I’d never gotten to experience this kind of passion or lust before, and it was thrilling.To want somebody as badly as I wanted him, and to be wanted as badly as I could feel he wanted me, gave me a buzz in my brain and body better than any bottle of rosé ever could.
I had a thorough shower that morning, put on a cute little black tank top with spaghetti straps and a lower neckline that I wasn’t used to wearing, and of course, some overalls.But not just any overalls.These were loose, comfy linen overalls in a light-sand color.I wore them in the summer when things got hot, but I didn’t feel like showing my legs.
I put my hair into twin Dutch braids and spent an extra three minutes in front of the mirror applying some blush, mascara, and lip gloss.
Honor gave a little whistle when I came out of the bathroom that morning.“Sexy lady, where are you going?”
I hid my smile and ducked my head as I went to pour myself some coffee.“Nowhere.Am I not allowed to take a bit of pride in my appearance?”
“Sure, you can.I’m just saying, you look nice.”She poured some granola over her yogurt.“What time are we heading to the funfair today?”
Every year in early June the school held an enormous fair on the field.It was the biggest fundraiser of the year, and nearly the entire island came out to support.There were games, bouncy castles, food vendors, a dunk tank, a portable climbing wall, pool noodle fencing, and all kinds of fun activities for families.While I wasn’t one of the main coordinators of the event, my cousins and I all pitched in and volunteered.This year, we’d recruited Tom and Maverick to pitch in as well.Jagger already always did since his nieces and nephews went to the school and he was a super uncle.
“I need to be there by three-thirty,” I said.“My shift at the cotton candy machine starts at four.”
“We might as well just stay at the school at that point, then,” Austin said, coming into the kitchen.“That’s about when the bus drops us off anyway.”
“You can do that if you’d like.”I poured myself some coffee and added a splash of French vanilla soy creamer.
We agreed that they would stay at the school and hang out on the playground.It sounded like my cousins’ kids would do the same—except for Marco, who still had some fears of being without adult supervision after his kidnapping earlier this year—and all the kids would stay together until we got there.
We walked our kids to the bus stop just as Lennox’s truck came into sight.The butterflies in my stomach were already going bananas, but seeing him just kicked their frenzy up a notch.
He parked in front of Gabrielle’s house just as my cousins and I reached his truck.Mabel hopped out with her backpack slung onto her shoulder.
“Hi, Mabel,” Gabrielle said.
The young girl grinned at all of us, but her attention was quickly pulled away by the chirp of a nearby bird.“Oh!”She paused and squinted.“A yellow-rumped warbler.”Then she shrugged and headed off up the porch steps to Gabrielle’s front door.
Lennox was already out of the truck and came over to wrap his arm around my waist.“Morning,” he said, dropping his mouth to mine for a quick peck.
Every cell in my body tingled.“Morning,” I replied.
“You two are disgustingly cute,” Raina said, rolling her green eyes.
Lennox and I faced her with big smiles on our faces.“I’m excited for the funfair this evening,” he said.“I saw all of your names on the volunteer list.”
“I’m at the face painting table this year,” Raina said.“Hopefully it’s better than last year when I worked the prize table.The kids turn feral with their tickets.So many sticky little hands covered in cotton candy, snow cone syrup, or cupcake icing, reaching for all the plastic paraphernalia that will entertain them for fifteen minutes before it breaks.Never again, I tell you.Never again.”
Danica, Gabrielle, and I snorted with mirth.
“I’m at the raffle basket table,” Danica said.“First shift.”
“And of course, I’m running the silent auction,” Gabrielle said with pride in her voice.She was always so militant in the way she ran that auction, but it was also one of the biggest moneymakers at the fair.“Maverick wanted to run the dunk tank so badly, so he signed up for both first and second shift.”
“And Tom and Jagger are working at the concession,” Danica finished.
“Is Mabel going to come?”Gabrielle asked.
Lennox shook his head.“No.She’s not interested.I think she was going to ask Damon if he wanted to come over and watch a movie.”
All of our eyes perked up.That was a big step for Mabel.So far, she’d been pretty adamant about keeping their get-togethers at Damon’s.Lennox said she wasn’t ready to invite anybody into her home, but apparently things had changed.
“Anyway, I’ve got to get to the school.”He pecked me on the temple.“I’ll see you later,” he murmured, giving my butt a squeeze before climbing back into his truck.
“Ooh, what’s happening later?”Raina asked in a sing-song voice.
I couldn’t keep the grin from my face.“We’re meeting at his place during his lunch hour.”
