Page 89 of Irresistibly Wicked

“I look forward to it.” He winked.

She wrinkled her brow. “You do?”

“Oh, wait, you said away, didn’t you?” He flashed an arrogant grin.

“Zander!” She swatted his arm, but now that enticing image was stuck in her head.

“What?” He laughed. “I heard you say you wanted to blow me and got a little lost in it.” He pulled her closer, speaking gruffly into her ear. “Bet you’re thinking about me now.”

He was irresistibly wicked, but she’d never tell him that.

They made their way to the track and waited for their turn. When the gate opened, Zander swatted her ass as she walked through it, sending sparks skittering through her. She glowered at him and climbed into a go-kart.

He leaned in, his fingers brushing her arm. “I’m coming for you, wifey.”

“Don’t you always?” she retorted, earning a sexy laugh and a toe-curling kiss that left her a little dazed as he sauntered off like a proud peacock to his own go-kart.

That dazed feeling was quickly replaced with adrenaline as they raced around the track, egging each other on. Zander flashed that infuriatingly charming, smug grin that dared her to try harder, and she pushed the pedal to the metal, trying to ignore the completely inappropriate and entirely unhelpful butterflies he caused. She blew past him, and her all-seeing butterfly-inducing temporary husband looked at her like he knew what she was battling. She swerved in front of him, and he slipped to the inside lane, slowing to blow her a kiss. Bastard.

By the final lap, she was laughing so hard her ribs hurt. When was the last time she’d laughed like that? In the end, they tied, but she had a feeling that was by his design, which only further endeared him to her.

They went from one ride to the next and hit the arcade, talking over the tinny music and the clatter of tokens. She beat him in pinball, and his groan of defeat was sweeter than any prize she could’ve won. She’d forever remember the faint smell of gasoline and river water when they raced other couples in miniature speedboats, shouting to be heard over the roar of the engines, and cheering when they were first to cross the finish line.

It was a whirlwind day of laughter, stolen kisses, and special moments that felt like treasured secrets. Like when they were waiting for their turn on the zipline. Launching herself off a platform sixty feet in the air wasn’t her kind of thrill. Survival was. But as she watched others take the leap, she was buzzing with anticipation and fear, and then Zander’s strong arms circled her from behind. His scruff brushed against her cheek, and he said, “Scared?”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted. “Is it safe?”

“Yes. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I hadn’t checked out their safety record first. But if you want to back out, we can walk right back down those steps.”

He’d checked out their safety record? She didn’t know the man he used to be, the one who didn’t think things through, but he definitely wasn’t that guy with her. She’d written off risks and adrenaline rushes after getting sober, fearing they might lead to an urge for old habits. But with Zander, what she desired had nothing to do with escaping life. He made her want to live it to the fullest and experience the things people who hadn’t spent their childhoods running and hiding had enjoyed. And she wanted to experience them with him.

She put her hands over his, turning her head so she could see his face, and said, “Okay. I’ll do it. You haven’t led me astray yet.”

“And I never will,” he promised, and then he kissed her.

Desperately trying to shore up the walls that had kept her heart safe for so long, she told herself that he took pride in helping others, and that was all this was. A vow to a friend to keep her safe, just like he’d made the night Brian had hurt her.

Much later, as the sun made a slow descent, they found themselves at the ice cream counter. Shauna ordered a scoop of chocolate chip, and Zander told the guy to put it in a waffle cone with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and rainbow sprinkles. Then he leaned closer to her and said, “I would have made it two scoops, but we have dinner plans,” chipping away at those walls once again.

Chapter Thirty-One

THEY STOPPED AT Silver-Stone to return his bike for its transport back to Bayside and picked up the truck. The drive back to the falls was filled with quiet contentment. Shauna liked getting to know, and being part of, these other sides of Zander. She hadn’t understood his need to ship his motorcycle out at first, but having seen the joy it brought him and experiencing the thrill firsthand, she was glad he had.

He drove to Goat Island, and as they climbed out of the truck, they were greeted by the sound of the falls and dusky shades of purple and pink painting the sky.

“The sky is so pretty here. It looks like a painting,” she said.

“It’s pretty everywhere, but you, my sweet wife, rarely slow down enough to notice, like me before the accident.”

He took her hand, heading across the parking lot. She saw Top of the Falls Restaurant, but instead of following the other people making their way there, he led her down a walkway. They passed tall trees and beautiful flowers and came to a grassy knoll, where a handful of people were milling about and taking pictures of the falls. Zander led her past them, around a small group of trees, to a picnic spread out in the grass, so beautiful it knocked the air from her lungs. Solar candles flickered around a blue-and-white blanket, with flowers in mason jars and glass-topped platters of cheese, crackers, bread, and fruit, and skewers of meat and vegetables.

“We’ll have a great view of the fireworks from here,” Zander said, as if he hadn’t just turned this public park into something right out of a movie.

Every time she told herself to pull back, he said or did something that drew her deeper into him. She knew she shouldn’t get lost in it. That he was just living up to his promise to give her a memorable honeymoon. But she might never feel this way again, and she didn’t want to distance herself from the warmth settling inside her. When she turned to him, the softness in his gaze did her in. “This is beautiful, thank you.” She went up on her toes and kissed him.

It was just a quick press of her lips, but as she sank down to her heels, noticing other couples watching them with envy and awe, her nerves spiked, and she tried to make light of it. “It’s a good thing I never want to get married, because I don’t think anyone could ever top this.”

“I expect to see that noted in the review.”