Page 78 of The One You Want

His lips flattened and I knew he was fighting a smile. “What wasn’t yourfault?”

I closed my eyes. He was probably going to hear about this eventually anyhow—Iris wasn’t much of a gossip but things had a way of getting out regardless aroundhere.

“So David was showing me how to paint trim. And, um, I wasn’t really good at it? Like, I kept getting paint on the walls and it was getting really messy. So I went to look for him to see if he could find something else for me todo…”

He wasn’t doing the best job at hiding the smile anymore. “Whathappened?”

“They were kissing,” I said in a rush. “Which like, no big deal, they’re newlyweds. But Iris had her, you know, hand. Like, down hispants?”

Grant barked out a laugh and I found myself smiling, too, despite my embarrassment. Itwaskind of funny. “I was just startled, that’s all. I tried to leave the room before they saw mebut…”

“You broke something,” heguessed.

“I kicked over the can of paint.” Grant winced. “On the hardwood floors they’d alreadyrefinished.”

“Oh, man,” he muttered, wincedeepening.

I sighed. “I know. I was so embarrassed. And David was embarrassed that I walked in on them. And Iris was just laughing so hard she couldn’t even talk.” I sighed. “It wasn’t my bestday.”

“So property renovation isout.”

“Yeah, pretty sure I’m not cut out forthat.”

“Or maybe,” he said, drawing me closer, “you’re just not comfortable with public displays of affection.” I thought, of course, of the day I’d walked in on Dr. Miller and Robin. Yeah, uncomfortable was a good way to describeit.

“Apparently I have the mentality of a Sunday school teacher when it comes to that kind of thing,” I sighed, feelingmorose.

“Well, you know what the answer to that is,right?”

I looked up at him, questioning, and his eyes flashed as he smirked at me. “We could spend some time engaged in PDA ourselves.” He waggled his eyebrows and Isnorted.

“Sure, let’s get right onthat.”

Grant held his arms out. “There’s no time like thepresent.”

I glanced around. Jerry’s farm was pretty far out of town. There was a forest to our left and the outfields of the Lester farm to our right. Not a soul insight.

“I hardly think this counts aspublic.”

He pulled me to him, brushing a kiss across my neck. “We could always practice the affection part of the equation. Preferably at home.” Another brush of his lips. “In mybed.”

I pulled away and plastered my best scandalized expression on my face. “Sex in the middle of the afternoon? What kind of girl do you think Iam?”

He kissed me again. “The kind of girl I really like spending timewith.”

Just like that my stomach went all fluttery. “Okay,” I said, kissing him back. “I guess I could get on board with the whole afternoon sexthing.”

He chuckled against my neck. “You sound veryenthusiastic.”

“Maybe someone needs to do a better job convincingme.”

He pulled back, eyes flashing with challenge, and before I knew it, I was hoisted up over his shoulder, my head dangling behind his back, and Grant was striding down the dirtroad.

“What are you doing?” Isquealed.

“Beingconvincing.”

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