I hold out the football with an end pointed in her direction. When she wraps her hand around it to take it from me, I hang on. “I want you in every aspect of my life, Rose. If I haven’t made that clear, I’m going to have to up my game.”
Her eyes search mine, and I swear I can see her thoughts in the tidal waves of blue. Then they take on a flirty glint, and she cocks her head to the side. “You’ve got game?” She squeezes the football and tries to pull it away from me. “I didn’t realize it.”
I yank the ball in my direction and her with it. She topples into my lap.
“What’s that now?” I wrap her up, pinning her to me with one arm. I toss the ball up in the air, catching it with my free hand.
“Show off.”
I bend and speak right into her ear. “I’ll show off my game for you anytime, any place. You name it.”
She shivers and snuggles closer to me.
This here is everything I’ve ever wanted. I wish I could freeze time. I dip down and kiss her, trailing my lips up her neck until she shifts in my arms so she’s looking at me. Strands of her hair whip in the wind and flutter over my jawline. “Do we need to go now?”
I sigh. “Yeah, we shouldn’t keep her waiting.”
We stand and roll up our towels, stuffing them in the beach bag we packed a couple hours before. I toss the football in on top of where Rose tucked the rom-com she was reading. We had fixed a picnic lunch, expecting to stay out all afternoon. I hoist the cooler up off the sand, and I swallow down a mouthful of annoyance at my mom’s timing. I want to spend the day with Rose. I cherish the time we get together, and I’m trying to stockpile as many moments with her as I can before the season starts in the fall, and we both get busy.
But I haven’t seen my mom in seven months. I need to put on a good face and play host.
I’m sweating as we start the hike back to my small, beachside bungalow—and not just from the sun. I might have played it cool with Rose, but the meeting of these two women—the most important women in my life—is not something I take lightly.
I glance to my right, and Rose is surveying me. She wiggles her shoulders. “Relax, Bates. I can be very charming.”
I feel my own shoulders drop. If she’s not making a huge deal out of this, then I sure as heck shouldn’t be. I’m a little shocked by her lack of nerves, but I don’t overthink it. I’m mostly grateful. If Rose can handle my royal status—and the ostentatiousness of my mother—then she’s even more perfect for me than I thought.
“We should hurry, though, huh?” she says.
“I’m not really in a rush to share you.” I reach out to wrap her in my arms again, but she side-steps out of my grasp.
“Good try. But I need to make a solid first impression. Race you up to the house.” Rose takes off in a sprint, the beach umbrella she’s carrying bouncing along at her side.
I’m weighed down by the cooler and beach bag, but I tear off after her. My legs churn through the sand as I gain on her. I feel the grain and dust getting stuck to my sweat-covered calves and my lower back, but I dig deep and pull even with her.
She’s beaming as she races ahead, and I match her pace as we push all the way back to the steps that come down off the back deck of my tiny bungalow.
We’re both gasping for air as we drop our gear. Rose places her hands behind her neck to catch her breath. “I win,” she says between gulps of oxygen.
I shake my head at her, my own hands on my hips. “You had a head start.”
She beams. “Gotta keep you on your toes.”
I step toward her and scoop her into my arms.
She squeals as I lift her off the ground. “What are you doing?”
I flip her so I’m cradling her, with one arm around her back and the other under her knees. “You keep me on my toes, so I’m sweeping you off your feet.”
She throws her head back and laughs. When she meets my gaze again, her eyes are dancing. “That was terrible.”
I take the opportunity this position grants me to kiss the column of her neck again. She sucks in a breath, and I pull back, studying her eyes. The blue is like my own personal ocean.
Rose cups my cheek and leans forward in my arms. I kiss the birthmark on the edge of her eye, then the bridge of her nose, and then the dimple on the other side of her cheek before bringing my mouth to hers and kissing her slowly and deeply.
Until the screen door off the back of my house bangs open, and we spring apart.
There, standing in all her intimidating queenly glory, is my mother.
