Page 55 of Can’t Say No

“Killjoy.” I murmur into his chest as I plant kisses along his collarbone. He laughs, and I feel it through my whole body.

“I promise the wait will be more than worth it.”

I push back on his shoulders as he palms my ass in the water. “That’s quite the promise, Connor.”

“One I plan to deliver on, Delaney.” He plants his lips on mine, and I greedily take all he’ll give. I could’ve stayed like that forever, tangled together and lost in time. But a shrill voice cuts through our forever.

“Get the hell out of my lake!”

Connor pushes me behind him on instinct, and we crouch down in the water as Mrs. Crane comes into view, leaning over the handlebars of a red ATV.

We both stare in shock for a moment before Connor erupts in laughter.

“Connor Majors, is that you?” Mrs. Crane speeds to the water’s edge, squinting in the afternoon sun.

He swings his arm high in a wave, still laughing. “Yes, ma’am, sorry about this! We’ve been coming up to your lake since we were kids, and never knew it was your land.”

“Is that Delaney with you?” She snaps.

I poke my head out from behind his broad shoulders, careful to stay mostly submerged, and squeak out “Yes ma’am. Sorry.”

Mrs. Crane looks at us, then to the pile of clothes, then back to us. A little giggle croaks out, like she also can’t believe her ears. “Are y’all… are y’all naked?” She’s full on laughing now, shaking her head at us. “Oh my lands, this lake hasn’t seen two full moons since Nadine died.”

Now it’s my turn to choke on a laugh. The thought of Mrs. Crane and her partner skinny dipping in this same lake is endearing. And a little bit gross.

She shakes her head one more time. “Alright, well I’ll leave you kids to it. Just be sure to check all the nooks and crannies for leeches and ticks when you’re done! And text me next time you wanna use the lake!” And with that, she zooms back over the side of the hill.

I swat at Connor’s back. “Oh my God, I’m gonna die of embarrassment. Of all the people to catch us.”

Connor shrugs over his shoulder, long strides quickly bringing that perfect ass back into view. “Makes for a good story, Lanie Lou.” And I can hear the smile in his voice. He does a little shake, like a dog fresh out of the water, and steps back into his boxers.

I let myself take him in. Tall, toned, and delicious, he really is something to look at. “Hey, anyone tell you that you’re really fucking hot, Connor Majors?” I heckle, whistling for emphasis. “I could get used to this view.”

He spreads his arms wide, turning in a slow circle. “All yours, baby!”

I could get used to all of this, his easy laugh, how light I feel when I’m with him, how warm I feel when he calls me baby.

I could get used to this, but at what cost?

21

CONNOR

Abuzzing on my side table pulls me from a dreamless sleep. The glowing screen blinks the time: 3:54 AM. It takes another beat for me to realize the buzzing is a phone call. I swipe blindly to answer it.

“Wells?”

“Hey man, hate to bother you in the middle of the night, but I need your help.” His voice is quiet, too quiet, and I’m instantly on high alert, jumping out of bed and fumbling for pants and a T-shirt.

“Yeah, yeah, of course. What’s wrong?”

“I’m out at my mom’s. She’s…” Wells clears his throat, and I can hear the anxiety crackling through the phone. “She’s sick. Drank too much. We’ve been through this before, and I can usually handle it myself. But she’s pretty belligerent, and I can’t get her in my truck. I need an extra set of hands.”

“Send me the address.”

I’m halfway down the driveway by the time his text with his location comes through.

Wells hasn’t shared much about his life outside of teaching, and I’ve never pushed. Still, I’ve always had the sense that his rigid routines and preference for water over beer ran deeper than health consciousness.