Period.
I straightened my shoulders and matched my much shorter stride with Caleb’s.
“Hey, where’s the fire?” He unwound his arm from me and lagged behind.
“I’m just anxious to get—”
Dammit, that wasn’t the right way to go about this.
“Get it over with? Isn’t that my line?” He drew me to a stop. “Hey.”
I huffed out a breath. “It’s not that. Exactly. I just forgot for a minute.”
He took both of my hands and shook them out a little. “What does that mean?”
I glanced down at my baby doll T-shirt that coasted a good inch above my low slung skirt. I’d put in a matching crystal and moon dangle in my bellybutton ring. I’d even worn my belly chain again because I knew he liked it.
And because I did too. I liked feeling sexy and didn’t shy away from my particular style for anyone.
I looked around the field along the side of the school. Dozens of families dotted the green grass with large blankets set out for picnicking. Tents offered cover against the sun to protect the food and the younger children.
What blew my mind—and gave me severe flashbacks—were all the pretty sundresses in similar florals, sedate shorts here and there, and khakis as far as the eye could see. Even the man right in front of me was wearing the corporate beige.
He had on perfectly pressed khaki shorts with bright white sneakers and a golf shirt. He fit in with all of the people here.
Me? Not so much.
“I’m me, Caleb,” I said softly.
He smiled. “I’m well aware of that. In fact, that’s exactly why I like being around you. You’re so very uniquely you.”
I looked down at my daisy sandals. I hated feeling off-balance. I’d worked hard to ensure I stayed centered and never forgot who I was.
Never again.
He dropped the cooler next to us and slipped an arm around my back. “There’s a reason why I’ve never brought someone to one of these school functions.”
I met his gaze. “Because you’re an eternal bachelor?”
He dropped a kiss on my frowning lips. “No. Well, I have been. Mostly because seeing everyone pair off in the Cove pretty much equals baby in three seconds.”
I curled my fingers into his shirt. Babies weren’t something I thought of every minute of the day, but I’d always figured it would happen someday, if it was meant to. “Babies are pretty much the thing in a small town. That’s why people live here.”
“Yeah. And I get it. Rhiannon is the love of my life.”
I tried to shove down the ball of heat in my belly. Seeing him with his niece in his classroom the other day had been a whole new experience.
“I like what we have going on right now.”
“Me too.” I smiled. “I didn’t mean to get heavy. I just…”
This whole scene reminded me of a different life. One that I didn’t ever want to go back to.
I went up on my toes. The sun was shining, and I had a hot guy I liked to spend time with. That was what mattered.
“I just felt out of place,” I admitted.
He glanced around, then he slid down his hand to cup my ass. “You’re with me. That’s the only place that matters. Besides, all the Target summer wardrobe action is mostly because people here are afraid of Sister Tobias.”