her.
Which was pretty darned charming.
By the time he came back to the blanket forty-five minutes later, he was breathing hard and a sheen of sweat covered his smooth skin.
“That was great,” he said. “Thanks.” He sat down, putting his forearms on his knees to air himself out as he regained his breath.
God, she wanted him. “You looked like you were having a wonderful time.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve just run around for no good reason.” He reached into the Deluca’s paper bag and took out a Poland Spring bottle. As he cracked the top, he shot her a quick smile then tilted his head back and poured the water down his throat, his Adam’s apple working in a rhythm.
When he brought his head back to level, he pointed at her, bottle in hand. “So what can we do for you? I mean, I’ve had my fun. We should do something you want to now.”
As she considered the offer, she prayed he couldn’t read minds. Because all she could think of was him moving down her body this morning…and how much she wanted him to do that again. Without interruption.
Sean frowned. “Hey, do you have enough sunscreen on? You look a little red.”
Uh-huh. Go figure. “Ice cream.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I would love some ice cream.” She put her hand on her stomach. “Even though I shouldn’t—”
“Ice cream it is.” He finished the water and sprang to his feet as if he hadn’t just run miles chasing a Frisbee. “You have a favorite place?”
“I’m easy.” Lizzie got up as he tucked his shirt into the back pocket of his jeans and together they folded the blanket. “As long as it’s cold and sweet, I’m happy.”
Just as they were about to leave, she frowned. “Wait a minute.”
“What?”
She looked around. She had her purse and he had the blanket and the bag of food and they’d left no trash. But something was off.
When she ran her eyes up and down his chest, she realized what it was. “Your cross. It’s missing.”
Sean’s hand snapped to his heart, and though he tried to fight it, she could see panic in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find it,” she told him.
They walked the area he’d played in, but it seemed hopeless as he’d covered a lot of distance during the game. Then she remembered. Where had he fallen with the other guy? She headed over to where she thought he’d hit the ground and began crisscrossing the vicinity.
She was about to give up when she saw a flash of gold in the cropped blades of grass. “I’ve got it!”
Sean came running over and as she held out her hand he sagged in relief. He took the necklace and inspected the clasp, then put it back on.
“Don’t know how it fell off,” he said. “Everything seems okay.”
“You should get it checked.”
“I will.” His hazel eyes lifted and met hers, then he bent down and kissed her. “Thank you,” he whispered against her mouth. “Just…yeah, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” As he pulled back, he was gripping the cross so hard his knuckles were white. “It obviously means a great deal to you.”
He glanced down. “Mac gave one to me and to Billy and kept a third for himself. I wear it because…hell, I don’t know.”
Abruptly, his lids dropped over eyes that had gone deliberately blank.
She squeezed his hand. “Let’s go.”
***
Sean kept it together as they walked away from where the necklace had been lost, but he cracked a couple minutes later.
The two of them were on the Arthur Fiedler pedestrian bridge that arched over Storrow Drive when he put his arm around Lizzie’s shoulders and drew her tight to his side. A few feet farther and he stopped altogether, gathered her in his arms and put his mouth to her ear.
“Lizzie?”
“Yes?”
“If I had lost that necklace…it would have killed me.”
“I’m so glad we found it.” As she
Which was pretty darned charming.
By the time he came back to the blanket forty-five minutes later, he was breathing hard and a sheen of sweat covered his smooth skin.
“That was great,” he said. “Thanks.” He sat down, putting his forearms on his knees to air himself out as he regained his breath.
God, she wanted him. “You looked like you were having a wonderful time.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve just run around for no good reason.” He reached into the Deluca’s paper bag and took out a Poland Spring bottle. As he cracked the top, he shot her a quick smile then tilted his head back and poured the water down his throat, his Adam’s apple working in a rhythm.
When he brought his head back to level, he pointed at her, bottle in hand. “So what can we do for you? I mean, I’ve had my fun. We should do something you want to now.”
As she considered the offer, she prayed he couldn’t read minds. Because all she could think of was him moving down her body this morning…and how much she wanted him to do that again. Without interruption.
Sean frowned. “Hey, do you have enough sunscreen on? You look a little red.”
Uh-huh. Go figure. “Ice cream.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I would love some ice cream.” She put her hand on her stomach. “Even though I shouldn’t—”
“Ice cream it is.” He finished the water and sprang to his feet as if he hadn’t just run miles chasing a Frisbee. “You have a favorite place?”
“I’m easy.” Lizzie got up as he tucked his shirt into the back pocket of his jeans and together they folded the blanket. “As long as it’s cold and sweet, I’m happy.”
Just as they were about to leave, she frowned. “Wait a minute.”
“What?”
She looked around. She had her purse and he had the blanket and the bag of food and they’d left no trash. But something was off.
When she ran her eyes up and down his chest, she realized what it was. “Your cross. It’s missing.”
Sean’s hand snapped to his heart, and though he tried to fight it, she could see panic in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find it,” she told him.
They walked the area he’d played in, but it seemed hopeless as he’d covered a lot of distance during the game. Then she remembered. Where had he fallen with the other guy? She headed over to where she thought he’d hit the ground and began crisscrossing the vicinity.
She was about to give up when she saw a flash of gold in the cropped blades of grass. “I’ve got it!”
Sean came running over and as she held out her hand he sagged in relief. He took the necklace and inspected the clasp, then put it back on.
“Don’t know how it fell off,” he said. “Everything seems okay.”
“You should get it checked.”
“I will.” His hazel eyes lifted and met hers, then he bent down and kissed her. “Thank you,” he whispered against her mouth. “Just…yeah, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” As he pulled back, he was gripping the cross so hard his knuckles were white. “It obviously means a great deal to you.”
He glanced down. “Mac gave one to me and to Billy and kept a third for himself. I wear it because…hell, I don’t know.”
Abruptly, his lids dropped over eyes that had gone deliberately blank.
She squeezed his hand. “Let’s go.”
***
Sean kept it together as they walked away from where the necklace had been lost, but he cracked a couple minutes later.
The two of them were on the Arthur Fiedler pedestrian bridge that arched over Storrow Drive when he put his arm around Lizzie’s shoulders and drew her tight to his side. A few feet farther and he stopped altogether, gathered her in his arms and put his mouth to her ear.
“Lizzie?”
“Yes?”
“If I had lost that necklace…it would have killed me.”
“I’m so glad we found it.” As she
Similar Books
