Page 47 of Slapshot Summer
He faced the road again.“Oh hell yeah!I grew up with this shit.Didn’t think anyone else liked it.”He belted out the chorus, and she joined him, trying to contain the happiness building inside her chest before it overflowed.
They sang their way down the highway, and when they weren’t singing, they rode in companionable silence, enjoying the scenery racing past.Sometimes his hand was on her knee or tugging on the hair poking out the back of her cap, and other times her hand was onhisleg or shoulder or cradled inside his as it rested on the console.
He pulled off the road several times so they could hunt for seashells or simply take in the view.Gulls wheeled overhead, and the sun was a bright yellow disk illuminating the azure sky and the water’s shifting blues and aquas.Inhaling the smells of the seashore, Lexi felt a peace settle inside her.This day was perfect.
When their bellies told them it was time to eat, Josh found a quiet beach and hauled the big basket out of the trunk.“There.”He pointed to one particular spot where the sand was especially soft and flat.Out of the basket came a large blanket, which he spread out and she straightened with meticulous precision.
She offered to help him unload the rest, but he ordered her to sit instead.She pulled off her cover-up and stretched out, legs in front of her and hands behind, carrying her weight as she leaned back.
He glanced over at her, a wicked smile curling his lips.“Baby, you need sunscreen, and I’m just the man to rub it all over you.”
“Sorry to disappoint.I took care of it before we left.”
“Disappointed?No way.Not when I’ve got you in that bikini to look at.Although, I’m kinda partial to that mesh thing.I’d love to see you in itwithoutthe bikini.”
Did he think about her that much, or was he throwing out the lines?She decided to leave the comment where it lay, ignoring how it tickled her tummy.“What about you?Need a second coat?”He’d taken off his T-shirt during one of their stops where she’d slathered him up, but that had been a few hours ago.
“Maybe later.”Whistling, he pulled out plastic flutes, a bottle of champagne wrapped in some sort of cooler contraption, and practically an entire deli’s worth of charcuterie board.He’d gonewayover the top.
She rolled her lips together to hide her amusement.“That’s an awful lot of food.Is a crowd joining us?”
“Just you and me.Wait’ll you see the desserts.”He winked as he poured her bubbly.“Wanted to impress my girl.”
“Consider her impressed.”
“My girl.”Some lucky woman would carry that title permanently someday.But for the next two and a half days, it belonged to her.Shewashis girl.And she was going to lap up every minute of it.
They clacked glasses and sipped.Josh served up small paper plates of food, pausing now and again to push little delectables into her mouth.Whether he did it to feed her or because she sucked his fingers each time, she wasn’t sure.But she didn’t care.She was having fun being herself with him.
When they were full, he packed away the leftovers and hauled out decadent chocolate cupcakes filled with fudge-like cream and succulent chocolate-dipped strawberries before topping off the champagne.
“Hey,” he said in a husky voice.“Lie down.”
Her head reeled a bit with dizziness, so lying back was somewhat of a relief.“What are you going to do?There are people—”
“Just acting out a fantasy.Don’t worry.I won’t do anything indecent.”He drizzled champagne into her belly button and lapped it up, making her giggle.
He did it again.“Tastes so much better this way.”Then he looked around and poured a little between her breasts.He promptly licked that up too, running his tongue along the lines where her flesh and the tiny triangles of fabric overlapped.
“Josh,” she hissed.She lifted her head, appalled to see an older man gawking at them.The man narrowed his eyes in obvious disapproval.Two teenage boys watched with hawkeyed interest and giggled.
“They’re just jealous,” Josh laughed, “but I’ll be a good boy.For now.”With one hand resting on her head and the other on her stomach, he leaned down and kissed her thoroughly.When he was done, she wanted to haul him to the car and do him in the back seat.
Instead of acting onherfantasy, though, she pouted.“You got me all sticky.”
“I’dliketo get you all sticky, but we might get arrested.”He waggled his eyebrows before kissing away her pout.
Without warning, he scooped her up in a fireman hold and ran down to the water with her draped over his shoulder, ignoring her squeals of protest.He dunked her, and she pulled him down.A water fight ensued with no clear winner, but both were drenched and achy with laughter when they finally stumbled back to the blanket and packed up.
Back in the car, Josh looked at her so tenderly that tears gathered behind her eyes.“Hey, baby.I’m having a great time.You happy?”
“I am.Thank you for a wonderful day.”
“If you liked today’s fun, just wait till tonight,” he teased.
He started the car and turned it back toward the hotel.She sank into the seat, a smile permanently etched on her face.Satisfaction oozed from her pores.She was delirious and drowsy and so damn happy she was afraid she might wake up and discover it was all a dream.
She dozed but stirred when a call came through the car’s speakers.The screen flashed “Herb.”
