All the blood in my body rushes to my face, and my mouth opens and closes five hundred times before Adam takes pity on me. He gently shifts me off his lap and helps me to my feet before handing me Piglet’s leash and taking Bear’s for himself.
“Mind if Bear and I walk with you two?”
“Uh…” I swipe my wispy bangs off my forehead as Adam slings my backpack over his shoulder.
His brows quirk with a hint of amusement, and he cocks his head before he steps forward, making the decision for me.
“C’mon, pretty girls.”
CHAPTER 3
BUBBLE BUTT
ROSIE
I haven’t actually moved yet, in case you were wondering. I know it’s simple, one foot in front of the other and all that. But, you see, it’s the first time Adam has graced me with his backside, and, um…
The man has a bubble butt.
Sweet mother of dragons, it’s glorious. It’s divine. It’s—
“You comin’, Rosie?”
I startle, shaking away the bubble butt fog, and let Piglet drag me over to Adam and Bear.
It’s a quiet, peaceful walk, the dogs exploring ahead of us, pausing for the occasional fallen branch sniff or for a nose kiss. Adam’s hand brushes against mine more than once as we weave through the uneven terrain, and when I stumble over my own two feet, he steadies me by wrapping his long fingers around mine.
There’s a steady beat in my chest that thrums all the way in my ears, has me swallowing back nerves that have appeared out of nowhere. I don’t know him. Not in the slightest. He’s kind and friendly and here I am ready to fall all over his feet. I need to reel myself in, so the quiet is probably for the best.
We come to a fork in the path, an old wooden bridge up ahead. Piglet jogs back to us, nips playfully at my backpack hanging off Adam’s shoulder, and then does her infamous jump and butt spin.
“We always stop at the bridge and have lunch,” I tell Adam as Piglet leads us to her favorite spot. “It’s the highlight of her day, because, food.”
“Food is the highlight of our day, too, Bear, isn’t it?” Adam chuckles as he hands over my bag, watching me sink to the edge of the small bridge, both dogs crawling all over me as I pull out containers of food.
I lift a sweet potato chip as Adam sits beside me. “Can Bear have a snack? They’re healthy and homemade. I have dehydrated sweet potato with a bit of cinnamon, and peanut butter banana cookies. I made everything this morning, so it’s extra fresh.”
He nods, watching as I feed the dogs. “That sounds healthy. What are you, a vet?”
“Trying to be,” I murmur, cleaning my hands after the dogs lick them clean.
“You’re seriously a vet? That’s so cool.”
“Not yet, but next year, hopefully.” I smile up at him as I unwrap my sandwich and hold half out to him. “Grilled chicken and pesto panini.”
His stomach rumbles. “I can’t eat half your lunch.”
I snicker, stuffing it into his hands. “Your stomach says differently.”
He blushes but accepts happily. “Don’t judge me, but I’ve already had two Big Macs today.”
“Oh God.” I moan. “I haven’t had a Big Mac in years.” When you’re on a budget as strict as mine, you don’t stray from your carefully curated grocery list, except to accommodate whatever coupons are in the flyer that week. I look at Adam, noting that on my second bite, he’s already devoured his half. I poke his hard stomach. “You look like the kinda guy who’s always hungry.” I blanch at my words, then quickly backtrack. “Because you’re so tall, I mean. I’m not sure I’ve ever met someone this tall.” I swallow. “And broad.” And his butt. I mean, wow.
Adam chuckles, picking an apple pie cookie from the container I offer. “I am the tallest of my friends, and I’m hungry most of the time.” He devours the cookie and swallows. “But you should see my friends, Carter and Garrett. They’re human garbage disposals. I have a cupboard at home with snacks just for when they come over.”
“You’re joking.”
“Nope. I have to refill it weekly.”
Piglet stands and stretches before lying at Adam’s side, her head in his lap. As she drifts to sleep while Adam gently strokes the spot between her eyes, just how she likes, I’m blown away by the instant change in her demeanor today.
“I’ve never, ever seen this before. She hasn’t really warmed up to any man. The only person she’s so relaxed with is, well…me.”
“Don’t worry.” He nudges my shoulder with his. “I won’t replace you.”
I giggle. “Promise?”
“Promise.” His gaze moves over me in a slow sweep that heats my insides. “’Cause you’re irreplaceable, Rosie, aren’t you?”
I drop my gaze to my legs, watching them swing above the sparkling creek below, unable to hold his stare. It feels intense, like he’s looking for something. I don’t know what, but all at once I’m both worried he won’t find it and hoping he doesn’t.
Whatever it is he’s looking for, I’m not likely to stack up. The only thing I’ve ever been good at being is someone’s second choice.
Fingers flutter against my cheekbone, coaxing my gaze back to Adam’s. He brushes my bangs aside and smiles, twirling a lock of honey blonde and pale pink before tucking it behind my ear.
“I like your hair,” he tells me quietly.
My cheeks heat as I touch one of the messy, pink buns on my head, before fluttering down to the bottom half that hangs loose, unruly waves resting an inch or so above my shoulders. “The buns? Or the color?”
“Those buns up top are cute as hell. But I really like the pink. It’s kinda rosy…just like you.”
My nose scrunches. “You think so?”
“Mhmm. Pretty and unique.”
His kind words slow the beat of my heart. Normally the only people who gush over my hair are kids. Instead, I get judgmental looks from people in the grocery checkout line who think a person’s life choices are reflected in something as trivial as their hair color. I haven’t had much control of anything in my life. This is one way for me to take back control, something I do because it’s my choice and mine alone.
So as Adam’s fingertips skim my cheek when he pulls back, I’m sure he feels the warmth he brings there when I whisper, “Thank you.”
After lunch, we wade through the shallow creek, the cool water refreshing on my bare feet. Adam goes a little farther, until the water nearly reaches his knees, and I inch back to land as my heart thuds in my chest.
He joins me a few minutes later with two happy, wet dogs, and ambles along beside me as we head back to where we came. Do I contemplate detouring several times and claiming I’ve gotten us lost to drag this day out a little longer? Yes. Yes, I do.
But before I know it, we’re at the top of that old, rickety staircase that leads us back down to reality.
Adam starts down ahead of me with Bear, and Piglet does as she always does: digs her paws into the dirt, refusing to move.