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“You want pizza, you’ll get pizza…how about squid pizza, or octopus, or tuna pizza, how’s that sound?” Luke started giggling and fell sideways, right into Liv. She reached around and hugged him closer to her, laughing with him. Suddenly Luke realized where he was—and there it was, Ben knew that look. Luke had fallen in love with Liv, too.
Luke monopolized the conversation with Liv for the rest of the night, which was okay with Ben. He enjoyed sitting back and listening to the two of them. Luke was a huge rodeo fan, and Liv told him about going to the finals at the beginning of December. She talked about the cowboys and the bull fighters and the barrel racers.
“Do you really race around barrels?” Luke asked.
“I do, but I’ll tell you a little secret, if you promise not to let anyone else know, unless they’re a real rodeo insider.”
Luke nodded his head.
“We call it chasing the cans,” Liv whispered in his ear.
“O-o-h…cool,” said Luke, as though he’d learned the secret of the universe.
Ben reached his arm around her and pulled her back closer to him. He leaned down so his mouth was close to her ear. “I love you so much, Olivia Fairchild.”
She turned to him, and smiled before she brushed her lips across his. A shudder of pleasure ran through his body.
After dinner, they walked down Elk Avenue. The boys wanted frozen yogurt and Renie made fun of them for wanting something cold when they were already freezing.
“She’s very playful,” Liv commented to Ben as they walked behind them. “It’s too bad she never had any brothers or sisters.”
“I’m sure Renie would say her childhood was perfect.”
Liv shook her head and laughed. “I doubt that. No father in her life, no siblings. There are definitely times I regret my choices and what they meant for her.”
“Your daughter is one of the most gracious, seemingly well-adjusted people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. You did a great job as her mother, Liv.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you saying so.”
“You have no idea. It always surprises me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have no idea how great you are.”
“I’m a sure thing, cowboy, you don’t have to pile on the charm.”
Ben thought he might lose it right there on the sidewalk in the middle of his hometown. Had he heard her right? Yesterday he would’ve predicted he’d never see her again, now it felt as though no time had passed since they were together. The hard times forgotten, for now, for tonight. Unless that was why she wanted to talk. He almost dreaded it. He didn’t want to talk, he wanted to hold her close. Skin on skin.
“Will you stay at the house tonight?” he asked.
“I don’t think you want to stay in the hotel room with Renie and me, do you?”
“Uh, no,” he laughed.
“Well then, I guess I better stay at your house.” She said it softly, demurely, seductively. Very, very soon Ben would have a difficult time walking.
“How about a horror movie marathon?” he heard Renie say to the boys.
“Yeah,” said Jake.
“Nooo,” said Luke. “Liv, I don’t want to watch horror movies. Can we watch somethin’ else?”
Oh no, Luke wasn’t horning in on his time with Liv tonight. No way. There’d be plenty of time later for movie marathons with his boys. Tonight she was all his.
“Well,” said Renie, “tonight we should watch what Luke wants to watch, and tomorrow night it’ll be Jake’s turn to pick. Does that sound fair?”
“Boys, a gentleman would let the lady choose.”
