Page 98 of Unlikely to Stay
Chapter 22
“This issoexciting!Annie even said I could be the one who shows you around!She just has to come with us since they have all the exotic animals and I’m not licensed or anything.”
Brant couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.Freckles was acting like a giddy teenager showing her friends her first car.Not only was she giddy, she was absolutely friggin’ adorable.
True to Oklahoma weather, the sun was out but it wasn’t a normal, scorch-your-face-off June day.In fact, with the breeze blowing off the lake, it was probably only in the low-eighties, a perfect day for a field trip.Freckles had donned a pair of cutoff jean shorts, plain white tank top with some fancy lace as its back, white Converse, and a straw fedora hat.
He had actually spent the entire weekend at Freckles’ place instead of going to his own.And they did alotof not watchingStranger Things.On the living room couch, which was actually comfortable minus all the pillows, the fluffy rug on the floor, the shower…Brant shivered just thinking about it.The best part about spending the night at her place wasn’t the sex—no doubt it was mind-blowing, but Brant was even more amazed when he woke to the smell of raspberries and vanilla, the feel of her soft skin against his.It was so easy to get lost in her.
“So I get to seeallthe animals?”
She nodded enthusiastically.“Allof them.Times like these I’m really glad I chose Annie to be my friend in elementary school.”
Brant laughed, all the while marveling at the thought of having a friendship that went back so many years.He couldn’t think of one name of any kid in any of the elementary schools he attended.CC, Annie, and Breckin sure had something special.He wondered if it was small towns in general or just this town in particular that made people so connected to one another.Despite all their grumbling, it seemed Parker’s residents really loved and stood by one another in times of need.What they did for CC and her gym was a perfect example.
“Do you ever charge her for a haircut, pedicure, manicure, or tanning?”
She frowned his way.“No!She’s my friend!”
“Then I bet she feels the same way about choosing you,” he replied with a wink.
“Oh, I see what you did there,” she said, smiling so big it lit up her entire face.“You’re a smart one, aren’t you, Snaps?”
“I’ve been told that a time or two.”
CC took his hand and pulled him through the front doors of the sanctuary.Releasing his hand, she held her arms out and spun around in a circle.“Here we are.Sophie’s Haven.Isn’t it great?”
Brant looked around.“It just looks like a gift shop, Freckles.Where are the animals?”
CC rolled her eyes and squirted her hands with the antibacterial gel sitting by the register.“They’re here.Patience, Snaps.”
“Freckles?Snaps?Are these nicknames I hear?Things must be getting serious.”
Annie walked around a corner of the gift shop, a baby sloth wrapped around her shoulders.“Ready for the deluxe tour,Snaps?”Annie said, a mischievous smile on her face.“Nothing’s off limits.”
“Give.Me.Frankie!”CC squealed, ran up to her friend and took the sloth from Annie.She wrapped him around her own shoulders and smiled Brant’s way.“Other than the elephants, Mr.Frankie and his friends are the best animals here.”
Annie rolled her eyes.She says that aboutallthe animals,” Annie whispered to Brant behind her hand.“Except for the house cats.She has a weird, unnatural fear of house cats.”
CC glared her friend’s way.“It’snotunnatural.Cats are unpredictable, mean little shits.I want nothing to do with them.”
Brant shook his head.“You’re right, Annie.Unnatural.”
“Are you coming to see the other animals or not?”
“It depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether you let me hold your friend.”Brant walked over to Freckles and gently took the tiny animal from her.“Aren’t you a cute little guy,” he said, scratching the baby sloth under the chin.
Brant was surprised at how soft the sloth’s fur was.If he didn’t know better, Brant could’ve sworn the animal wassmilingin happiness at him.He looked up to see another smile of happiness lighting Freckles’ face.This…this…was something he could get used to.The smile that sparkled her captivating sapphire eyes, the silkiness of her skin, the soft breaths she let out when he kissed his way up her arm.God, he loved her.
That thought stopped him in his tracks.He was in love.With Colleen Chandler.The spitfire redhead with the sapphire blue eyes.He didn’t know when it had happened, but he knew it was true.
“You okay, Snaps?You looked like you were somewhere else for a second,” she said.
“Yep,” he said, shaking his head.Announcing his love for her in her friend’s zoo wasn’t the right time.“Let’s go.”