Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“I did give you a break,” I said, trying to hide my laughter. The appreciation for my efforts fell flat when Dash’s small towel hit me in the face. It only made me laugh louder, and I reached for a bottle of water. “I decided if I had to wait for you to save me, I’d probably drown.”
“Haha. My guy thinks he’s funny…”
I barely got the swallow down and had to pause before taking another drink to let the burst of laughter free.
He moved faster than I gave him credit for as he lifted and squeezed the plastic bottle, water splashing in my face. I was so unprepared, I took the liquid in through my mouth and nose, causing me to bend away as I coughed and choked it out. Dash’s laughter rang joyfully while taking the win away from me.
“Don’t worry. I’m a lifeguard. If I can get to you, I’ll save you if you drown.” Playful condescension laced Dash’s tone. A towel was tossed over my head. He enjoyed himself immensely and got me real good. His infectious snicker had me laughing again as I wiped the towel over my face. I gave him a side-eye where he was sprawled out on his towel, hands underneath his head. Grinning at me like a Cheshire cat.
It was hard not to stare. Dash might not be fast, but he was mouthwateringly fit.
“Tell me something about you,” he said, then closed his eyes.
“I can’t imagine there’s anything I didn’t say last night.” I wadded the smaller towel up and shoved it behind my head as I lay back too.
“What’s your favorite color?” he asked and shifted on his towel to lay on his side, head in hand. “I like learning about you. Since you’re stuck in my head, it gives me more to think about.”
“My favorite color?” Why would anyone want to know? I gave him a critical stare. One eyebrow arched as I contemplated my answer. First, I assessed the question. It seemed obvious enough. Second, how did I answer? Was there a trick to it?
“Sure. They’re details everyone in a relationship should know about their partner.” Dash gave me an absurd look, like I was the dumbest person on the planet for not already knowing. All the attitude coupled with the teasing smile didn’t help to make his point.
“We’re in a relationship?” I asked and closed my eyes. Hopefully, I succeeded in a nonchalance I didn’t feel as I tried to hide my body’s reaction to such news. It went instantly haywire, my heart doing a free fall in its excitement. We’d gotten along beautifully today. If that held…
“Yeah. You don’t agree?” The way he said it had me cracking a lid at him. This time, his I’m-crazy look held sincerity.
I let the idea of a relationship bounce around my head. In my silence, I lifted my brows as if I thought of something good then lowered them like I’d had a bad thought.
I kept him on the hook. “I don’t really think about color. I have a lot of browns…”
“Omigod, you can’t say brown. That’s nobody’s favorite color,” Dash replied. I couldn’t help my burst of laughter at his passion over something so silly.
“Calm down. It’s probably blue, I guess.”
He shook his head again, and as if he were speaking to a simpleton, said, “There’s a wide range of blues. Narrow it in for me.”
I paused, trying to envision the different colors and how I might feel about them. Brilliance popped into my mind as if I were an actual genius. Seriously, my game might be the smoothest around. “Whatever color of blue your eyes are. That’s my favorite color.”
“Oh my God.” A fistful of sand landed on my belly. “You took my line! I was just setting it up for a better landing.”
Oh man, Dash knew how to give a good time. My amusement grew when more sand was flung across me. “I win, again.”
He dramatically dropped down on his back, his arms crossing tightly over his chest. A firm pout came to his face.
“So what’s your favorite music?” I asked. “I listen mostly to country.”
It took several long moments for him to participate. “I listen to anything but country.” We both turned our heads toward each other in unison. “Country music’s too sad. It’s like a Disney movie. Everybody has a broken heart.”
I saw his point. I listened to country music because everyone around me did. “You aren’t wrong.”
“Whew, I was beginning to think we weren’t as compatible as I originally thought.”
Insecurity shot through me at warp speed. After years of pent-up self-loathing and worry, Dash had wiped it all away in a few short hours. But not any longer. “I’m open to other types of music if it’s a deal breaker.”
Dash’s grin grew bigger. He’d been teasing me, and I fell for it. I tried to play it off as indifference. Who knows if I was successful.