A smack of her hand greeted his arm causing a hearty chuckle. “I love how humble you are, Dex,” Cayla mocked.
Dex pulled her in a quick kiss before donning his seatbelt.
“Beer mouth,” Cayla frowned.
“I told you! You don’t like beer. Right again.”
“Whatever. I honestly tried but I can’t get jiggy.”
“Okay, Will Smith, let’s go grab some barbeque before it’s sold out.”
“Picnic at your parents?” she asked hopefully.
Like the treehouse, the picnic was something she wouldn’t budge on. Due to his supreme planning skills, they had time in the schedule, but that would add almost two hours of drive time.
“Tomorrow,” he promised with a squeeze of her thigh. “We have to eat, shop, change, and be at the zipline in two and a half to three hours from now.”
Cayla still looked a little sad but accepted it. Dex wanted nothing but to make her happy. “Not only will we picnic tomorrow, but I promise we will do whatever else you and only you want to do, no matter how impractical it may seem to me.”
“Really?” Cayla hummed, wheels turning in her pretty head. Dex withheld his sigh though he knew exactly where she was going with his promise.
“If I wanted to stay in pajamas for the remainder or the day…”
“Fine. We can have a ‘Lazy Monday’,” Dex said heavy on the air quotes. “I’m not designed to be prone all damn day, but if that’s what you want…”
“I do.” Cayla’s smile was more brilliant than the Texas sun.
Dex ignored how his heart skipped several beats. He didn’t want to explore his reaction to the two words that could mean everything and nothing. She’d agreed to spend an entire day with him doing nothing, not a lifetime of commitment. Dex climbed out of his feelings and back into the moment.
“Okay, but keeping me in bed all day might be more work than you think.” He loved that he could still make her blush after everything they’d done.
He started his Bentley and aimed it in the direction of the food. He could think about the hard shit later.
Cayla had officially had the best weekend ever. She’d spent it doing various activities with Dex and learning about things she’d considered fun. The night ziplining tour was epic. It’d taken three hours total due to the hike and ziplining. The glow sticks added an element of simple fun while Dex’s stolen kisses and ass patting brought in the naughty. Zipping at night was something she was willing to do again. Cayla’s body drummed with excitement from the memory. Maybe she had a bit of a thrill seeker in her blood. They had fun with the group in their tour but didn’t hesitate to leave quickly to grab a snack before jumping in bed.
Monday morning blessed her with the best crepes she’d ever had in her life made by the sexist chef ever wearing nothing but an apron. Plus, she had the added bonus of not having to go to a job she hated with all of her being. Also, thanks to him. She’d also found herself dipping in and out of emotions she couldn’t quite place or name. The strangeness of those moments were usually taken away by Dex’s nearness. He was right. Again. Keeping him in bed was very difficult to do especially when he’d taken the intimacy route preferring to cuddle instead of sex.
The lazy Monday ended when they got dressed for their picnic. Even in a t-shirt, shorts, and slide-on shoes, Dex was still distractingly sexy. He was walking slightly ahead of her, giving her a run-down of the property and history. Although the 7,800 square foot house resting lakeside on over six acres of land covered with plush trees was impressive, Dex was still the most interesting thing in her line of vision. Lately, she felt a bone deep need to be near him, and if they wandered too far apart, she changed her course back to him. Although they spent a big portion of the morning cuddling, the anticipation to touch him built inside of her again and forced her to act. Speeding up, she grabbed his warm hand and linked her fingers in his.
His brows noticed the shift and shot up in response, but his lips kept giving her information about the area. They’d never really held hands until that moment. What if she was overstepping or looked needy? Cayla almost let her doubts talk her into removing her hand, but Dex squeezed it reassuringly as they ventured farther into the property. Once they found the perfect view with the proper shade and privacy ratio, they set up their picnic area. The soft blanket protected their legs and food from the small pricks of grass.
Cayla sat with her legs bent under her body, and her skirt fanned over her knees. She needed to address the main thing that had been weighing on her lately.
“Dex?
“Yes?” he acknowledged while sorting the goodies he’d made.
“I want you to know that while it didn’t seem like it at the time, I am very happy for you. I know this is a HUGE accomplishment and a major opportunity for you to share your passion with the world. You earned it because you are amazing.”
Dex folded his hands in his lap and smiled sweetly, his face adapting that universal look people have when they’re touched. Cayla guessed the reason he folded his hands was to keep from touching his chest. It wasn’t a rehearsed speech. She spoke from her heart and was happy he was able to see her sincerity. However, Cayla was never one for the mushy or emotional stuff; her ability to navigate it was awkward at best. She looked up at the plush trees to kill the eye contact and pull her emotions back. She didn’t understand the sudden shift in her feelings, but it wasn’t the time to examine it.
Dex kissed her on the temple and murmured a thank you.
“How many dates have we been on now?” He aptly changed the subject.
Cayla chewed on the thought for a moment. “It would depend on the parameters.”