“So why the interest in guns?” he finally asks.
I shrug. “I learned self-defense because of my dad. He thought it wouldn’t hurt to teach us girls how to use a gun. We all learned, but I was the only one who loved it. I loved the power. I loved the strength and security it gave me, so I decided to keep practicing.”
“Fair enough.”
Change-of-subject time. “Benny’s family, they seem lovely.”
He smiles. “Yeah, they’re like the family I didn’t have.”
“They’re good people.”
“Yeah, they sure are.”
I yawn and turn into him.
“Go to sleep, lady,” he murmurs against my hair. “Tomorrow I’m goin’ to kick your ass at shooting.”
I laugh. “Dream on, buddy.”
He chuckles. “Night, baby.”
“Night, Raide.”
* * *
“Three targets!” he yells. “Best shot wins.”
I grin and give him the thumbs-up. He gives me a grin that’s even bigger, and we both line up with our guns. Raide shoots first and he’s a solid shot, hitting the target with ease. He hits right in between the fake man’s eyes.
“Nice!” I yell.
“Do one better, baby.”
I shoot my target right in the heart, a perfect clean shot. Raide whistles low and his eyes twinkle with lust. He shoots both kneecaps next, hitting the target exactly where they would be on a real person. I do mine’s elbows.
“What’s goin’ on here?”
We both turn to see Benny striding up the path to the open field we’re in.
“Target practice!” I yell. “You can be the judge, Benny.”
Benny rubs his hands together and in a loud voice starts saying, “And Grace is in the lead, but Raide is coming up fast. Oh no, it looks like Grace has tripped. Raide is taking his stand, he’s aiming his gun—”
“Dude!” Raide yells. “It’s not a horse race.”
Benny sighs and rolls his eyes. “You’re so boring. Fine, tell me the terms.”
“Best shot wins.”
“Wins what?” he inquires.
My cheeks go pink and Benny grins. “Well, I know what Raide’s prize is.”
Raide chuckles.
“What does she win?”
I’m grinning again. “He has to take me on a romantic date.”
Benny bursts out laughing so hard, he has to clutch his belly.
I put a hand on my hip. “What’s so funny?”
“Raide wouldn’t know how to do romantic if it kicked him in the face. It makes me want to let you win just to see how hilarious that would be.”
Raide purses his lips at Benny and I giggle.
“Let’s finish this, shall we?” Raide says.
I wave a hand. “After you, handsome.”
Raide lines up his gun and fires off round after round. When he’s finished, the target has a hole in his forehead, his heart, his elbows, knees, groin, and stomach. He did it quickly and effortlessly.
“Shit, don’t think you can beat that, honey,” Benny mumbles.
“She can’t beat it,” Raide smirks.
“No, I’m pretty sure she can’t.”
They laugh and I glare at the two of them. While they’re still laughing it up, I spin and aim my gun. I hit every single hole Raide made—perfectly, so my bullets don’t go outside the space at all. When I’m done, I put the gun down and spin.
Their faces are blank, but their eyes are wide. Benny has his mouth open slightly.
“Laugh at this, boys,” I say, spinning on my heel and heading back toward the cabin. “Oh, and Raide? Make sure you get me nice flowers.”
Score one, Grace.
Chapter Eighteen
I’ve just gotten out of the shower when Raide comes through the front door. His eyes are lusty, he’s all sweaty and gorgeous, and he strides toward me like the world is about to end and he needs to give me one final kiss. When he reaches me, his arm hooks around my waist and he pulls me toward him. “Raide,” I squeal. “I just showered.”
He doesn’t answer me. Instead he tugs my towel until it drops, then he spins us toward the bed and with one quick shove, I’m on my back. He takes my knees and lifts them before spreading my thighs wide. “That was so fuckin’ hot,” he growls, dropping to his knees. “Never met a woman who makes me so fuckin’ hard.”
Oh.
Yes.
His mouth drops to my clit and he sucks it, hard. He devours me like a crazed animal, licking and sucking until I’m bucking on the bed, thrashing from side to side, begging for more. He slides two fingers inside me and he fucks me with them. I come so hard, I hear nothing but white noise for long, blissful moments.
He pulls his mouth away and stands, staring down at me. “Wear a pretty dress, lady. We’re goin’ on a date.”
I grin up at him and watch as he walks into the shower, tossing his shirt as he goes. I get up quickly, finding a dress. I don’t have many, my last-minute packing job didn’t allow for it. I settle on a summer yellow halter dress that is tight to my waist and then flares out around my knees. I use the mirror near the lounge and sort my hair. I leave it down, knowing it’ll naturally curl. I pin my bangs up and then slip on a pair of white sandals.
I haven’t looked this girly … ever.
Raide comes out of the shower wearing a pair of black jeans still unbuttoned at the top. I let my eyes follow him as he moves around the room, shuffling through his tees. His muscles stretch and pull as he bends, and God, his ass looks good in those jeans. He settles on a black, long-sleeved, button-down shirt. He slides it over his arms, rolls the sleeves up to his elbows, and leaves the top two buttons undone.
He looks … amazing.
“Well, look at you,” I breathe as he’s running his fingers through his hair and shoving his feet into his black boots.
He reaches down and ties them, then strides toward me. “You look beautiful,” he says, wrapping his fingers around the back of my neck and pulling me close for a deep kiss. When we pull apart, he takes my hand and leads us to the front door.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
It’s been around four hours since the shooting win, so I don’t figure he’s gotten anything ready by then. Still, just being with him is calming and real, it’s all I need.
I figure he’s going to lead me to the car, but he doesn’t. He leads me up a small path to the flat spot where we were shooting earlier. When we reach the top, I stop and gasp.
It’s nothing special. It’s not even something amazing. But what it is makes my heart crack into tiny, happy pieces.
He’s gotten an old table and two chairs, and thrown a white sheet over them. There are candles, which look like they might have come from Lynn’s house, and flowers that have been picked from the surrounding bushes. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter, because it’s the most amazing thing someone has ever done for me.
“Raide,” I breathe.
“It’s as romantic as I come, lady.”
“It’s perfect.”
We walk over to the table, and there are plates covered with some sort of foil. Raide pulls my chair out and I sit, then he unwraps my dinner and I laugh out loud. A burger, fries, and a shake.