Page 80 of Irresistibly Wicked

“Like I said, no regrets. Now it’s your turn.”

“I don’t have any bug-eating stories, but I did moon over firefighters for about a year and tell everyone who would listen that I was going to marry one.”

“All women think firemen have big hoses, but that’s a myth. You should’ve said biker. We’ve got big pipes, our engines run hot, and we can ride all night long.”

Now, that’s a theory I’d like to test.

This new lustful side of herself was as pushy as he was. Settle down, Flores. There will be no testing.

“I was eight at the time,” she said. “Definitely not thinking about their hoses. They were brave and they were nice to me when my mother nearly burned down our kitchen and blamed me for it.”

His brows slanted. “Seriously?”

“Mm-hm. I thought a firefighter could save me from anything.”

“No, I get that,” he said sharply. “I mean, your mother really blamed you for the fire?”

“Oh. Yeah.” She shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I got blamed for everything.”

“It’s a huge deal. You’re a huge deal.” He held her gaze, his leg pressing against hers beneath the table, stirring that ever-present current that had taken up residence between them.

She wanted to lean in to whatever this was, but she forced herself to sit back and jokingly change the subject, her escape whenever things heated up. Only this time, neither laughed it off, and as they finished dinner, that hum was more like a live wire, crackling and popping between them.

When they left the restaurant, Zander said, “Come here, wife,” and took her hand, pulling her closer on their way to the truck. “I have one more surprise for you tonight.”

“Only one? I might have to downgrade your review.”

He slid his arm around her, tugging her against his side. “Trying to get me to up my game, Flores?”

“That depends. Does upping your game include dessert? I’ve never had room service.”

They came to his truck, and he looked at her, standing so close, she could kiss those tempting lips if she went up on her toes. “Darlin’, it includes anything your sweet heart desires.”

Her heart wasn’t acting very sweet at the moment. It was begging her to throw caution to the wind and say she desired him. She tried to push that urge away with a smirk but couldn’t manage it and rolled her eyes instead, breaking their connection before she gave in to it.

“Careful, Wicked. You’re getting a little too good at making fake feel real.”

His lips curved into a tantalizing smile caught somewhere between enticingly sinful and charmingly playful, seriously hindering her ability to think clearly. He still hadn’t moved, just stood there looking at her like he was waiting for something to happen. For her to make a choice? For permission? An act of God? Or maybe she was misreading him again, and he was just being the flirtatious guy everyone seemed to know him to be. Between her racing heart and that look, she was too confused to figure it out.

Get a grip, Flores. Don’t make things weirder.

“Are we having a staring contest, or do I get to see the surprise?” Way to go, Weirdo.

His lips quirked ever so slightly before breaking into his naturally warm smile, taking down the tension a notch. He opened the truck door and stepped aside, offering his hand. “Your chariot awaits, my queen. Your surprise is an up-close-and-personal view of the falls.”

“Are you planning on tossing me over them in a barrel?” she teased as she settled into her seat.

“Something like that.”

They drove to Niagara Falls State Park and took an elevator from the observation tower down to a dock at the base of the gorge, where they were given ponchos to wear before boarding the Maid of the Mist, a massive boat that provided tours of the falls.

They stood on the upper deck among throngs of other people wearing matching ponchos as the boat moved away from the dock. Zander kept Shauna close with a tight hold on her hand. A loud horn startled her, and he pulled her against him with a chuckle.

A voice boomed through speakers as they glided past the American Falls, crashing down in a thunderous curtain illuminated by a spectacular blend of vibrant blue and purple lights, and beside them, Bridal Veil Falls, which was smaller but every bit as gorgeous. Spray drifted in the breeze, wetting their faces and hair. Zander took out his phone, but instead of taking pictures of the falls, he leaned in and took one of them. Then he pulled her hood over her ponytail and snapped a picture of her before it flew off.

As he started to pocket his phone, she said, “Wait. I want to take one of you,” and snagged it from him. He tried to grab it, but she turned away, glancing at the screen to hit the camera icon, but it was locked. She was shocked to see a picture of them kissing at the wedding as his lockscreen. They didn’t look like a fake couple. He had one arm belted around her, his other hand in her hair, and her arms weren’t just draped over his shoulders. They were crossed behind his neck like they’d not only kissed a million times before, but they were celebrating their coupledom in front of everyone.

That rattled her as much as seeing the picture of them on his phone did.