“Yeah well, they wet the field to make it more interesting. So unless you want to be a muddy mess...”
“Sounds interesting,” my father said. “But can’t say I’m sorry to miss it.”
“Maybe I’ll come with you for the day, wherever that is,” Marco said. “As long as it’s far away from Kitchi Falls.”
“You're welcome in the city anytime. You and Rae should come for a visit.”
“We might just take you up on that. Next weekend,” Marco said.
I slapped his arm. “Coward. I’m all in.”
“While you two decide whether or not to get muddy next weekend, I’ll be just ahead. Have to make a quick work call.”
“There’s another bench a little way up,” I said. “We’ll meet you there.”
“Sounds good,” my father took his cell from his back pocket.
Not two seconds after he walked away, Marco pulled me into him. When he lowered his head, the same fluttery feeling I got every single time he touched me bubbled to the surface. His lips were warm, his tongue touching mine as we quickly spiraled from a stolen kiss to something more. Even through his jeans, it was clear we probably needed to cool it off.
Except, that’s when Marco cupped my backside with both hands, squeezed and pulled me even closer. Somehow, we were going to have to wait until much later to finish this. It was Wednesday night, and I was introducing my father to Marco’s family.
“Mmm,” I pulled back more reluctantly than I had gotten out of bed this morning to hit the gym. At least I had a really hot training partner. “We should probably finish this later,” I said.
Marco may have stopped kissing me, but he refused to let go.
“I don’t see why we can’t finish this now?”
“No,” I asked, “you don’t? No idea at all?”
He signed heavily, his hands leaving my backside before cupping my face. “I suppose I have some idea. But let me tell you something. If you’re going to ditch your baggy tees at the gym for crop tops, don’t think you can avoid me all day afterwards without having me lose my mind.”
“First,” I bragged a bit. “I can’t adequately see my legs moving after doubling my squat weight with a big tee. And second, I wasn’t avoiding you.”
Marco kissed my nose and dropped his hands. “First,” he used my same tone. “I love how strong you’ve gotten, and you could go around naked for all I care. Just know I won’t be able to keep my hands off you afterward. And second, I know you weren’t avoiding me, but I just missed you. Although I’m glad to see you and your dad getting along so well.”
When Marco reached for my hand, I took it. Waiting for my father to finish, I turned toward the lake, spying the top of the gazebo in the distance.
“I’m pretty sure Shaun would have something to say about me walking through his gym naked. And yeah, I’m glad we’re getting along too.”
“Maybe later we can sneak back down to the gazebo,” Marco said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
The gazebo was never part of the original plan. When the landscaper first showed the plans to me, and I saw it on there, I thought maybe he’d added it to see what I thought. Turned out it was Marco’s idea, and he’d already paid for it. A way to commemorate our first kiss. Now the gazebo had become synonymous with meeting for a quick kiss when we were working. I got more steps in walking back and forth from the tasting room to this gazebo than I did on the treadmill at the gym.
“At least we don’t have a ‘no touching’ rule in place like we did that first time,” I teased.
“Yeah, because that worked really well.”
“Only because someone wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Speaking of not saying no,” Marco was about to lean down for another kiss when my father called to us in the distance. “Ready to roll?”
“Looks like you’ll have to save it for later, Casanova,” I pulled him up the path.
“Not anymore,” he said as we walked hand in hand up the path. “I’ve traded in the title for Rae’s boyfriend. Which I like much better.”
“Me too,” I assured him. “Me too.”
become a vip