And when her gaze dropped, just briefly, to my mouth before flicking back up again, I felt that unmistakable current ofwe’re about to do something dumb and delicious.
“Ben,” she said slowly, her voice lower now, a whisper curled in heat. “We’re in a canoe.”
“Very observant.”
“Just pointing out that I’m not jumping you in open water.”
“Good to know.” I leaned back, smirking. “So what I’m hearing is, I have to get you to shore first.”
She rolled her eyes, but a smile spread across her face.
I should’ve waited.
Should’ve paddled to shore, given us the safety of stable ground and the illusion of distance before doing what I knew I was about to do.
But Fifi was right there, with sunlight dancing off the freckles on her shoulder, eyes full of mischief, legs stretched out casually like she wasn’t rearranging the tectonic plates of my restraint just by existing.
And I couldn’t not kiss her.
“Don’t move,” I said.
Her smile faltered, just barely, and her brows knit with curiosity. “Why?”
“Because if you tip this canoe,” I murmured, carefully shifting my weight, “you’re not getting another sandwich.”
“Reverse Bribery?” she asked, a smirk forming. “How romantic.”
I leaned forward, slow and steady, the boat rocking beneath me with the kind of exaggerated drama only canoe physics could deliver. My hand brushed her knee, just enough to ground me, to brace against the unsteadiness.
Her breath quickened. I felt it.
Heard it.
It echoed in my chest.
“I mean it,” I whispered. “Don’t move.”
She didn’t… didn’t blink…didn’t flinch.
Fifi watched me like she knew exactly what I was about to do and had been waiting for it.
And then I kissed her.
Soft at first.
Her lips parted with a confidence that left me dizzy, tasting like lemonade and heat and something that felt dangerously close to falling in love.
The canoe rocked gently beneath us, the breeze stirring her hair, the lake surrounding us like the universe had shrunk down to just this—just us.
When I finally pulled back, it wasn’t because I wanted to.
It was because I had to take a breath.
Her eyes were still closed for a beat, lips parted slightly, her whole expression soft and stunned in a way that nearly made me lean back in.
Then she blinked, and a slow smile curved her mouth.
“Well,” she said breathlessly, “I guess the canoe kiss lives up to the hype.”
