Page 24 of Tempting Me (The Asher Family #3)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

SHAY

Two nights later, I head into town with a stack of flyers in my hand.

The flyers Luca and I made last night before he spent another night at my house. That’s three nights in a row now. If I’m not careful, I'm not going to want to go back to nights without him.

I honestly can’t remember a time when I was this happy. This content.

I’d do anything to keep it, which is why I’m not going home until I’ve handed out every single one of these.

The closer I get to the heart of Main Street, the more I make out who’s attending today’s town festival. I’m not surprised when I see Mrs. Whittaker first. Her family has been around the longest, and seeing as how today is the 100 Years of Lovers Festival, it makes sense that she is here.

Next, I see the Collins family. Mr. Collins, Linc, and Sadie are standing under a tent that is serving beers from Hudson’s Bar. Beside them is Brooke under her bakery tent .

“Shay,” Sadie calls out.

Her brother and her dad both turn to face me and smile with a wave. Well, her dad does. Linc excuses himself quickly.

I don't blame him.

I was snappy the other day when he came to take pictures. I’ll have to find him later and apologize.

“The festival started a half hour ago, so why does it look like everyone has been here all day?”

“Because some of them have.” Sadie laughs as she pours a beer from the keg to hand to a tourist.

I swear, they love coming back to this town again and again because of the festivals. During the summer, there is one almost every weekend.

In fact, there is a festival every weekend over the summer, except for the weekend I picked for The Marina opening, which is why I chose it.

“Can you hand some of these out?” I ask and hold up a small stack of flyers.

“Beach Bum Day,” Sadie reads, and a big smile forms on her lips. “Does this mean The Marina is ready for its big reveal?”

“No,” I say with a little laugh. “It’s close, but not ready. All of this will be outside on the beach. Music, food, drinks, games. It’ll be fun.”

“With as hot as it has been this summer, I'd say people are going to love a reason to be next to the water.”

“I hope so.”

“I’ll hand them out with the drinks until they're gone.”

“Thank you. ”

Another customer comes up, so I wave goodbye and spot Grace heading my way.

She’s still in business attire, but today is a pencil skirt and a sleeveless cream blouse. I’ve known her long enough to know that the skirt comes with a matching jacket, but it's understandable why she isn’t wearing it.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” I say when she stops in front of me.

“The entire Richford family is here,” she says with no emotion. “Plus the King family.”

“Oooh.” I cringe for her.

The King family is the family who probably visits Lovers the most. They are basically honorary locals at this point, but they have a son—a full adult, mind you—who Grace has never been able to get along with. Not since day one.

In fact, she refers to him as his royal dumbass, and I love it. I used to think I needed to give Luca a nickname, but I never got around to it. It’s probably a good thing now that I’m sleeping with him.

“Shit, they see me. I have to go.”

Grace doesn’t wait for my reply before she walks off quickly.

Preston King, also known as his royal dumbass, strides past me, his light gray suit sharp and with a grin that should be on magazines. Which is funny to think about since he has actually been in magazines.

I think the last one called him bachelor of the year or something.

I watch him walk down the street in Grace’s direction. Is he looking for her specifically?

“Like what you see?” A deep voice startles me .

When I look to my left to match the voice with a face, I keep my expression neutral.

“Maybe.”

Luca hums. “Maybe, huh?”

It takes everything I have not to smile at the look he gives me. To fall into his arms and relax under his touch. But then his gaze flickers to my lips, and I step back.

“Whatever you're thinking, stop,” I say and point a finger at him. To anyone watching, that gesture should come off as me telling him off.

His head falls back on a groan.

He looks agitated.

“I’ll see you tonight,” I whisper and walk off.

When I glance over my shoulder, his eyes are on me, and I swear just knowing he’s watching me wakes my body up.

Now is not the time for me to be turned on.

My phone beeps.

Luca

Meet me in the bookstore in ten minutes.

Shay

That’s a very public spot.

Luca

I know a back room.

My heart races at the idea of sneaking around. We’re already doing it, but here in town, it would be different. Riskier.

Shay

Okay.

I stuff my phone into my back pocket and get to work handing out flyers.

According to the feedback I receive, the locals are eager to be back at The Marina, and asI head for the bookstore, my heart is full with the excitement of Beach Bum Day.

Now I just need to make sure it’s so successful that everyone is talking about it and word somehow gets back to my parents.

I open the door to Sips and Stories, welcoming the breeze from the air conditioner. I glance around to make sure no one is here, then slowly make my way to the back of the store. The wall that opens up to the bar shows very few customers.

None of them are paying attention to me.

I walk down one aisle and peek around to spot Luca, but he isn’t here yet.

My palms start to sweat.

Am I here just so he can steal a kiss?

More than a kiss?

Surely, he doesn't think we are going to full on have sex in a back room somewhere, right?

I’m starting to second-guess this plan when a hand grabs my wrist and pulls me back. Tucked in a nook, Luca hugs my body to his and kisses my neck.

“It’s one thing when I know you’re at The Marina and I won't see you until dark, but it's a whole different thing to see you this close in broad daylight and know I can’t do a single thing about it.”

He nips kisses over my shoulder, and it feels so good. Having this moment with him is unexpected and exactly what I needed.

I wish we could see each other whenever we want, too, but it can’t happen yet.

“It sure seems like you’re doing something about it.” My words are breathless as he smooths one hand down my stomach, his pinky sliding under the waist of my shorts.“Luca.”

“God, the way you say my name drives me crazy. You sound so needy. I love it.”

He spins me quickly, then his lips are on mine. His tongue slips into my mouth, dancing with mine. I grip his shirt and pull his body closer to mine on a moan.

The sounds of Main Street grow louder, a clear indicator that someone has opened the door to the bookstore.

I break the kiss, my chest heaving as I quietly catch my breath. Luca turns us so that my back is against the wall and his body blocks me from anyone's view.

He rests his forehead against mine as we wait to be sure that whoever walked in doesn’t walk this far inside the store.

My heart thumps.

Who is it?

Is it someone we could trust?

Then I hear that street noise again, just long enough to indicate that whoever it was has left. I push Luca back.

“That was risky.”

He nods, his hand moving to rub the back of his neck.

I know exactly what he’s thinking before he even says it.

“I will tell them,” I admit. “I just don’t want to do it over the phone, and I don't want them to hear it from someone else before I have time to explain.”

“I know. I just hate hiding how I feel about you. Hiding this. It sucks.”

“I know, but it won’t be forever,” I tell him and hope it’s enough for now.

He leans back to peek into the store. He must deem it clear—he grabs my hand and pulls me out the back door .

Behind the building is a small alley that has a back entrance to every business on this side of the block, including where Sadie and Hudson live above the bar.

Luca leads me to the door to their place and ducks inside.

I follow and he pulls me in for another kiss.

“I just need another minute with you before I have to pretend like we aren’t even friends for the rest of the afternoon.”

He kisses me with so much passion that I have the urge to say fuck it . I’m a grown woman. Who cares if word gets back to my family?

But … I do.

Until The Marina is in my name, I do.

For the next ten minutes, Luca and I make out like teenagers who don’t want to get caught by the faculty at a Friday night football game.

Then we go our separate ways back to the festival.

For the rest of the afternoon, I tell everyone I meet about Beach Bum Day, and each time I pass Luca or see him nearby, I wish it were dark already so that I could touch him again.

It’s only for the summer.

After that, I can touch him anywhere and anytime, right?