Page 29

Luka

I hear a giggle from the other side of the truck cab and look over to see Lily’s eyes alight with surprise and excitement. I pull into the parking lot of the county fair. Judging by the giggle, I assume she likes my surprise, but I ask to make sure.

At first, I was nervous about planning for our date, but after I stopped and really thought about it, this was exactly where I wanted to bring her. I also got her and her grandmother flowers, too. The awe on her face when she opened the door to me holding two large bouquets made the price tags worth every penny.

“Surprised?” I ask as I pull into a parking spot in the makeshift dirt parking lot.

“Very, in the best possible way. I haven’t been to the fair since I was a little girl with my grandpa.” She smiles out the truck window as her eyes skate all around the fair. “Grandpa Clyde used to take me every year when I would come to visit, but after he got sick, the trips stopped. I’ve missed them and him ever since. I loved the rides, the sounds of the carnival games, and the smell of popcorn and funnel cakes in the air,” she says with an awe in her voice that I’ve yet to hear before.

I had so many ideas about where I could take her, but this one stood out to me. It seemed to fit her the most, and I’m so glad I listened to my gut and stopped obsessing over it being perfect. She bounces in her seat as I turn to her, happiness beaming on her face.

“Did you know that the first state fair in the US was held in Syracuse, New York, in 1841?” she asks.

“Nope, I didn’t, but that’s cool that our home state was the first. ”

“It wasn’t exactly like the fairs today, though. Back then, it focused more on livestock, agriculture, and farming equipment.”

“No carousel?”

She shakes her head. “And no funnel cakes.”

I smile at seeing how damn happy she is. “What should we do first?”

“Ummm, the carousel? Duh !”

I laugh unabashedly. “Oh, my bad. I thought maybe we would warm up to the best ride here. Going for the prize right away, huh?”

She nods enthusiastically. “Of course! That way, you have time to ride it again!” She’s practically giddy as she opens her car door before I can get out and around to open it for her.

“You’re supposed to wait for me to get the door for you, babe. It’s our first date and all,” I say in a playful huff. Seeing how happy she is has made my whole day. Hell, maybe my entire year.

“I’m just so excited. I’ll make sure to give you plenty of time to open it next time.” She smiles, looking up at me.

She surprises me when she places her palm squarely down on my chest. Up until this point, I’ve been the one to initiate any contact between us. I welcome her touch as I place my hand over hers. Her eyes light up at my touch, and my heart picks up speed. This is very quickly becoming addictive.

I could see myself craving her touch for the rest of my life. “Promise? Because I want to make sure I do this right.”

She steps closer to me, our bodies mere centimeters apart, and the proximity sends an electric jolt right to my crotch.

“You already are,” she says simply.

The smile on her face tells me she really means it. I did everything I could think of to make tonight special because, to me, it is.

It’s our first date. One of many, hopefully.

Now, I want to hold hands with my girl while we ride every ride in here, and I win every stuffed animal I can for her. My hand swallows hers as I link our fingers together and gently tug her toward the entrance .

She practically skips the whole way to the gate, bouncing on her toes in anticipation as I pay for our tickets. I can’t help but smile, and I catch myself doing it all night long.

How can I not when I have the most beautiful girl by my side?

“Remember that bet, sweetie pie?”

She scrunches her nose at the use of the new pet name, and I internally laugh because I knew she’d hate it, but I needed to cross it off my list.

“Sweetie pie? What am I, six?” she sasses.

I laugh out loud at that. “You don’t like it?”

“Not one bit. That one is a definite no .”

“Really? I thought it was kind of, you know, sweet as pie,” I joke, knowing damn well how bad it is, but I’m unable to resist. I think tonight is the happiest I have ever seen Lily, and my chest puffs up at the thought of being the one to do that for her.

I want to do all the little things that make her smile. The simple things like getting her favorite coffee or meeting her at class to walk her to the next. I’d hold doors and open car doors for her.

My father once told me that the little things help keep the woman in your life happy. It tells them you’re thinking about them and that they’re special to you.

I’ve never had a girl in my life who made me want to go out of my way for the small things.

Until Lily.

“Anyway, yes, I remember the bet. What did you have in mind?” she asks.

“Double or nothing.” I spin her around to face the booth with glasses lining the back wall and rings that didn’t make it to their intended destination scattered all around the bottles. There are at least twenty giant teddy bears at the top of the booth. Those are the prized bears. They’re enormous, maybe even taller than Lily, and I want to win one for her.

“Hmm, I’m starting to think you might have a little problem here, Luka.”

I reach out to grip her hip and pull her tight into my body. I have to keep myself from groaning as her ass makes contact with my cock. I lean down to whisper in her ear. “The only thing I have a problem with is how damn sexy your ass looks in these jeans. I’m a little jealous other men get to see you in them.”

Her back arches slightly, which pushes her ass into my crotch even more. “Nobody is looking at my butt.”

“Oh, I am one hundred percent looking, sweet cheeks, and I really, really fucking like what I see.” I haven’t been able to stop looking since I picked her up. A perfectly round ass in the tightest jeans I’ve ever seen. I don’t know how she makes jeans and a sweater look so damn sexy, but she does.

“Sweet cheeks may be just as bad as sweetie pie.”

I laugh and shrug. “Yeah, but it seemed fitting. Don’t you agree?”

She giggles. “I guess. Now, what is this bet? I still stand by my assessment that you may have a fixation that requires some… intervention .”

“Intervention? Maybe like tutoring ? Because I know a hot-as-hell tutor who I can’t seem to keep my hands off of. She’s… Hmmm, what’s the word? Ah, yes. Addicting .”

“ Hmmm , and what does your girlfriend think of this tutor, who you can’t keep your hands off of?”

I still have one hand firmly gripping her hip while the other snakes around to dip under the lace top she has on. My fingers brush the delicate skin of her stomach, and her breath catches as goosebumps break out where my fingertips touch her.

“Considering they’re one and the same, I think she’s cool with her.” I practically hum at the fact that I get to call her my girlfriend.

“She sounds kind of unprofessional if you ask me.”

I frown at the dig at herself. My hand continues to skate even higher under her shirt. My fingers graze her ribcage, and she sucks in a quick breath at the intimate contact.

“She’s the most professional tutor I’ve ever had,” I say sincerely .

“How can that be when she’s dating her student?” she asks, a little breathless.

I didn’t realize how much this was bothering her, but from the tone of her voice, I can tell it’s a serious question. I drop my hand from under her shirt and spin her around to face me, looping my arms around her torso to pull her in close.

“What’s this about? Are you worried about what people will think? Because only Stella, Rowan, Nash, and maybe Beau know anything about me being tutored. It isn’t something I really tell people.”

She furrows her eyebrows. “What about your coach?”

“He knows I have a tutor but not who it is. You don’t have anything to worry about. Your secret is safe with me,” I say as I pull back and cross my heart in a gesture meant to be reassuring.

“I don’t know why I’m thinking about it suddenly since I wasn’t before. I know I shouldn’t think about it, but part of me is worried that you might judge me for it. I mean, I was only supposed to help you get your grades up…” She trails off at the end, her cheeks turning a rosy pink.

“Oh, so orgasms on rooftops weren’t included in the tutoring package? Or getting more than just my grades up?” I ask with a straight face.

She throws her head back and laughs, pulling back slightly to throw her palm into my chest. “ Nooo , you goof! It was not included in the tutoring package ! Oh, my lawd! I can’t believe you just said that!”

“So you mean to tell me that I got a special bonus with my package?” Again, with a straight face.

“You are insufferable.” Her cheeks are still pink, and her breathtaking smile lights up her eyes so much that they look like they’re twinkling. I can’t pull my gaze away from her.

God, I ache to kiss her, so that’s exactly what I do. My lips touch hers, and the feeling is just as intoxicating as it was last night. We stand, kissing in the middle of a crowded county fair, with people walking all around us, and in front of a random booth filled with teddy bears that I’m going to win for her.

Nothing can top our first kiss, but this one is different. It’s filled with just as much heat as the one last night, but this is the first time I get to claim her in front of the world. My chest swells with pride and affection for the girl who is quickly stealing my attention and my heart .

“Best damn bonus of my life,” I say with a sigh when I finally pull away. She’s breathless, and her lips now match the pink of her cheeks.

She shakes her head. “I guess I can’t argue with that, not when you kiss me like that .”

I gently pull back and turn her to face the booth we still stand in front of. I point up to the very top, where they keep the biggest stuffed teddy bears. “Now, when I win you one of those bears, you have to come to one of my games wearing my jersey.” My cock jumps at the idea of seeing her in a Kings of Hart U jersey with my number and name on the back.

She turns back toward me, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. “Double or nothing, and that’s all you want? There has to be a catch.”

“Nope, all I want is my girlfriend in the stands, cheering me on, wearing my jersey.”

She laughs. “Oh, come on. There has to be something you want more?”

I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her into my chest tightly. “That’s all I want, sugar lips.”

She leans forward, laughing. “ Oh , no, you did not ! Sugar lips? Don’t ever call me that again.”

“Sugar tits?”

She laughs so hard she snorts.

I nearly choke laughing when I hear her girly snort in person. It’s so much better than over the phone.

She wheezes, waving her hands and shaking her head as she struggles to calm herself. “Don’t laugh at me!”

“I’m not. I’m laughing with you!” I say in between chuckles.

“ Whatever . I’ll take your bet, but if you lose, I still say you have to paint mediocre all over your helmet and jersey.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about paint? You can’t deface something sacred, babe. ”

I’m already shaking my head. It isn’t like I’ll lose, but I also won’t agree to those terms just in case something goes unpredictably wrong.

“Oh, that’s right. The precious Kings of Hart University shall not be tarnished in any way.”

“What about like tape or something? I need to be able to take it off.” It’s never going to happen because I’m not losing, but I can humor her at least.

Lily ponders my suggestion for a moment before nodding. “That works.”

She turns and puts her hand out for me to shake. I look down at it, but instead of taking it, I pull her against my body and give her a silly, lip-smacking kiss. She giggles when I pull back.

“Did you know that it’s believed that a handshake was used to make sure the person’s hand was free of a weapon?”

“You got a weapon hiding somewhere, Lily?” My hand roams her hips and sneaks around to grab her ass. I give it a light squeeze before quickly moving up her back and around her ribcage.

She laughs, playfully shoving my chest. “No! Don’t you have a teddy bear to win?”

“That’s right, pretty girl. I’ve got a teddy bear to win.”

“ Eww , not that one, either.”

I smile as I step up to the booth, paying the attendant for one round. He hands me six rings and tells me I have to get all six around the glass bottle to win the teddy bear I promised my girl.

And that’s exactly what I do.