Clearly, he could read my mind. Had he reconsidered his hard no last night? Play it cool, Fern. “Interesting thought.”
“If we leave it up to the guns, it’s almost like it’s out of our hands. What happens happens, and we have to listen to the result.” He stepped closer and leaned down to me. “Are you in?”
I was in like a stripper dancing for the rent money due tomorrow. “Yes.”
“So how should we play this? We each get five targets and need to hit all five? Seems a little risky.”
This whole thing was risky for the obsession that was standing before me. “Four out of five?”
His grin screamed that he knew what I wanted, but I didn’t care.
“Okay, pretty girl. Do you want to go at the same time and see what’s left standing in the end?”
I nodded, and it was on. I took my shots more carefully that I’d ever before and focused on not looking at how he was doing. In a few seconds, I had all five. Yes! I put my gun on the table and took a step back as Gabe took his last shot, careful not to look at how he’d done.
He put his gun down and took a step toward me. “This hasn’t gone how I’d expected.”
My stomach hit the floor at the thought of him actually sucking when it comes to shooting. Had I tried to play it too cool, certain we had this when, in fact, we did not? Was my weekend pass with the man I found to be sexy, enduring, funny, hot, sarcastic, bad-ass, and adorable all at the same time, sailing off into the sunset without me? Could I shoot the boat to slow it down, swim out, and retrieve it?
He stepped toward me and shook his head. “Maybe it wasn’t meant to be?”
My heart sputtered. “Maybe not.”
He pulled me close and kissed my forehead. Damn it! Was this really my idea? I stretched my neck around him to see all of his targets hit. I gasped while pushing him hard. “You are such a jerk!”
He grabbed my arms and yanked me to him. “Got you.”
“You’re definitely not funny.” I threw my arms around his neck, and he lifted me off my feet.
“Well, it looks like we won.” He kissed my cheek. “So, what now?”
“We hang until Sunday in any way we want, but nobody can know when the wedding party arrives. Then on Sunday, we go our separate ways and never to speak of this again.”
He wrapped his hands tightly around my waist. “So no hanging out at the wedding in a few weeks? Only this weekend?”
His eyes glimmered, and I knew my answer. Hard no. I’d be lucky to make it out of this weekend with my heart intact. Any more time with him might just scar me forever. “No, only this weekend.”
He popped a brow. “Let’s seal the deal, baby.”
My heart skipped a literal beat as he pressed his lips against mine. What in the hell was I doing? I didn’t hook up with people, especially one that was so perfect. I could try my best to keep my feelings in check, but this seemed extremely risky for little Fern.
I could back out of the weekend pass. I wanted nothing more than to be shagged and bagged by the sexy monster before me, but it might just be time for my brain to kick into survival mode and get me out of this. No man I’d ever meet in the whole wide world would ever compare to the man who had me in his arms.
I’d go through the rest of my life a sad lady who was never able to find true love. I needed to make a big girl decision, but I didn’t wanna make a big girl decision. It’s more fun to not use my logical thinking skills. Adult decisions were tough. I’d rather build a blanket fort and color. Could I do that?
Gabe gave me a little shake. “Hey, what’s going on with you?”
This was it. This was the moment I regained my self-control and put my ass back on the right track. Inhale. Exhale. It was time to spit out the words I must say. “Uh, I, you, see.” Sigh. Screw it. “Do you want to sneak in the bathroom and make out for ten minutes?” I wanted to bitch slap myself.
He pulled me even closer. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.”
Chapter 5
Seventy-Two Hours
A hot bathroom make-out session and me nearly running off the road when she was kissing my neck on the way back to the cabin all screamed that this girl might just be my demise.
We pulled in the drive and stood by my SUV for a minute. Her eyes were glued to the cabin as I examined her profile. She bit her lip, and I could see her mind spinning. She was nervous. Or worse, she’d be running for the hills and changing her mind about this weekend.
