“I think it’s kinda rude to call someoneabnormallyanything, Mazzy-mazz.”
She tipped her head back, her eyes narrowed, bouncing between mine. When she was satisfied with what she saw, she nodded once. “Oh, yes. I think we’ve established I’m rude, and in these tough times, I’m okay with that. My manners are usuallymore on point when I’m not so pissed off and sad, not to mention the crash landing I went through.”
“We didn’t crash land.”
She stomped on my foot. Whether her aim was off and she’d meant to hit the ground, I couldn't say. Either way, it didn’t hurt.
“Let me be dramatic, Benny.” She gave me a little shove, then clung to my shirt to keep me close. If she kept doing that, I was going to have to kiss her. There was no two ways about it.
“All right. You can be as dramatic as you like,” I agreed. “But only for tonight.”
“Let’s not talk about what happens when we go home.”
“Good idea.” I slid my fingers down her hair, stopping at the center of her back to pull her closer. “What happens in Pago Pago—”
“Don’t say it,” she snapped. “I’m not drunk enough for that to be charming.”
“—stays in Pago Pago,” I finished.
She frowned.
I grinned.
This was one of my favorite nights ever.
Chapter Three
Mazzy
Five Years Ago
“Wouldyourather,everytime you meet a stranger, have to tap their lips and shush them or say, ‘I’ve heard you’re really dumb’?”
I blinked at Ben, who was hazy now from several rounds of shots and too many blue drinks. There was a neat stack of little paper umbrellas on the bar, and I was considering counting them eventually.
Maybe.
Actually, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know how many there were.
“What did you say?” I asked.
His laugh was bordering on a giggle. It was cute.Socute. As cute as a massive, ruggedly handsome, ginormous, stupidly attractive, giant of a man could be. Which was, surprisingly, a decent amount of cute.
Then he reached out and tapped my lips.
“Shush,” he said.
“We’re not strangers,” I argued.
He cocked his head. “I thought you didn’t hear me.”
I copied him, tapping my index finger on his bottom lip. “It took a moment to register.”
He caught my finger between his teeth, taking me by surprise. I squeaked, and he grinned around my finger, growling like a feral animal.
“What’s happening?” I cried, delighted by this turn of events. Though, to be honest, my settings had been stuck on delighted since two drinks ago. Ben seemed to have that effect on me. All my problems would be waiting, but his giant, sunshine presence had cast them in deep,deepshadow.
He gave my fingertip a little suck before letting it go, but I let it linger on his bottom lip, my reflexes, which had never been particularly fast, muffled by the thick ocean air and blue liquor swimming in my veins.
