Page 82 of Autumn Kissed

She studies my face, but the quick drop of her eyes down my torso is all I need.

“I am. Just wanted to freak you out a bit.”

She frowns, propping her hands on her hips. “Just for that, I’m signing up to dunk you.”

She walks away, flipping her thick braid over her shoulder. I watch the sway of her hips before the first person steps up and launches three balls at the target.

I’m tense as I laugh through each misfire. At least a dozen people fail in a row as Juliet gathers the balls for each new contestant. James comes by at one point, taking a small break from running the farm’s booth with Aunt May.

“I don’t think you should be allowed,” I call out, sitting above the water, my bare feet just out of reach of the cold pool.

James is a good throw—at least better than the kids who’ve gone before him.

“This is for when you got me stuck in that maple tree!” James returns.

I chuckle, but I’m relieved when he misses, too.

More kids try and fail, but Juliet makes them feel better by giving them free vouchers for popcorn, hot chocolate, and cider.

“I’m invincible up here,” I cry out, swinging my legs back and forth as two more men miss next.

My skin’s covered in goosebumps, but it’s all worth it as I glance beyond the line to see Juliet once again ripping her gaze from mine.

I’m beginning to think she did something to the target to make it more difficult for people to hit it, which I’m not ungrateful for. Wet jeans hardly sounds appealing.

Another person steps up, and Juliet hands them a ball at a time, her gaze flicking to mine between each try.

“Why don’t you give it a go, Juliet?” I suggest as she collects three more missed balls near me. “You said you would.”

“You know I don’t have the arm for it.”

“You’re probably right. Your pumpkin tossing was a right mess.”

She narrows her eyes.

“What?” I say innocently. “I’ve seen the way you mount a horse, too, ma’am, and it ain’t pretty.” I give a wink just for good measure.

A fire sparks in her eyes, and her lips thin. “Fine. I’ll take a turn just to wipe that smirk off your stupidly attractive lips.”

I throw back my head and laugh. I’m whittling her will little by little. I just wish I knew how to do the same with Mr. Mayor.

After a few more people throw shots and misses, they allow Juliet to cut in line.

She throws and misses her first ball.

“Ahhh, it’s the pumpkins all over again,” I tease.

She falls short again.

The crowd cheers her on.

“Get him dunked!” Ben Walker calls, having joined the gathering crowd a few minutes before. His expression is full of amusement. “He deserves it!”

I think I’m praying just as hard as everyone for her to succeed, but the third ball falls short, too.

The crowd moans in unison, and I shrug. “Guess you just didn’t have it in you.”

She hardly looks disappointed as she moves to gather the balls again. But when she reaches me, she grips one of them firmly in her fingertips, flashes a daring look up at me, then shoves the ball toward the target, dropping me into the cold water before I know what’s hit me.