Page 40 of Some Sort of Happy (Happy Crazy Love 1)
Fuck, I was so hard, and wanted so badly to touch her. I could be gentle, couldn’t I?
It was worth a try. She was worth anything.
“Your toes match your eyes,” I said, hoping to make her smile.
Her lips tipped up, but she said nothing.
“Skylar, you’ve been silent for five whole minutes. That’s a record, I think.”
“Ha ha.”
I stopped rowing and let us drift. On a Wednesday afternoon, there weren’t too many boats out on the bay, and none were heading in our direction. I dropped the light anchor into the water and made sure we were tethered. Skylar still hadn’t said a word, but at least she’d opened her eyes and was looking at me.
“Everything OK?” I asked.
She lifted her shoulders. “I’m just embarrassed. I keep touching you, and it’s the wrong thing.”
“No. It’s not.”
“You get so jumpy.”
“I know, but it’s not because I don’t like it. I do. It scares me how much I do.”
She said nothing and tipped her head back again, then wiggled so she was lying on her back on the bottom of the boat.
Carefully I moved to her side and stretched out next to her, head propped in my hand. “Hey.” I tapped her nose.
She ignored me, which made me smile.
“Still thinking about taking a swim?”
“Maybe. If I get hot enough.” She folded her hands on her belly.
“That an invitation?”
She stuck out her tongue at me.
Smiling, I took her sunglasses off and studied her for another minute, appreciating the flawless symmetry of her face.
I fucking loved symmetry.
Her rosebud mouth pouted just a bit, and I set her glasses aside before tracing her lips with one fingertip. She was startled by my touch, her mouth opening slightly, her breaths warm and quick against my hand.
Pretty soon I couldn’t resist—I leaned over and pressed my lips to hers.
She let me kiss her, but didn’t really kiss me back, and her hands remained on her stomach. I lifted my head and looked down at her again. Stubborn little butterfly. Give in to me. I kissed each eyelid and the tip of her nose. Then I lowered my lips to her forehead and left them there. The voice returned.
You really think you should do this?
Yes. Shut the fuck up and go away. Or don’t. But I want to know what it’s like to kiss this woman, to touch her and feel her touch me. So you can either stick around and watch, or you can fuck right off.
Feeling proud of myself, I kissed her lips once more, and her eyes opened.
“Sebastian,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”
“Ignoring the voice in my head telling me not to touch you.”
She reached up and took my face in her hands. “Good.”
