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“We’ll take it.” Easton pulls out his wallet and hands her the money.
“I love it. Thank you so much,” I tell him.
“You’re very welcome. It’s a crime to leave a summer festival without picking up something cool and handmade.”
“I’m still not used to this,” I admit, as he takes my hand in his again and brings them up to his lips.
“You will soon.” He winks.
We stop at a few painter’s booths, and I admire the beautifully illustrated beach scenes on canvas.
“Do you think Oakley could recreate something like this?” Easton asks when we move to the next table.
“My sister could probably whip it up in her sleep. She’s an incredible painter and has more talent in her pinky finger than I have in my whole body.”
He snorts. “That’s how siblings always feel.”
“But this time, it’s actually true.”
“You’ll have to show me her work sometime because I know exactly how much talent you have in that sexy body.” He waggles his brows.
I snort. “You’ll be impressed. I still don’t know how she does it so flawlessly.”
We look at wind chimes, furniture made from recycled beach wood, firepits, and tons of handmade clothing booths. Everything reminds me of the perfect summer day.
Easton and I talk about random things as we walk around. I love how he wraps his arm around me when we stop to look at something. It still gives me butterflies—another thing I’m not used to.
A shop is selling bikinis, and Easton stops. “What about this one?” he asks, holding up a bathing suit made from shoestrings.
“I don’t think it would cover me.” I shake my head.
“That’s the point.” The woman behind the table laughs.
“He’s right,” she offers. “Right now, they’re buy one, get one free.”
“Oh you’re tempting me now,” Easton says, waving it in front of me.
“You should pick out one and let your wife pick out the other,” she suggests.
My cheeks heat at hearing her call me that.
She must notice because she adds, “Oh I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.”
“It’s okay. She will be one day.” He flashes me a knowing wink.
The words one day lingers in the air and my heart flutters at the thought of being married to him. Everything’s happening so fast, but I wouldn’t hesitate to spend the rest of my life with him.
I look through the racks and find one that’s completely mesh. It’s sexy. “I like this one.”
Easton lifts a brow and smirks, holding up his choice too. “Can’t wait for you to model these for me,” he says, leaning in and biting the flesh on my neck.
The woman smiles as he pays, then hands me the black sack.
“You’re spoiling me too much,” I say to Easton as we continue down the boardwalk. “You better stop before I get used to it.”
“Never. I like to spoil you, Tatum. In and out of the bedroom.”
A laugh escapes me.
“Want a snow cone?”
“Ooh, yes, please! I can’t remember the last time I had one.”
“Which flavor?”
I smile as I read over the options. “Hm…surprise me.”
“You should stand over there in the shade. This line is kinda long,” Easton suggests, and I nod. The sun is beaming down, and I’m starting to sweat. We forgot sunscreen too.
I watch him as he waits patiently to order. Though I told Oakley what we were doing when we chatted yesterday, I want to let her know how it’s been so far. It’s the first time we’ve been a couple out in public, and it’s felt so damn right and natural.
I pull out my phone and turn toward the shade to avoid the glare on the screen. Before I can even click on her name, I feel Easton’s mouth on the shell of my ear, and I lean into him.
“Missed me, you fucking whore?”
My spine straightens as I recognize Justin’s voice. Before I can scream or turn around, something hard is shoved into my back, and I know it’s his gun.
“One motherfucking peep, and I’ll kill your little boy toy. Then I’ll put a bullet between your eyes. How old is he anyway? Is he even legal to drive?”
“Fuck you,” I whisper-hiss. Rage consumes me as I curse myself for letting my guard down.
“You thought you really did something fucking him in the back of a car for everyone to see, huh?” He leans in close, smelling my hair. “What a goddamn whore my wife is.”
I cringe at his words. “Not anymore,” I spit out, fumbling with my cell phone to dial 911.
“Shut the fuck up and start walking,” he growls, shoving the barrel harder into my skin and guiding me farther away from Easton.
When he gets into a rage like this, there’s no talking him out of it. I have to do exactly what he says so he’ll at least leave Easton alone.
“You think you’re so fuckin’ smart, don’t you? You really thought I wouldn’t find you? I’ve been watching you, Tatum. I always knew you were dense, but I didn’t realize how much of a stupid bitch you are too.” He stays close so no one suspects anything. People passing by are hardly paying us a glance.
