Page 53 of Dylan (Bad Boys After Dark)
He put his arm around her, keeping her close. “Not at all. But it was pretty adorable the way you went from being relaxed to five-alarm-alert status in the blink of an eye.”
“Years of training, I guess,” she said as they continued strolling along the sidewalk. “The office really is perfect, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Perfect, like you.” He kissed her again, and was glad that she didn’t refute his statement. “I’m even happier that you’re giving us some time without your phone buzzing every minute. I know that’s not easy for you, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
“Baby steps, right?”
“That is a big one, though. I don’t want to change you, babe, but I’m glad you’re putting some value on your downtime.”
“I’m putting value onus.”
“I know, and I appreciate that. But even if we weren’t together, I’d be happy that you were finding more of a balance and realizing that you deserve some time off, too.”
She squinted up at him. “Your big heart is showing again.”
“Yeah, well, just be glad that’s all I’m bringing out.” He tugged her against him and kissed her again, making her laugh. He wanted to bottle this feeling, her laugh, the entire day.
“I have a confession to make. You know how you said you weren’t possessive until me?” When he nodded, she said, “I didn’twanttime off until you.”
His chest warmed at that. “Careful stroking my ego. You’ll give me a big head.”
She lowered her voice as they passed a group of people and said, “I don’t think that’s caused by stroking yourego.”
“God I love it when you’re dirty.”
They window-shopped, laughing as they tried on silly hats and meandered in and out of stores in a flurry of carefree kisses and sexual innuendos. They lingered in a bookstore, and Dylan was surprised to find they enjoyed many of the same mystery authors.
“I can’t imagine that you have much time to read,” he said as they walked out of the store.
“I don’t, but I do like to read.” She looked over his shoulder. “What’s going on over there?” She squinted as they walked toward a crowd of people on the corner, then stopped cold and gasped. “Oh my gosh. Are they…?”
It took Dylan a minute to make sense of the colorful bodies they were seeing.
“They’re naked!” Tiffany said, looking as embarrassed as she did intrigued. “In the middle of the city!”
He pulled her toward the crowd, catching sight of a banner that read, BODYPAINTINGDAY. “Let’s see what’s going on.”
“Dylan!” She hurried to keep up. “I don’t need to see this.”
“Weneed to see this,” he insisted, and continued walking toward the crowd.
“Hi! Want to get in on the fun?” A woman with a mural of leaves painted over her arms and chest and a jungle of greens, browns, and golds over dimpled skin and rounded hips greeted them at the edge of the crowd. She was completely naked and painted from scalp to toes and didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed.
Tiffany, however, turned bright red and averted her eyes. Dylan kept his arm around her for fear she’d bolt.
“Hi,” Dylan said, marveling at the artwork on her body. “That’s incredible. Who did it?”
“Jacob.” She pointed at a young guy with a paintbrush in his hand, currently painting a man’s thighs. “But there are about eight artists here. Any of them can do it.”
“Great. Thank you.”
“I’m not doing this,” Tiffany whispered when the woman moved on to greet another couple.
“Weneedto do this,” Dylan pleaded. “We don’t have to get naked, but when will you have another chance to do anything remotely like this?”
“Do I need a chance?” Tiffany laughed and shook her head at the same time. “I amnotgetting naked and letting a stranger paint me.”
He wrapped her in his arms. “Okay,notnaked andnota stranger. How about if I take my shirt off and you strip down to your bra, and we paint each other?”
