gaze and my face immediately gets
hot. I don’t know why. I’m weird, I guess. That’s a good
reason. And also, I think he wants to come because I’ll be there.
That’s a good reason, too.
OhMyWord.
That
thought makes me flustered.
I’m
suddenly finding it hard to breathe. I try to breathe out of my nose like
a normal person, not out of my mouth like a weird mouth-breather. But
panting makes that difficult.
“So,
want to meet here around 2:00?” Dante asks as he stands up. “We can ride
together.”
“Sure,”
I tell him. He bends down and squeezes my shoulder.
“It
really is good to see you, Mi,” he tells me quietly and then gives me a peck on
the cheek. I smile at him.
“It’s
good to see you too,” I answer. And I mean it. Even if I don’t remember,
it is still good to see them. He and Reece are so friendly. And
their blue eyes sparkle all of the time. What’s not to like?
They’re like friendly, witty Barbie and Ken dolls. They’re a gorgeous
matching set.
They
leave and Quinn and I are left alone at the table.
“So,
what are your plans for the day?” Quinn asks. “Until 2:00, I mean?”
I
shrug. “I’m not sure yet. I’m thinking about seeing if Gavin wants
to go diving. I’ve got to see if I still know how to swim somehow.
I’ve got a deal to uphold.”
Quinn
grins. “You sure do. And you don’t strike me as someone who would
renege.”
I’m
already shaking my head. “Never.”
He
laughs and clears his plate, putting it in the sink. I like the fact that
he does that. It’s a thoughtful thing, even though it’s small. My
gaze flickers to his butt, which is framed perfectly in worn Levi’s. I
seriously doubt there is a pair of jeans in the world that doesn’t agree with
that butt. And then he turns and catches me checking his agreeable butt
out.
Epic.
Fail.
I
blush.
“See
something you like?” he asks, one eyebrow raised.
I
blush again.
“I
don’t know what you mean,” I stammer.
He
chuckles. “Wrong answer, tiny tot. You’re supposed to give me a
verbal lashing. That’s what you did the last time I caught you checking
out my merchandise.”
My
mouth drops open.
“Your
merchandise? Are you selling something now?”
Quinn
winks. “That depends on who is buying.”
And
he saunters out.
Yes,
saunters. There is no other word to describe the casual, cocky way that
he moves through life. OhMyGod.
My
fingers are practically shaking as I pick up my phone and text Gavin. I
don’t know why I’m shaking, either. I have no idea why I let Quinn affect
me like he does. It’s like my hormones are instantly nervous whenever he
is near. I wonder if his are affected the same way? I shake my head
and focus on my phone.
Wanna
go diving?
I
text this to Gavin. And then I add a smiley face.
There
is an answer in less than ten seconds.
My,
aren’t we happy today? And of course, Mi. The answer to that is
always yes.
I
shove my phone in my pocket and sigh. So, apparently, I don’t usually use
emoticons. I should make a list of all the things I don’t normally
do. But then again, that would negate my new theory that I’m going to
rediscover myself. So I shelve that idea.
My
phone buzzes in my pocket, so I pull it back out.
BTW,
you always wear a bikini to dive. A skimpy one.
I
laugh out loud. And I’m still laughing when I hear a voice behind
me.
“Good
morning, sweet one.”
I
turn to find Marionette gliding into the kitchen. She bends and hugs me
and I am truly happy to see her.
“Good
morning,” I answer as I return her hug. “Do you happen to know… do I have
a car here?”
She
smiles. “You do have a car. But it isn’t here. And honestly, I
don’t know if it was damaged in the quake. But Darius would be happy to
take you anywhere you need to go.”
“Thank
you,” I smile at her.
“He’s
out in the barn, I think,”
hot. I don’t know why. I’m weird, I guess. That’s a good
reason. And also, I think he wants to come because I’ll be there.
That’s a good reason, too.
OhMyWord.
That
thought makes me flustered.
I’m
suddenly finding it hard to breathe. I try to breathe out of my nose like
a normal person, not out of my mouth like a weird mouth-breather. But
panting makes that difficult.
“So,
want to meet here around 2:00?” Dante asks as he stands up. “We can ride
together.”
“Sure,”
I tell him. He bends down and squeezes my shoulder.
“It
really is good to see you, Mi,” he tells me quietly and then gives me a peck on
the cheek. I smile at him.
“It’s
good to see you too,” I answer. And I mean it. Even if I don’t remember,
it is still good to see them. He and Reece are so friendly. And
their blue eyes sparkle all of the time. What’s not to like?
They’re like friendly, witty Barbie and Ken dolls. They’re a gorgeous
matching set.
They
leave and Quinn and I are left alone at the table.
“So,
what are your plans for the day?” Quinn asks. “Until 2:00, I mean?”
I
shrug. “I’m not sure yet. I’m thinking about seeing if Gavin wants
to go diving. I’ve got to see if I still know how to swim somehow.
I’ve got a deal to uphold.”
Quinn
grins. “You sure do. And you don’t strike me as someone who would
renege.”
I’m
already shaking my head. “Never.”
He
laughs and clears his plate, putting it in the sink. I like the fact that
he does that. It’s a thoughtful thing, even though it’s small. My
gaze flickers to his butt, which is framed perfectly in worn Levi’s. I
seriously doubt there is a pair of jeans in the world that doesn’t agree with
that butt. And then he turns and catches me checking his agreeable butt
out.
Epic.
Fail.
I
blush.
“See
something you like?” he asks, one eyebrow raised.
I
blush again.
“I
don’t know what you mean,” I stammer.
He
chuckles. “Wrong answer, tiny tot. You’re supposed to give me a
verbal lashing. That’s what you did the last time I caught you checking
out my merchandise.”
My
mouth drops open.
“Your
merchandise? Are you selling something now?”
Quinn
winks. “That depends on who is buying.”
And
he saunters out.
Yes,
saunters. There is no other word to describe the casual, cocky way that
he moves through life. OhMyGod.
My
fingers are practically shaking as I pick up my phone and text Gavin. I
don’t know why I’m shaking, either. I have no idea why I let Quinn affect
me like he does. It’s like my hormones are instantly nervous whenever he
is near. I wonder if his are affected the same way? I shake my head
and focus on my phone.
Wanna
go diving?
I
text this to Gavin. And then I add a smiley face.
There
is an answer in less than ten seconds.
My,
aren’t we happy today? And of course, Mi. The answer to that is
always yes.
I
shove my phone in my pocket and sigh. So, apparently, I don’t usually use
emoticons. I should make a list of all the things I don’t normally
do. But then again, that would negate my new theory that I’m going to
rediscover myself. So I shelve that idea.
My
phone buzzes in my pocket, so I pull it back out.
BTW,
you always wear a bikini to dive. A skimpy one.
I
laugh out loud. And I’m still laughing when I hear a voice behind
me.
“Good
morning, sweet one.”
I
turn to find Marionette gliding into the kitchen. She bends and hugs me
and I am truly happy to see her.
“Good
morning,” I answer as I return her hug. “Do you happen to know… do I have
a car here?”
She
smiles. “You do have a car. But it isn’t here. And honestly, I
don’t know if it was damaged in the quake. But Darius would be happy to
take you anywhere you need to go.”
“Thank
you,” I smile at her.
“He’s
out in the barn, I think,”
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