hands stay locked, fingers intertwined,
“Feels good, doesn’t it? The sun, the sand, your hand in mine,” I say, squeezing her hand just a little tighter.
“Everything feels good with you, Chase,” she replies, meeting my gaze with those sparkling green eyes of hers that seem to see right through me.
“There are fireworks here tonight. Should we grab a spot?” I ask.
A smile lights up her whole face. “You planned the perfect date.”
“You deserve it. You’re the first girl I’ve ever taken on a date,” I confess.
She searches my face. “Then I’m lucky, and you deserve a perfect date too. And many more to come.”
The sun dips low, painting the horizon with strokes of pink and orange as we settle onto the sand. The beach around us fills up, anticipation in the air as thick as the scent of salt and sea. Oli scoots closer to me, her shoulder pressing against mine, and it’s like a jolt of electricity right through my heart.
“Tell me something about yourself,” Oli prompts.
My mind races with things I could tell her.
“I have a sister.”
She snuggles closer to me. “Oh, yeah?”
I smile, thinking about Cate. “We got separated in the system, but I found her as soon as I was old enough. She’s younger than me, and I send her money every month, but she’s successful on her own. Cate got a scholarship when she graduated and put herself through nursing school. She actually reminds me of you, finding positives in shitty situations. I wouldn’t have made it through the system if it weren’t for her and my pack. I almost got sucked into drugs, but they protected me.”
I confess more than I plan to, but I want her to know who I am.
Oli presses a kiss to the bottom of my chin. “I’m so glad you have them. I would love to meet her one day if you’ll let me.”
“Of course! I’ve already told her about you, and she’s bugging me to introduce you. She will come to one of our shows at some point,” I tell her.
“That sounds perfect.”
“She’s the one who told me to find a place with fireworks. She said they’re romantic.” I laugh at the end, nervous Oli won’t agree.
She smiles. “They are.”
The first firework explodes into the sky, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across her face.
