Page 21 of Savored Sins
At least I’ve got my video to prove it. Pics or it didn’t happen, right?
I trim the videos and stitch them all together, taking a second to admire my abs in the clip before I hit post. At least Autumn got a good stare in before I dove in the water, even if I was sweaty and gross. I’d rather she see me sweaty after a different activity, but… not going there. As I set my clip live, my head snaps up. A familiar voice rings out from the other side of the docks.
“Zeke!”
Yep. There’s Lydia, planted at a picnic table, grinning and waving to me in greeting. Autumn’s sitting across from her, and I see her hand go up in a small wave before her head dips down to inspect something in her bag. I stuff my phone into my pocket and saunter over to the picnic table, wrapping Lydia in a bear hug.
“What’s up?” I ask, plopping myself down on the bench next to Lydia. Across from me, Autumn’s still digging in her purse. It’s really kind of cute, how she’s trying so hard to ignore me.
“Oh, just enjoying the water on our lunch break.” Lydia wads up the sandwich wrapper in front of her and looks to Autumn. “Although we should probably both be getting back soon. I just saw you over there, doing your TikTok shit or whatever, and thought I’d say hi.”
“Right. My TikTok shit,” I say with a grin. “I’m sure whatever you girls are doing is way more important.”
Autumn’s eyes dart over to me, and I hold her gaze. Her cheeks are flushed, but now that we’ve made eye contact, she doesn’t look away, just blinks at me and chews her bottom lip. She’s got to be thinking about last night. I know I am, and I’m having a hard time not getting hard thinking about her creamybare skin in the water. But holy shit—my future sister-in-law is sitting right the fuck here, and I willnotget a boner. I willnot.
“Speaking of important stuff,” Lydia says, walking to a nearby trash can to throw away the sandwich wrapper. “You been giving any more thought to that guy’s job offer? Carson—or whatever?”
“Carter,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her. “And no. You couldn’t pay me to take that kind of sell-out job. It’d be like working in a goddamn prison, except everyone wears a suit.”
“You’re right—I wouldn’t pay you,hewould. Which is the whole point. So then you can stop mooching off Autumn here and start standing on your own two feet.”
Lydia reaches out to pinch my cheek. I swat her hand away, trying to laugh the comment off. I know Lydia means well. She wants to see me make something of myself—live up to my “potential”, as she puts it—and normally, I wouldn’t really mind, but now… with Autumn sitting here… I’m kind of embarrassed. Lydia’s treating me like I’m a child.
But I keep my cool, because getting pissed is exactly what a kid would do. And anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’m about to knock this pilot competition out of the damnpark. I don’t need Carter’s boring, soulless job. I’ll make my own.
“Well, let’s ask the person being mooched off,” I say, turning again to gaze at Autumn. “Autumn. Do you think I’m mooching?”
Autumn shakes her head, wagging a playful finger between me and Lydia, and laughing. “No, no. Don’t you drag me into this. I’veneversaid the word ‘mooching’, so leave me out of your family squabbles.”
“Well, if that’s your response…” I fix my eyes on Autumn, holding back a small smile. “I guess I’ll have to think about what I can do to make it up to you.”
Autumn rips her gaze away from mine, her cheeks even pinker now.
“Anyway,” I continue, trying to save Autumn the embarrassment of Lydia noticing I’ve made her blush, “I’ve got one last TikTok to post. It’s one of those stupid dances. You girls want to join?”
Lydia slides her sunglasses into place. “No, thanks. We’re headed back to work. Send it in the group chat later?”
“Actually…” Autumn says, her voice nonchalant. If I hadn’t seen her blushing two seconds ago, I’d think this level of cool came effortlessly to her. “It sounds kind of fun. I’d be down.”
Autumn must make a habit of having a mind of her own—which, obviously, is a huge turn-on—because Lydia doesn’t seem the least fazed. She just gives her friend a hug and sets off on her way, leaving Autumn and me looking at each other across the park bench.
“Okay. So what’s the dance?” Autumn asks, leaning her elbows across the table. “I danced in elementary school, but I think I’ve only done the YMCA at weddings since then, so… prepare to be wowed.”
“I’m sure I will be.”
And I mean that. I’m starting to be wowed by everything Autumn does.
Honestly, it scares the crap out of me.
I pull up a few examples of the dance in question, and Autumn and I watch them a couple times through. I can see her taking mental notes of the movements, which I find adorable. I’m a terrible dancer myself, and I only get the steps down well enough topretendI’m taking part in the trend. Making a fool of myself is part of the schtick.
I mean… let’s be real. I’m hot. No one’s looking at my moves.
“Okay, we’re only doing three takes. Whatever you can do in those three—that’s it. It’s good enough,” I say, flashing her asmile. I rest my hand on the small of her back, and I swear I feel her shiver. Or maybe it’s just me. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
I prop my phone up on the picnic bench and hit record, jumping back into the video next to Autumn. We start out strong, hitting the first couple of moves right on the money. But within a few seconds, we’re already tripping over ourselves, getting more and more confused with the choreography until one of us looks at the other and we finally burst into laughter. We do that three more times, with each time getting progressively worse. But I can tell by the grin on Autumn’s freckled face she’s having a blast.
