Page 60 of Blame it on the Kiss
“Make it nine. I’m pretty sure I can’t wait ten to see you again.” He turned and left the room, even though a big part of him wanted to join her in bed instead. While he waited for Honor to dress, he spent a few minutes with Jaws and then noticed a postcard from Hallmark wishing her a happy birthday with a discount. He picked it up.
“What are doing?” she asked from behind him.
Bryce put the piece of mail down. “Wondering when your birthday is.” He turned and animal-style lust shot through his veins. “Wow. You look amazing.”
“Thanks.” She ran her hands down the short, sleeveless coral print dress that hugged her curves. “I wasn’t sure what we were doing, but it looks beautiful out today. I’m ready for whatever the King of Fun has up his sleeve.”
He closed the distance between them, cupped her cheek with one hand, her nape with the other, and stared at the tiny flecks of silver in her eyes. She tunneled her fingers through his hair and pulled him in for a kiss.
A deep, long, slow kiss that promised they’d come back to this later. Thank God they were on the same wavelength.
“So,” he murmured against her lips. “Birthday?”
She slowly pulled back. “April first.” He raised an eyebrow. “Yes, April Fool’s Day. And yes, jokes are played on me left and right. When’s yours?”
“July seventeenth.”
“A summer boy.”
“Yep. So come on, Spring Girl, let’s go have some fun.” He took her hand and led her to his car. Mrs. Jamison stood in her front yard watering flowers and waved. Bryce waved back just as she whipped her cell phone out of her pocket.
Before putting the car in drive, he took his own cell out to check directions for their short drive.
“You figuring out my surprise?” she asked, trying to peek at his screen.
He dropped the phone into the driver’s door pocket. “Not anymore.” Twenty minutes later he parked in a dirt lot with only a few other cars and they walked toward the butterfly pavilion tucked away in the mountains. Even from a distance he could see the shadows of tiny winged creatures in action. Honor slipped her hand inside his and practically skipped to the entrance.
The fastening of their fingers seemed very date-like, but he pushed the idea away. Today was about fun. He didn’t want to think too hard about what they were doing, just enjoy Honor’s company.
“I’ve heard about this place and was hoping to get up here.”
“It’s like I can read your mind,” he teased.
She cast him a flirty glance. “Tell me what I’m thinking right now and I’ll tell you what I have on under this dress.”
Hell. She wanted him to speak when all he could do now was picture her body sans the dress?
“Problem?” She prompted, making fun of his silence.
He glanced at his wrist. “Actually my watch tells me you’re not wearing anything.”
“Sorry Charlie, but I am.”
“Damn,” he shook his arm. “It must be fast.”
Honor snickered. “Now that is the cheesiest line ever. And I’ve heard a lot of lines.”
“Any of them ever work?” They got to the entrance of the exhibit and Bryce paid the entry fee.
“You fishing for the 4-1-1 on my past love life?”
He put his arm around her waist as he pushed open the door to the pavilion. “I’ll tell you about mine if you tell me about yours.”
“This is butterfly heaven,” Honor said instead of answering his question. Greenery filled the glass-enclosed building and butterflies collected everywhere. Hundreds of them. A huge grin spread across her face as she watched the tiny winged creatures.
“Looks like,” he said.
They followed the winding cobblestone path before them with slow measured steps. The warm, humid air left water droplets clinging to most of the leaves on the plants.
