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I almost fall forward when he releases me suddenly and takes a step back, smirking at me as he goes to stand on top of the picnic table. My heart is still pounding as I try to process the fact he just told me he loved me.
“I’m on the challenge committee, so I have the right to instate a new beard challenge if I want to,” Benson says, drawing a few hushed whispers.
“There’s a challenge committee?” Liam asks.
“And I will,” Benson goes on, smirking over at me. “Unless Lilah Vincent tells me she’s still mine, and that she’s not ever going to leave me again.”
I narrow my eyes when Delaney comes over and grips my arm painfully.
“Don’t you dare let them grow back the beards,” she hisses.
“The challenge was voted against once. It’ll be voted against again,” I point out, even though it’s just a small act of defiance. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m already his. Never stopped being his.
And he won me over the second he took my brothers out with a freaking water cannon. Because I totally want to shoot them with it myself. I also really want to shoot the Malones. Maybe even the Nickels and Wilders too.
Aunt Penny is unfortunately right. I’ve loved the asshole for longer than I realized. And now I’m boiling.
Benson’s eyes glint with determination as he stares me down.
“Unless the challenger assumes the punishment to instate the challenge on his own accord—don’t forget that little clause. I’ll swim to the other side of the lake. If I make it without being pulled out, the challenge is set. No one can refuse. It could be another nine years before it ends. What do you say, Lilah?”
He smirks, and I battle a grin.
“Really. I need some sort of rule book or something, and I want to be on this challenge committee,” I hear Liam saying, and my uncle is quickly at his side, paperwork in hand.
“Seriously?” I ask my uncle and Liam as they start discussing the committee right beside me.
“Lilah, you’re stalling,” Benson says, sounding amused.
Sighing heavily, I stare at him, weighing my options. Say no, let the beards grow, walk around miserably missing my best friend, while the rest of the town hates me for the bad beards. Or say yes, have Benson back, let him spend an obscene amount of time making all this up to me, and keep the bad beards away.
Tough choice.
“I’ll come back to you. On one condition,” I say, crossing my arms as I grin.
“What condition?” he asks, stepping off the picnic table, but hesitating to move toward me again.
“Tell everyone here how you make your money.” My lips curl in delight, and he glares over at his brother.
Deacon groans while dropping his head back, knowing I’ve Googled their name now and know their not-so-dirty secret. There’s a pun in there. You’ll figure it out later.
Everyone perks up, completely interested in hearing if he’s going to cave to this demand. It would be a long-time mystery finally solved. Only I have the answer right now. The rest are salivating for a morsel.
“I’ll just instate the challenge, and everyone here will be pissed off at you,” he argues, turning to go toward the lake instead of coming to me.
Yeah…that deflates my bubble. About thirty angry stares—men and women—swing my way as if cued.
“Lilah, so help me…” Delaney threatens, letting her voice trail off. “Not even the Vincent name will keep us all at bay.”
Cursing, I start chasing Benson, wondering if I should at least let him jump in the water or not, when he suddenly spins and grabs me like he knew I was close. He swallows my sound of surprise when his lips crush mine, and he pulls me to him as my eyes flutter shut.
It feels too good, too real, and too natural when his lips are on mine, as though this is how it should have been all along. My hands go up to the back of his neck, holding him in place, and cheers erupt when he lifts me off the ground, kissing me thoroughly.
“Does this mean we can play with the water cannon now?” I hear Hale asking.
Benson breaks the kiss to glare at him. “Hell no.”
I drag him back down to kiss me again, and catcalls follow it.
“The Wild One weddings are always the best,” Aunt Penny says too happily behind me.
“Why?” I hear Liam asking, though it’s just idle chitchat, because my attention is focused on the man who is walking me toward the dock.
“Because the Wild Ones can all come together for sanctioned events. When a Wild One gets married, it’s the day of no rules. All the Wild Ones can join together for one, incredibly wild day.”
More cheers erupt, and Benson grins against my lips. Aunt Penny isn’t going to stop until we’re married.
