Stop. Thinking. About. The kiss.
I leap several more times, my thighs burning, no doubt thanks to my hard run with Kellan a few hours ago. “Ribbitt. Ribbitt.”
Peony giggles uncontrollably and flops sideways onto the grass.
Leap. “Ribbitt.” Leap. “Ribbitt.” Chuckling, I collapse next to her and roll onto my back. Wispy clouds dot the blue sky above us.
Peony pushes to her feet. I expect her to go to Athena like she normally does, but she clambers onto my stomach, surprising the air out of my lungs with an “Oof.”
She giggles once more and wiggles farther onto my abs, her knee poking into my side.
Other than the low laugh, I stay motionless. Two weeks ago, I couldn’t have imagined a moment like this, where she trusted me enough to voluntarily get this close.
And now I can’t wipe the grin off my face if I tried.
Peony wiggles and squirms until she’s sitting on my stomach. It’s not exactly comfortable for me, but hell if I’m pointing that out.
“Ribbitt.Ribbitt.” The movement in my abs from making the noise shifts Peony up and down.
“Wi-witt.Wi-witt,” she says, trying to imitate me.
Athena kneels next to us. “What an adorable little froggie.” She pats Peony on the head.
A mark I haven’t noticed before peeks from beneath the scooped neckline of Athena’s T-shirt. It’s not a tattoo. More like a raised scar, the color faded to pink. There’s almost a pattern to it, but it’s hard to tell for sure. Her top hides most of it.
“What happened?” I point to the scar.
Athena looks where I’m pointing and readjusts her neckline to cover it. “Oh, it’s nothing. It’s the mark of a fairy. Some might say it’s the magicalkiss of one.” The last part is said in a god-awful imitation of an English or Irish accent.
Translation: she doesn’t want to talk about it. Fair enough. I have scars on my body I don’t want to discuss either. Even Zara, my brothers, and my parents don’t know how some of them came to be.
Athena straightens to her feet. “Are you two ready for dinner?”
Peony shifts to lie on her stomach again and wiggles off me.
“Yes, please. Thank you.” In one smooth move, I rock to my feet and stand.
Peony lifts her hands above her head. “Up.”
Her arms aren’t raised in front of Athena like they usually would be. Peony is holding her arms up to me, an expectant look in her eyes, my favorite toothy smile on her face.
And my heart responds with a booming,Hell, yes.
I don’t make her ask twice. Wearing a shit-eating grin, I hoist her in my arms.
My phone pings in my pocket. It’s probably Zara. I want to check my phone to make sure she’s okay, but I also don’t want to end this moment with Peony and put her down just yet.
I fly her around the backyard, doing whatever it takes to make her laugh and squeal with joy. But after several minutes of dipping and twirling her in the air, my arms and shoulders and upper-back muscles start to burn.
“Coming in for a landing.” I lower her onto the grass and pull out my phone.
Zara: I’m doing good. Miss seeing you.
I type my reply.
Me: Me too. So…about that kiss.
My finger hovers over the send button.
