up sailing off the seat. I remember it looked like he got shot from a cannon.”
One good childhood memory deserved another, right?
He thought about it for a minute and added his two cents. “One summer, at band camp …” He chuckled and checked her face to see if she got the cultural reference. Her grin told him she most certainly did.
“There was a competition between cabins to see who could survive a supersonic twirl on the merry-go-round. Long story short, I was the muscle who got the thing whirling, and it would have been cool if only my little brother knew how to hold on. His grip slipped,” he told her with snarky air quotes, “and whoosh! Flew like water coming off a shaking dog. I peed my pants from laughing.”
Summer dragged her boots on the ground to slow the swing as she fought to keep from falling off when laughter shook her body.
He watched her with a smirking grin. She tried to ignore the way his muscles rippled under his cashmere sweater, but her pulse quickened anyway. A delicious shudder warmed her body when she remembered the gentleness of his kiss and how it felt to have his big, strong hand grip her fragile neck.
“You have a story for every occasion, don’t you?” she asked.
“It’s not a bad thing,” he playfully scoffed. “Think of it this way. It means I’ve lived. Had experiences. I could never be one of those guys hiding under a rock watching the world go by.” He looked into her eyes. “I need to be in it.” His voice was rich, deep, and full of meaning.
The way she saw it, there were only two choices before her. Move on to the monkey bars or jump on him for a bit of freeform exercise.
With a reluctant sigh, she left the swing set and ran to the impressive climbing apparatus. Years of gymnast training in high school gave her confidence as she went through some familiar moves. Arnie leaned against a ladder and watched.
Scrambling atop the structure and keeping her balance was not easy, thanks to her skinny jeans and boots, but she persevered.
“I’m awarding you a solid ten.”
Acknowledging his praise—snarky as it was—she playfully curtseyed and very nearly toppled to the ground.
“Whoopsie!” She giggled.
His expression was easy to read as he moved closer. Arnie was very much the type of man who believed in protection. If she fell, he was going to make sure to catch her. The thought was sobering.
Feeling a bit audacious after proving her monkey abilities, she considered the dismount possibilities and made an easy decision. Carefully moving to the end bars, she dropped and did a pullover and a wobbly hip circle before ending with her legs hooked over the bar as she gracefully hung upside down.
Thinking she was all that and then some, Summer wasn’t prepared when her sweater decided to follow gravity and suddenly revealed her bra. Squawking with alarm, she tried to push it back into place. Her awkward rushed movements caused her bent knees to loosen, and the next thing she knew, she was falling.
She prayed that the thick layer of wood chips in the fall zone was enough of a cushion and braced for impact. Instead of landing on her ass with a thud, she was swooped into Arnie’s arms and held firmly against his chest. The shock of not falling, coupled with some unfamiliar sensations, threw her off.
“Sorry,” she mumbled without knowing what she was apologizing for.
When he responded with a grunt and snarled at her, she stopped breathing and stared.
“Was flashing your bra so horrible? You could have gotten hurt, Summer.”
The combination of feeling extremely soft and being smooshed against a rock-hard body scrambled her thoughts. Coherence vanished, as did common sense.
Touching his shoulder, she slid her hand to his neck and stroked. “Yes, but it’s worked out so nicely, though, don’t you think?”
She had never been much of a flirt, and in all honesty, she learned whatever moves she had from reading romance books. Uncertain what she should do next, Summer lifted her chin to signal her desire for a kiss.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” he growled.
“Absolutely not.” She winced. “Should I stop?”
She felt his fingers dig into her flesh as his body tightened, and his hold on her became fierce.
“Summer.” His groan was husky and deep. “Don’t.”
“It’s not up to me.” The words came through her without conscious thought. “This feels different,” she murmured softly. “I thought you felt it too.”