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Muffin hobbled along the walkway toward my feet, struggling to wiggle up the steps before pausing at ten dark blue toenails sparkling in the sunlight at my side. I trailed the length of Lizzie’s legs, swallowing hard at the excitement I felt when she sat next to me. She traced the outline of my mermaid and dropped her head against my bicep. Muffin shoved his stubby face into Lizzie’s hip until she pet him, a pestering fiend who actually made me a little jealous. Muffin hated everyone except the chief and me. And Lizzie.
I reached across Lizzie’s lap to scratch Muffin’s head, whispering to him but in Lizzie’s ear. “I know, Muff. I like Lizzie too.” Her hands wrapped around my forearm, holding me across her body while she softly laughed and nuzzled her head against my arm.
“Thank you for the walk, the wine, the date…Noah?”
“Mm?” I pressed my lips to her curls, the perfume of her shampoo intoxicating me.
“If I were to come over again, or more, or whatever, could you,” she moved to pull the shirt from around my shoulders, tossing it onto the porch, “keep not wearing shirts?”
I leaned away from Lizzie, beaming at the smile she fought with a lip pierced between her teeth, catching her blush and knowing she’d caught me. “Whatever you say, Lizzie. It goes both ways, though. I’m not a piece of meat. I’ll keep my shirt off and you can wear it.” I snickered, moving to her side and taking my arm back so I could tug on a stray curl of her blonde hair. “You looked adorable in my sweatshirt last night.”
“This morning,” Lizzie corrected. “Let me have some?” She took the cup of coffee, its contents still hot, and swallowed three large gulps without spilling a drop on either of us or Muffin, who continued pressing his lump of a body against Lizzie.
“Thank you for staying,” I admitted. “It felt really good to talk…to you.”
“Thanks for keeping me safe. I like your hero thing,” she flirted. Lizzie sighed after checking the time on her cell phone, turning on the porch to let me know she’d promised her friend Ella a lunch date.
“What are you doing on Tuesday night?” she probed, her blue eyes flicking between mine hopefully. It was an irresistible expression, and one I assumed she didn’t often use, because one look at her and the world was hers.
I tried stifle my grin, but it was futile. I wanted my fingers in her hair, tugging at the same curl she nervously twirled around her left index finger while she waited for my reply. I waited too, knowing it drove her crazy as I let the image of her perfect smile and bright blue eyes sink into me.
“I’m on call,” I whispered, reaching to tug on a blonde curl, “starting at four, lasting through midnight.” I noticed her twirling slow, her pout appear. “But…”
“I like buts.” Her smile returned, reaching her sparkling gaze. “Tell me more.”
“I’ll be wherever you want me to be.”
“My house, six on the dot.”
“Is this an official date?” I watched her stand, walking to the steps in front of me while she leaned forward and pressed her soft lips against my temple.
“Yes,” her quiet giggle came out with a hum, “and you can wear clothes. Just make sure they’re easy to come off so I can wear them later.” I. Was. Rigid. I stopped breathing, and she kissed me once more, resuscitating me. “See you in a few days, mermaid.”
