Page 124 of Unlikely to Stay
“Just you wait.That was one of the small ones.”
“One thing I’ve learned about Parker is it never does anything half-assed.”
“We sure don’t.”
CC and Brant continued to sway gently in the hammock, the sky filled with explosions of color.Finally, about twenty minutes after they started, the sky lit up so brightly CC could see the island in the middle of the lake before plunging into darkness as the last firework dropped to earth.
“That might have been one of the best fireworks shows I’ve ever seen,” he said.“I’m impressed.”
“The night isn’t over yet,” she said.“You still owe me a dance.Let’s go!”
CC swung her legs over the side of the hammock.“Be careful!”Brant said, grabbing her waist.“You get up too fast and you tip me out of this thing.”
CC waggled her eyebrows.“That sounds like an interesting idea.”
“Don’t you do it, Fre—”
Before he could finish his sentence, CC had hopped out of the hammock, sending it rocking.Brant flipped out, catching himself on his hands before his head hit the ground.
“What would’ve happened if I had gotten a concussion, huh?No dance for you,” he said, getting off the ground and wiping his hands on his shorts.“That wasn’t nice, Freckles.”
She grinned.“I’m sorry.I’ll make it up to you.”
“You better make it good.”
CC pulled him close and ran her hand up his leg and under his shirt, her stomach muscles rippling at her touch.“Oh, I plan on it.”
Brant’s breath caught.“You sure you need that dance, Freckles?”
She smiled.“Oh, yeah, I do.Let’s go.”
He bit back a groan.“You’re killing me.”
“But it’s totally worth it.”Taking his hand, the two of them walked over to the table.“We’re going to the dance back on Main.Do you guys want to come?”
Breckin patted her belly.“Dance?Please.I can’t seeorfeel my feet.I want to get in my bed and have my baby daddy rub the feeling back into them.”
Griff shrugged.“I do what my woman says,” he replied.“It’s the smartest decision until two months from now when I can tell her how Ireallyfeel.”
CC laughed when Breckin punched Griff in the arm.“What about you two?”she asked Annie and Wyatt.
Annie yawned.“I’m too tired to go back to town,” she said.“But you kids have fun.”
“She usually doesn’t have a bra or pants on at this time of day,” Wyatt said, kissing Annie’s forehead.“Once she makes it home, she’s usually in for the night.”
CC rolled her eyes.“You guys are getting old.”
“You’re the same age as we are,” Annie said.“So what does that make you?”
“Not old becauseI’mgoing dancing!Have fun being old, boring people!”
Her friends didn’t even argue.They just gave her a wave as she headed through the house to the front door.
“So how big is this dance?”Brant asked.“Should I go change into something fancy?”
She laughed.“Nope.Nothing fancy.Half the time people are wearing their bathing suits with tops and shorts over them.Just something to finish the night.It used to be one of Breck’s, Annie’s, and my favorite days of the year.All the lake people were in town with their sons our ages.My very first French kiss was from a lake boy.”
“Oh, really?What was his name?”