“Why do you sound embarrassed?” She won’t meet my gaze, so I kneel in front of her until we’re eye to eye. “Hey. Being generous is nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I’m not embarrassed, but you have to admit it would ruin my reputation as a troublemaker.”
I chuckle before standing to kiss her forehead. “Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to ruin your reputation as a troublemaker.”
“Let the countdown begin!” Forest shouts. “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Go!!”
Before I can begin pushing Ash, she’s using her hands to power her away to the first station. “Come on, slowpoke. Did you forget there’s a time limit?”
Shit. I did forget about the time limit. An hour to hit all seven checkpoints? I scramble after her and grab the handles of the wheelchair. “Let’s go.”
The first checkpoint we stop at is at the baseball field. Ash pulls a card and groans. I peer over her shoulder.
“Queen of hearts. Good card, dream girl.”
“Face card!” Petal’s husband, Orion, hollers before handing her a shot glass. Winter Falls’ poker run rules dictate you drink a shot whenever you draw a king, queen, or jack. “Cheers!”
She downs the shot and grimaces before handing the glass back to him. “Jägermeister? You are a mean one.” She points toward the high school. “Next stop, Jeeves!”
By the time we hit the sixth checkpoint, my knee is aching and it’s hard not to limp. Ash weaving in the wheelchair, since she’s had to drink shots at three of the previous five checkpoints, isn’t helping.
I nod toward the hotdog stand Lennon, the owner of the Electric Vibes bar, has set up. “You’re eating a hotdog before we continue to the next checkpoint.”
“Ketchup and relish, please.”
She must be feeling the booze if she’s not fighting me. I leave her at a table to order our food. I notice Ash frowning at me upon my return. When my gaze meets hers, though, she smiles.
“Thanks for the food, Jeeves. You’re a good valet.”
I bow and hand her the hotdog. She doesn’t scarf down the food the way I expect. She takes her time eating and checks her watch.
“I think we should skip the last checkpoint,” she announces. “I already have a flush.”
“Are you kidding? You won’t win with a flush. Unless it’s a royal flush?”
“It’s not, but the shots are hitting me hard.” She fans her face.
She was fine a few minutes ago. What’s going on? “What’s wrong?”
Her eyebrows fly off the top of her head. “What do you mean?”
I grunt.
“I’m not lying,” she proclaims. When I continue to stare her down, she huffs. “Fine! I noticed you’re limping, and I don’t want you to push the wheelchair anymore. There. Are you happy?”
“You’re worried I’m in pain?”
“Why do you sound surprised? Of course, I’m worried. I love you. I don’t want you to be in pain. Your pain is my pain.” She doesn’t let me speak before rushing on. “Let’s go turn in my hand and get you home.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “I hear baths are wonderful for sore muscles.”
I stand. “Nope. We’re going to the last checkpoint.”
“Rowan,” she growls, “you’re in pain.”
“I’ll be fine,” I insist. “I’m not allowing you to lose. Not when I know how much it means to you to give the trip to a woman from the shelter.”
She pats my hands. “It’s okay, honey. I promise I’m not upset. Your health is more important.”
I whirl the wheelchair around until she’s facing me. “Do you promise to give me a rubdown when we get home?”
Her eyes brighten and her cheeks darken. “Whenever you want.” Her voice comes out all breathy the same way it does when I’m moving inside her. My pants tighten and I clear my throat before I say screw it and accept what she’s offering.
“Good. We’re finishing this,” I say before pushing the wheelchair and gathering speed.
Ash raises her hands in the air and screams, “I love you, Rowan Aries Hansley!”
I don’t return the sentiment. Not because I don’t love her, because I do. But I want the first time I tell her I love her to be a moment for her to remember. She deserves it after how I tortured her for the past year. She deserves the world and I plan to give it to her.