Page 139 of What Started In Deception

Lydia sighed with the rush of guilt. “I feel so bad, Ty. She thinks that this is real—that you have feelings for me.”

“It is real, and I do have feelings for you.”

She shook her head. “You know what I mean.”

He captured her chin between his fingers as he stared into her eyes. “I do have feelings for you, Lyd.”

She sighed again. Because she certainly had them for him, too. She just had no idea what to do with them.

“Hey,” he said quietly as he pressed his lips to hers. “We’re having fun tonight.”

She nodded as she closed her eyes when his mouth came back to hers for a longer kiss.

He kissed her forehead next. “Eat dinner with me. Then dance with me to this crappy music.”

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

He hugged her back, holding on tight. “I think we need a picture of our first official date.”

She nodded.

He picked up his phone, framing them in the shot.

She turned her head, kissing his cheek as he snapped the picture.

They both looked at it.

“Not bad,” he said. “But I think we can do better.” He pulled her mouth to his with his hand against the back of her neck, taking another picture.

They both looked at it again.

She snagged her lip with her teeth, seeing a couple that had long since stopped pretending that they weren’t together. “I like this one.”

He nodded as he sent the images to her in a text. “We’ve come a long way from you looking like I’m holding you against your will.”

She laughed as he grinned.

“Let’s get back to our night, Lyd. To us being us.”

She nodded as she snatched up another clam strip. “But I think I’m going to sit right here.”

He hooked his arm around her waist. “I think you should.”

Ty slowed in the light traffic half a mile from the compound as he and Lydia drove with the windows down. The wind blew in through the cabin, tossing her hair around, sending her flower and vanilla scent his way.

He glanced in her direction, loving everything about their night so far. As first official dates went, he couldn’t complain. Dinner had been simple and excellent, and the dancing just as good despite the shitty music.

She winced as she looked at the dark clouds through the windshield. “I don’t think we’ll be walking on the beach tonight.”

He shook his head, noting that the front kept moving closer. “It’s definitely not looking good.”

She shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to find something else to do.”

He smiled as he turned onto the Monroes’ long driveway. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

She chuckled as he pulled up to their usual spot, both of them rolling up the windows before he killed the engine.

He glanced toward the ominous clouds again as thunder rumbled far in the distance. “Let’s get inside before we get soaked.”