Miss Georgia, the owner of the daycare, gives us an understanding smile. “I’ve been doing this a long time, dear. Little Liliana will be perfectly fine for the next few hours.”
Ben doesn’t look convinced. I turn to gauge Janelle’s reaction to this place, but she’s already outside, chatting with Amelia again.
Ben and I discuss Lily’s food preferences with Miss Georgia and take a quick tour of the playground outside. It’s fenced in well, and everything looks safe. Ben made Janelle list out the foods Lily liked on our way over here, and then he emailed it to Miss Georgia, who printed it out and tucked it into a sheet protector with Lily’s name on top.
I tug on Ben’s hand when she walks away. “I like her. I think Lily will enjoy her time here, but if you want to stay, I completely understand.”
But then Miss Georgia returns and hands us a bag. “Here’s a waterproof bag for your phone. That way, I can reach you if there are any emergencies.”
Ben’s frown finally smooths out. “That’s perfect. Thank you.”
That seems to be the deciding factor. Looks like we’re going rafting!
I finally let myself be excited because this sounds like so much fun, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up if we didn’t end up going.
Before we take off, Ben goes up to Lily, who’s playing on a mat with some blocks. “Hey, baby. We’ll be back in a bit. Be a good girl. Listen to Miss Georgia.”
Lily smiles and points to herself. “Good girl!”
Ben scoops her in his big arms and kisses her chubby cheek. “That’s right. You’re Daddy’s good girl.”
Oh, my God. Daddy’s good girl.
I sigh, completely enamored.
Is it weird that I’m turned on by how protective he is of his kid? For a guy who’s just learning the ropes with a child who was not enthusiastic about him at first, he’s really starting to gel with her. And it makes me so freaking happy to see them bonding.
Ben takes my hand on the way out of the daycare like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I’m unreasonably excited about the prospect of rafting with him, but when we get to the rest of our group, Janelle runs up to Ben. “Wanna raft with me? I figured that way we could talk about the baby and figure out our plan for the fall.”
My heart sinks at the look of indecision on his face. He’s been nagging her for more details about her plan to move closer, and she’s been fairly nebulous.
Until this moment.
When he was going to spend time with me.
But do I have any real claim at all on his time? If the man wants to talk to the mother of his child, shouldn’t he? Even if she is manipulating the situation to edge me out.
She and Ben move a few feet away and talk in low, heated voices.
Olly waves me over, and I move toward him while I fight the jealousy bubbling through me.
“Does Janelle get on your nerves too? Or is it just me?” he asks in a whisper out the side of his mouth.
I laugh. “It’s not just you.” Olly is the best. He’s such a sweet guy. I hope this Amelia chick treats him well.
I’m giving myself a pep talk about how I can’t be possessive over a man I’m not truly dating when Ben returns. “Sorry about that.”
The easygoing smile he sported when we left the daycare is gone, and I’d love nothing more than to see another one grace his beautiful lips. “It’s okay. I understand. You have to do what you have to do.”
“And right now, I have to go rafting with you. Because I’m gonna lose my mind if I have to spend the next two hours trapped on a raft with her. So you’re stuck with me, sunshine.”
He gives me a grin, and my silly heart goes pitter-patter.
Guh, he has the prettiest eyes. Fringed with the longest lashes I’ve ever seen on a man.
And he just told me he’s spending the afternoon with me.
I hop on my tiptoes. “Yay!”
I don’t know how it happens—whether I leap into his arms or he reaches for me—but he spins me around in a hug, and then his mouth descends to mine.
This time there is tongue.
A moan rips from me the moment he invades my mouth like a starving man.
And I am here for it.
I shove my hand into his hair and scale him like a free solo alpinist. His big hand lands on my ass, and the other cradles my head, maneuvering me exactly how he wants me.
Mmm. I’m kissing Ben Rodriguez. It’s my freshman-year fantasy come true.
But then his touch turns sweet. Soft. His lips linger against mine for a blissful moment, and I breathe him in.
I open my eyes slowly and find him already looking at me. I’m not usually a shy person, but something about the way he stares at me makes me feel like I’m falling over a precipice.
He grazes his lips against mine. Once. Twice. And then he smiles. “Such a hardship.”
I laugh as I remember our conversation this morning. Gently, he tilts my head before his mouth descends to mine again.
Olly coughs. “Yeah, so much for a beard. Y’all are just headed for the real deal, huh?”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but before I can ask what he means, Ben breaks the kiss, tells him to “shut the fuck up,” and marches me over to the rafts.
I’m in a daze as we pick out a two-person raft, which is basically a big inner tube with a plastic bottom across the hole so you can sunbathe. Olly and Amelia also grab a big one, but Janelle and Johnny grab smaller tubes.
I’m tempted to think that kiss was more than just for show, but I realize I can’t trust my feelings anymore.
Even if I want to.
20
BEN
Cold water laps at my heels while we listen to the river guy instruct us in all the ways to avoid dying. A river, alcohol, and a bunch of drunk college kids? It’s probably a recipe for disaster.
I think about all the crap we packed in our cooler. There’s some beer, but not enough for our group to get stupid drunk.
What was Janelle thinking? Did she really want to bring Lily with us? It only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen. No way I’d bring small kids to do something like this. The rafting company doesn’t allow children under six anyway.
As I glance around, I find my ex staring at me. I know she’s pissed I plan to share a raft with Sienna, but whatever.
Knowing that Janelle is eyeballing me, I toss my arm around Sienna, who’s standing next to me. She turns and gives me one of those smiles that radiates through me.
A few minutes ago, we all stripped off our clothes and tossed everything in my Rover. Now Sienna’s wearing a sexy little bikini and smells like vanilla and coconuts. Her dark hair hangs in thick waves around her shoulders, and I have to fight the urge to run my fingers through it to see if it’s as soft as it seems.
“Sorry I mauled you earlier,” I whisper in her ear.
Her eyes brighten with a chuckle. “I was thinking it was the other way around, and I mauled you.”
“So a mutual mauling, huh?”
“What can I say? I’m a ‘go hard or go home’ kind of girl.”
I got something hard for her.
Leaning down, I kiss her because I might as well make the most of this. Pretend to be into Sienna? There’s no pretending needed. I dig this girl. More than is probably smart, but fuck it. I have less than a week before training camp starts. I’ll probably never see her once that kicks in because I’ll barely have time to breathe. What’s that carpe diem shit about anyway? Live in the moment, right?