Page 55 of Blame it on the Kiss
“He’s who you can fall in love with without worry.”
Her legs shook. Bryce caught her around the waist before she collapsed to the floor in a heap of love and longing and devotion.
“Whoa.” He brought her flush against his hard, warm chest and abs. “You all right?”
No. She wasn’t. Not by a long shot. “Bryce,” she said softly.
“Honor,” he answered just as quietly.
“No one…” She swallowed the emotion clogging the back of her throat. “No one has ever thought about me the way you do.” He’d made her promise to Payton a real possibility.Fall in love, Pay had listed. Notfall in love, get married, and have babies. She was halfway to loving Jaws already. By tomorrow she’d be all the way there. And she’d feed him every day and talk to him every day and watch him swim every day.
If she simply took the words as Pay had written them, then she’d followed through.
“That makes us even,” Bryce said, “because I’ve never thought about anyone the way I do you.”
She lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed him. He cradled her face with his big, strong hands as hers snaked through his soft brown hair. She feasted on his lips and tongue until she had to come up for air. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“My pleasure.”
“Do you have plans for today?”
“That depends.” He toyed with her hair and even though she knew it impossible to feel something through the fine strands, her scalp tingled.
“On?”
“What you have planned.”
“I was thinking about spending the day in bed.”
His eyes went all dark and seductive. The dimple in his chin deepened. “The one night stand is off the table?”
“No. But maybe we could bend the rules a little. Extend the night to include the day. Just this once.” She knew it was wrong to keep him with her, to continue what they’d had into daylight hours, but she couldn’t help herself. Guilt still sat in the back of her mind because she was here with Bryce and Payton wasn’t, but worse was her heart and body had overruled the logic she’d come to live by since Lance. The truth she held above all else: She didn’t have the capacity to truly love someone and not hurt him.
For a little while longer, though, she wanted to pretend that nothing else existed but her and Bryce.
“I’m all yours,” he said with a grin, and a part of her wished that were possible.
Chapter Ten
Early Monday morning Honor walked down Main Street toward the Beach Café to grab coffee before she hit the mayor’s office. Spring Break was around the corner and she had a ton of work to do for the annual street fair.
A group of seagulls squawked overhead in the clear blue sky, drawing her attention up. It was beautiful after rainy days. The air cleaner, the sights and sounds crisper. Like living in a postcard.
She took a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth just before a burst of hot pink rounded the corner and she choked out a laugh. Coming at her was Midge and her “Street Team.” The walking group—Midge, Mrs. Landry, Shirley, and Mrs. Jamison—all wore bright pinkJust Do ItT-shirts and the hot pink tutus they’d acquired when they power jammed through their first Color Run a few months ago. ‘Power jammed’ was Mrs. L.’s phrase and she made sure everyone knew it. They walked around town every morning to stay fit. Look up ‘fit’ in the White Strand dictionary and there was a bonus definition: keep your nose in everyone’s business.
The main reason Honor giggled, though, had everything to do with the team’s new leader. He’d also donned a tutu.
“Yo, Honorlicious,” Dylan said, his blonde Einstein hair standing in crazier disarray than usual.
“Nice outfit.” Honor came to a stop with her hands on her hips.
Dylan grinned. “Right?” He brought the group to a halt by putting his hand up, arm bent at the elbow before he leaned forward and whispered, “They’re paying me so I’ll wear whatever they want.” Straightening he said, “I’m whipping these ladies into shape for the Cove 5K.”
“That’s great.” Honor put up her palm to high five the team of adorable older women.
“Honor,” Mrs. Jamison said, pulling her into a hug. “Please thank that boyfriend of yours again for coming to my rescue Saturday night.”
“Oh, he’s not—”
