Page 55 of Pinch of Love
“That’s sad.”
He nodded. “So, the poor thing got stuck with me.”
I winked at him, taking a step back. “You’re not so bad, you know.”
“You don’t think?”
Without wasting another second of Wisconsin sunshine, I splashed a huge wave of water at him, soaking him completely. His dark hair hung in his face, and he quickly returned the favor, drenching me in the process.
“Not on my watch, buddy.” I turned around and leaped into the water, kicking up water with my feet as I swam toward a bobbing red rope.
When I reached my destination, I spun around while holding on with one arm, but I didn’t see Cash.
It wasn’t until I turned back that I saw his head bob in front of me under the red rope.
“Hey, you’re not following the rules,” I teased, swatting at his glistening shoulders.
Could he not get any sexier? I laughed and shook my head.
He scowled. “What?”
“It’s just funny.”
“What? That I don’t follow lake rules?”
“No, that you look like some Greek God springing from the Ionian Sea.”
He swam under the red rope and popped up next to me, pushing his dark, wet hair away from his face.
“I could say the same about you, Maya Goddess.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“Do what?”
“Make me forget about everything back home and all the stuff haunting me.”
Cash smiled and shrugged. “I must not do that good of a job because it just snuck in your head.”
“It hasn’t for a long time, though. When I’m at the house, it’s literally all I obsess about. This is huge progress.”
“I contend that it’s not me. It’s Buttercup Lake.” His brows rose slowly. “And she’s luring you with her beauty and calmness.”
I bobbed toward him, kicking underneath me, and looped my arms around his neck.
Surprise washed over his features as I looked into his eyes. “Will you be my distraction, Cash?”
His seductive eyes flashed with an intensity that only made me bolder. “I promise I won’t bite. Hard.”
Cash laughed, and I couldn’t help but grin as he pulled me into him harder. “I will abso-freaking-lutely be your distraction as often as you want.”
“Good,” I said, trying to bat away all the uncertainty and worries nipping at me. “Then it’s settled. I vow to have an abso-freaking-lutely amazing time for as long as I stay.”
“If memory serves me right, that’s until the end of October.” He bopped me on the end of my nose with his index finger, and I chuckled.
“My attorney told me it would be better if I stayed away and to inform the employees that they are currently encouraged to work from home through the end of the year.”
Cash nodded. “I’m sure they’ll love that.”