For the past week, Will has made good on his promise to text me. He’s texted at least once a day asking me how my day was going, and we’ve even started talking on the phone at night until both of us are too tired to continue the conversation. I can only continue to hope this means Cold Will is gone for good. If this week is any indication, Will definitely has no intention of giving me the brush-off.
My phone buzzes against the restaurant table, pulling my attention from Paige’s story about the new puppy they just got. When I grab it, it vibrates against my palm, and the screen lights up with a text message from Will.
Will: I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.
“I lost you, didn’t I?”
I look up to Paige, smiling at me and shaking her head. “What?” I ask.
“I’m guessing by the smile on your face Will just texted you.”
I blush. “Maybe.”
“And what is the fine William up to today?”
“He’s at the dog park with Rex and his sister.”
“Has he told you yet what you two are doing for your date tomorrow?” she asks as she takes a bite of her house salad.
“No. He just told me to dress comfortably and bring a jacket.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t men understand we need to know how to dress appropriately for the occasion? Men have it so easy—sweats, jeans, or slacks. Women have a million options.”
I laugh around the bite of my club sandwich and nod in agreement, which is all Paige needs to continue her mini rant.
“Seriously though. I hate when Jack tries to do that surprise date thing unless he tells me exactly what I should wear.”
I shrug. “Well, he did say we’d be outside, but occasionally indoors so to wear layers. That was helpful at least.”
“Men.”
“Can’t live with them,” I say.
“Can’t live without them,” she finishes. “At least we can train them.”
We break into laughter and enjoy the rest of our girls’ night.
A smile breaks out on my face when Will parks near the Santa Monica Pier. Memories come flooding back of the visits I made here as a child with my siblings.
“It’s been ages since I’ve been here.”
“Is this a good surprise?”
“The best. It’s like being a kid again,” I reply as I smile at him.
He smiles wide, and I notice a slight dimple in his right cheek. Damn, he’s sexy.
“Prepare to get your ass handed to you in the ring toss though. I don’t mess around when it comes to winning jumbo stuffed animals,” I challenge him.
He laughs, and the sound shoots desire straight to my core. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be so carefree.
Will slides his fingers through mine as we walk toward the pier and watch the street performers around us. There are people breakdancing, performing magic tricks, and singing.
“Aren’t you worried about getting noticed?”
He shakes his head. “No, not really. I’ve come here a few times with my sister, and I rarely get hassled. A couple of people might ask for autographs or a picture, but it’s not too bad. I think most people are used to seeing celebrities around here, so it doesn’t faze them the same way it does in other places.”
“Does it ever bother you?”
“Which part?”
“Any of it. I know Paige has talked about how some people will walk up to Jack and act like they know him simply because they see him on TV. She said people even come up and touch him like they have some right to him. I think that would drive me crazy.”
He shrugs. “It’s all part of the job. It’s definitely not my favorite, but I just tend to brush it off. I’m not the quarterback, so I get that kinda thing a lot less than Jack does. Not to say it doesn’t happen, because it does. Just not as frequently, so it’s easier for me to ignore.”
“Did you always know you wanted to play football?”
“Yeah. Football is a big deal in Texas. It’s the equivalent of hockey in Canada. Everyone in Texas plays football, and if they don’t then they go to all the games and know all about it. It’s like a rite of passage.”
“When did you start playing?”
He scratches his jaw. “Fuck, I think I was maybe ten the first time I played in a junior league. I was a little young, but my coach saw my talent even then, so they fudged some things so I could play. I was surrounded by girls at home, so it was a nice escape. My coach ended up being a stand-in dad for me. He’s a good guy. We still keep in touch.”
I smile at the fondness in his tone. “That’s cute.”
“What about you? Did you always want to be a reporter?”
I shake my head. “No. When I first went to college in Chicago, I had no idea what I wanted to be. Then, my sophomore year I took a journalism class to fulfill an elective credit and fell in love with it.”
“What do you love most about it?”
I think for a moment, trying to organize my thoughts to best explain what I love about my job. “I love the hunt of a good story. I like finding out information and sharing it with the world. I’m sure a psychologist would say that stems from my family life. I was always hunting for secrets my brothers and sister were trying to hide and then tattling on them.”
He laughs. “I’m sure that made you popular.”
“Oh yeah,” I say with a smile. “Although, Marisol definitely didn’t appreciate it when I found out she’d been sneaking her boyfriend into her room in the middle of the night. She paid me fifty dollars to keep her secret.”
“Did you?”
I nod. “Yeah. I always looked up to Mari. If it had been my brothers, I probably would’ve taken the money and tattled anyway.”
He laughs. “That’s savage. I’m glad my sisters never did anything like that.”
“I’m sure they thought about it.”
“I’m sure they did.”
We approach the opening for Pacific Park, and Will buys our tickets. “So, what first? Games or rides?”
“Hmm, well, I guess that depends. Are you ready to have your ass handed to you by a girl, or do you want to build up to it?”
He laughs, and I see his dimple again. “Come on, smart-ass. Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is? Let’s play some games, and whoever loses the most buys the winner dinner.”
“Deal.”
Will shakes his head at me, the jumbo bear hanging from his back, the paws held firmly in his hands like it’s riding piggyback. “I can’t believe you won me a bear. Isn’t that supposed to be my job? I’m feeling a little emasculated right now.”
“Toughen up, buttercup. This is a woman’s world, and you men are just living in it.”
He laughs and shakes his head at me. “Alright, so since you schooled me in all these games, what do you want for dinner?”
“Mmm, how about corn dogs?”
“You don’t want to go somewhere fancier?”
“You can’t come to a place like this and eat fancy food. This is carnival food. Corn dogs, French fries, all the fried doughy goodness of elephant ears.”
“As you wish, m’lady.”
My heart stutters. “A Princess Bride reference?”
His eyes practically twinkle, and I damn near melt at the endearing expression on his face. “I grew up with sisters, remember.”
“Then you should know what that phrase really meant to Wesley.”
His eyes connect with mine. “I do.”
Two simple words, and my heart stops in my chest before restarting at a rapid pace. I can’t even think of a response to his comment, but I can’t break eye contact either. The longer we stare at each other the more the tension builds between us, until I’m convinced it has to be a tangible thing everyone on this pier could see if they looked closely enough.
I finally break eye contact, my senses returning to me. “So…corn dogs. I thought I saw a stand back that way.” I turn in that direction and start walking, hoping he follows me.
He does.
The tension fades as we eat our corn dogs and fries while drinking lemonade. It is a perfect afternoon.
“Want to go on the Ferris wheel?”
I grin like a little kid. “Definitely.”
The sun starts to fade into the ocean as we make our way to the line for the Ferris wheel. There’s something about this time of day that feels calming and romantic, despite the crowd and chaos of the games around us.
The ride operator allows Will to leave his jumbo teddy near him, and we make our way into our seats. Will shakes hands with the operator while whispering something to him. When he sits next to me, I ask, “What was that about?”
“Just thanking him for watching my bear. My girl won me a prize. I don’t want anyone to snatch it while we’re up here.”
My girl. Swoon.
The ride starts up, the swinging motion making my stomach flutter like it always does, although this time I suspect the flutter has more to do with the man sitting next to me than the ride itself.
“You cold?” he asks.
A shiver skates across my arms. “A little.”
He wraps his arm around me and pulls me close to his body. “Better?”
Oh yeah. “Yeah, thanks.”
I look up at him, his sandalwood scent surrounding me. Our eyes connect, and his gaze holds me hostage. Slowly, oh so slowly, Will leans down and our lips meet. The kiss starts soft, but within moments, the pressure in my chest feels immense and my longing for him overwhelming. His right arm holds my body closer to his while his left hand grips my cheek. He deepens the kiss on a groan, and everything around us disappears as I get lost in this kiss. Our lips mold together in a dance of harmony, our tongues sliding delicately against each other.
The Ferris wheel jolts, rocking our seats and causing us to break our lips apart. Our eyes open and lock on each other once again. My breath feels heavy as I stare at Will and see my desire reflected in his eyes.
I want this man with every breath in my body.
He slides his fingers through my hair, watching the movement in fascination before looking back at me.
Without another word, his lips slam against mine and his mouth owns me. This is something else. This kiss is heat, passion, need, and hunger. He growls low in his throat when I meet his intensity with my own.
Time stops.
The world disappears.
All that exists is the two of us, becoming one.
It is easily the most sexual encounter I’ve had that wasn’t actually sex. No man has ever owned me with a kiss like Will does.
I’m not sure how much time passes before our seats start rocking as the Ferris wheel begins moving again. I don’t really care either. All I care about is the man next to me. The man who is quickly embedding himself in my heart in a way no other has.
As terrifying as the thought is, especially with our history, I don’t want it to stop.
Jesus, take the wheel, because I’m about to hop in the back seat.