He wipes his hands on his jeans, moving forward. With every step he makes, I take three more, putting more distance between us. “When I was, like, seven.”
“It’s such a fun game. Having a whole ass thirty years between the last time you played and now must be the reason why you’re so grumpy all the time.”
He grunts so loud, I can hear him all the way here. “I’m not grouchy.”
“Grumpy, grouchy, stern, frowny. Tomato, tomato.” I move my hands up and down in a balance motion, and he shakes his head. “It’s weird, because until I met you—” I keep stretching the space between us, having to shout for him to hear me now, “I didn’t know I had superpowers, but now I know I do.”
“Oh yeah? And what are they?" He's entertaining me, keeping his distance but walking to me, nonetheless.
“Making you smile even if you don’t like me.”
Another lie. Of course, I know he likes me, but getting him worked up is my fave.
“I do like you.”
“Really?”
“A lot.”
“Mm-hm. I could have sworn you hated me when we first met. Your whole broody persona andall.”
He shakes his head, dropping his hat.
Oh, shit.
I pick up my pace, skipping backwards, but he looks like he’s ready to hunt me down.
“I don’t hate you.”
I stop, squaring my shoulders and flashing him a smile. “Then prove it to me.” I take off, running around the first stack of hay. I run fast, past each one, not stopping for a second to see how close or far he is from me.
“Catch me if you caaaaaan,” I sing as I run around another hay bale. Crunching underfoot inundates the space as we continue running. I don’t know which ones are his, which ones are mine, and which ones are just in my head. I dare to look back, but he’s not there, so I crouch and wait.
I try to even my breathing, covering my mouth so he can’t hear me.
“Come out?” he grunts in question, mumbling something that sounds plenty like awhat the fuck am I doing?“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” he shouts this time, finding what he wanted to say. A giggle escapes me, betraying me, giving away my location.
I take off, running fast, the wind hitting my face as I zigzag across the hay. I know he’s close; I can hear him breathing, and I don’t know if I can outrun that man with those thick, strong thighs and the will of?—
“Ah!” I yelp when I’m caught by a branch.
A huffing and puffing, strong branch.
“Put. Me. Down,” I shout, and it takes less than a whole thought for my body to flail in his arms as he lifts me, shifting my weight and swinging me around, throwing me effortlessly over his shoulder like a stack of hay.
“Dom!” He laughs at my sudden gasp.
Laughs.
Full-blown belly laugh as everything is turned upside down. “Put me down.”
“No,” he bites back as I try to kick my feet at him. He smacks my ass instead.
I squeal, flinching and squeezing my butt.
“This is what you get for being a brat.”
“I was not being a brat! I wanted to play a game.”
