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“They do,” I agree huskily as I place the sunscreen back on the ground.
I’m still a little worked up, so I just lean back and close my eyes, enjoying the warmth and just the right amount of breeze.
“It really is nice out today,” Ellie says. “I think I like it better a little overcast. No glaring sun is great, you know?”
I open my eyes long enough to glance at her. Just her face, though. “It is nice,” I agree, closing my eyes again. “Good thing I won that bet, huh?”
“Yeah, but…” She sighs as she slides the sunglasses back up on her head. “Can I be honest?”
Now I don’t just open my eyes and peer over at her, but I lower my glasses as well.
“Of course,” I say.
Meeting my gaze with those damn stunning turquoise blues, she says, “I would have hung out at the pool today with you anyway, Nils. All you had to do was ask.”
Chuckling, I say, “Now you tell me. So, I could have chosen something else for our wager?”
“You could have, for sure,” she confirms, lowering her sunglasses to the bridge of her nose. “And for the record, I have one more confession.”
I’m dying to know what this one could be, so I ask, “What’s that?”
She pauses, and then, trying to suppress a grin as she doesn’t look over at me, she says, “I hate shopping.”
“No way!” I blurt out. “You do?”
She nods once as she finally looks back over. “I do. I despise having to go to stores. I’d much rather shop online.”
“Shit, man, me too.” I throw my hands up in the air for dramatic emphasis. “That’s why I fucking had to win. Though now you tell me I didn’t really need to.”
Soothingly, she says, “You did win, though. Fair and square.”
Something doesn’t add up, so I ask, “Why did you choose clothes shopping if you hate it so much?”
A definite blush creeps over her cheeks, and it’s not from the sun, as she shrugs and says, “I don’t know. I just couldn’t think of anything else.”
Hmm, I call bullshit. Her blushing tells me something different from what she’s saying. But what could she have been thinking of as a bet that would make her this embarrassed?
Fuck, I wish I knew.
It had to be something good.
I could ask, but I won’t.
She’ll tell me if she wants to.
But she doesn’t. Instead, she starts talking about hockey, which is always a go-to for me.
“When’s your next game?” she asks.
“Tomorrow night,” I say excitedly. “If you want to go, just let me know. I can make it happen.”
I’m sure Arden could as well. But I’d rather be the one to get her a ticket.
“Aw, man.” She blows out a breath. “I’d love to, but I have to work.”
I’m disappointed but still throw out, “What about Tuesday night? We have another home game then.”
After thinking it over, she says, “Yeah, I can make it to that one. I’m off Tuesday. I’m having lunch with Willow and Arden that day, but my evening is wide open.”
