Page 120 of Havoc's Fox

“I like you! So much! I always knew I loved you, but I had no idea I like you.”

“You know, I’m surprised, but I like me, too.”

“I’m sorry you never got the chance to know this side of you,” Analise said.

“I’m sorry you never got the chance to know this side of me,” Havoc said.

“I hope this part of you won’t disappear,” she said.

“You are what makes me me. If we’re together, then, there I am,” he said.

She sat her wine glass down on the bar and looked around the place like she was searching for something.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked, thinking he’d ruined the night by referencing the past, albeit vaguely.

“Yes.”

Havoc nodded, and took some money out of his wallet, leaving it on the bar. He took her hand like he’d been doing all night and led her from the bar. The minute they were outside she hesitated.

Havoc looked down at her to see what she wanted.

“Can we go to the lake?”

“The lake?” he asked.

“Yes. The one everyone used to go to years ago.”

“I’m sure we can. I don’t know if the kids still go there or not, we might be the only ones there.”

“Good,” she said, walking along beside him, her hand in his as he led her to his truck again. It only took about ten minutes and the headlights of his truck proved he was right. The lake was quiet and still, no other vehicles there at all. “It’s quiet,” he said as he pulled closer to the lake and turned off his engine.

“Just as I was hoping,” she said as she leaned forward and took off first one shoe, then the other.

Havoc wasn’t sure what was happening, so he just watched, waiting to see what was next.

Analise turned her back to Havoc and lifted her long red curls. “Can you unzip me?”

“What?” he asked, his hands poised centimeters from her dress.

She turned and looked into his eyes. “I’ve never been skinny-dipping. I always wished I had the nerve to do it. And now, after a night of so many firsts, I think it’s time to try it.”

Slowly Havoc started grinning. He recognized this for exactly what it was. He’d done all the things tonight that he should have done for her years ago, and now she was doing things for him that she wished she’d done. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, but if we get arrested, you have to pay bail,” she said.

He unzipped her dress and watched as she slipped out of it and tossed her panties to the seat on top of her dress, then opened the door to his truck and ran naked toward the lake in the moonlight.

“Wait for me!” he called after her.

Chapter 26

Analise stopped running, but kept walking toward the lake that was just a short distance away.

Havoc quickly stripped out of his clothes and ran after her, taking her hand in his as he went by and pulling her to run with him. They splashed into the water, both screaming at the sudden jolt of cold water surrounding their bodies as they swam out into the lake. They laughed, they splashed, they swam, and they fell in love.

“’Lise?” he asked, as they treaded water and took a break from splashing each other.

She smiled at him to show she was listening.