Page 45 of Run For Your Honey

“Did you do that on purpose, Miss Blum?” he asked.

“You really think I’d throw a race?”

“If the alternative was me winning? Absolutely.”

I laughed and punched him in the arm, wondering if anyone suspected we were sleeping together.

They all knew Duke and I had called some sort of truce, just not the kind that involved nudity. We’d been amiable in public, despite having openly and publicly come to verbal blows. We held a little impromptu debate in Bettie’s diner that involved more laughter than argument. When it came to the town’s issues, Duke and I mostly agreed. The game of passive aggression we’d been playing on stage and aggressive aggression off stage had fizzled out. And in the process, I’d come to respect him.

It was so gross.

Disgusted with myself or not, we were in too deep. I had no idea how any of this would end (and in three days, no less), and though my knee jerk was to boast my certainty I’d win, I wasn’t sure at all. And worse—if he lost, he would leave.

My heart lurched at the thought, traitorous muscle. How rude that it would have so much of an opinion on my terrible choices.

We parted for a moment, him moving for his people and me moving for mine.

“Did you do that on purpose?” Jo asked.

“Why does everybody keep asking me that?” I answered, laughing.

“I mean, that’s one way to throw a competition,” she noted.

“Badum-tss.” Daisy looked me up and down. “Looks like you made it out without a mess. Oh, wait—are those grass stains?”

I inspected my jeans and found a streak from my hip to a little way down my thigh. “That explains why I’m sore.”

Over my sisters’ shoulders, I saw Duke motion to himself and part with his family and Evangeline.

“You know, I’d better go change for the pie-eating contest,” I said. “A sundress should give me room to eat as many pies as I want.”

“Are they judging on quantity or speed?” Jo asked.

“Speed. I think everybody knows I can’t eat two pies, but no one underestimates the size of my mouth. Seemed like a fair compromise.”

I excused myself and headed in the direction Duke had gone, but I couldn’t find him among the tents and people. I managed my pout and headed for the truck where my bag waited with a couple of outfits, a little makeup, snacks, and a few other supplies. My hip smarted as I hobbled to the vehicle and climbed inside.

Sweat beaded on nearly every inch of my skin on entering the steaming hot cab. The dashboard shade in the front window had done little to keep the truck cool, or at least I assumed, unable to imagine it any hotter. Glancing around, I didn’t see anyone through the dark tinted windows and took the opportunity to shimmy out of my pants.

I was so focused on hurrying, I didn’t see Duke approach until he opened the door. My squeak hadn’t even finished before he was inside and the door was shut behind him. Didn’t have time to make any noise beyond that, because my lips were occupied with something else.

I sighed through my nose, my arms around his neck as he laid me down. It was so hot in there I couldn’t breathe, but with his mouth on me, my body went slack beneath him, succumbing to the inevitable.

Except he broke the kiss.

My heavy lids blinked open, and a laugh burst out of me. “You’re a mess.” I picked a piece of watermelon out of his hair. “You’re gonna get me all messy and everyone will know we smashed more than watermelons.”

“Too bad we’re not smashing now.”

This time, my pout was so pronounced, he laughed and thumbed my bottom lip. “We’ll get caught if I fuck you here, but there’s one thing I think I can get away with.”

He moved down my body, pulling off my jeans the rest of the way. Propped on my elbows, I watched him drop to his knees in the floorboard, pulling me into a twist so he could get between my legs. His eyes were soft and hot as he descended, spreading me with his fingers, stroking me with his tongue. When his lips closed over my clit, a shock of pleasure jerked through my legs. The sound I made was somewhere between a moan and a sigh, my head lolling as I settled in.

But he pulled away. Again.

Asshole.

The smile on his face was wicked and borderline mean. “Put your clothes on,” he said, raising one of my legs to get a good chance to slap my ass, which was already half hanging off the seat.

My mouth hung open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

His gaze drifted between my thighs, and he hummed his enjoyment like he was surveying a gourmet meal. “It was bad enough I snuck in here. But I had to kiss you, and then your pants were off and…” He shrugged. “Something to keep you hot until I get you alone tonight.”

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