The Moth and the Flame (When Rivals Play #2) - B.B. Reid Page 0,53
friend. Is that okay with you?” Before she could answer, I turned toward the scattered screams and hustle-bustle lying ahead, knowing she’d follow. Since it was the Friday before school started, the beach and boardwalk at Coney Island were full of people trying to catch the last rays of their summer fun.
Lou still had her arms crossed and her mouth in a flat line as she looked around with disinterest. I chuckled knowing it wouldn’t be easy thawing her.
I stopped at the first food stand we came across and turned to her. “Hungry?”
She shrugged while refusing to meet my gaze, and I held back a grin. Spotting a ridiculously long, beef hot dog, an idea formed, so I ordered one. We spent about five minutes maneuvering through the crowd until we found an empty bench near the beach. I straddled the bench , and she did the same, but then I pulled her close until her bare knees touched mine, and handed her the hot dog.
Her eyes widened as she looked from me to the hot dog and back again. “I can’t eat all of this!”
“I’ll help you.”
Her gaze turned wary, but when I made no sudden moves, she sighed and began nibbling the end closest to her mouth. I waited until her third or fourth bite before I chomped down on the end facing me. She paused, and her gaze widened again as she stared at me over the hot dog.
She hurriedly swallowed the portion she’d been chewing before asking, “What are you doing?”
“Eating my half,” I answered with the obvious.
“We can just split it in half.”
“It will make too big of a mess,” I pointed out. Which was why I requested for it to be fully loaded.
“Well, can’t you just wait until I’m done?”
“I could, but I’m hungry now.” And for more than just food.
She tried to hand over the hot dog. “Then take it. I can wait.”
I breathed out through my nose and pinned her with my gaze. When I spoke, my tone made it clear that I wasn’t fucking around. “Eat, Louchana.”
Her nostrils flared, and when I pinched her hip, not realizing my hand was still there, she took another bite. Our gazes never strayed the entire time we shared the hot dog, and I was relieved my plan had worked. I didn’t want her running from me, taking parts of herself away. Just this once, I allowed myself to get lost within her eyes, and I could tell she did the same.
We were nearing the center when I spotted an exhausted-looking elderly couple looking around for a place to sit. Seeing an opportunity to get even closer to her, I quickly flagged them down and shouted, “This seat’s open!”
Lou frowned when she glanced behind her. There was only room for maybe one of them, so without warning, I grabbed Lou and sat her in my lap. Problem solved.
The couple shot me grateful glances before taking Lou’s vacated seat.
“What are you doing?” she said in a panic. I would have thought she was uncomfortable with her new seat if she hadn’t grabbed my shoulders and immediately wrapped her legs around me as if I were dangling her off a cliff. I guess in a way I was.
“Making room for the elderly,” I told her before tucking my bottom lip inside to hide my smile.
“Why are you doing this?”
I sighed seeing genuine confusion in her eyes. “I’m trying to apologize, Lou. Now if you could just shut up and let me,” I grumbled.
She frowned then. “By making me sit on your lap?”
“By being with you.” I inhaled the stale air and let it out slowly. “We’ve been fighting more lately.”
Her gaze turned somber as she studied me. “I noticed, too.”
“Any ideas why?”
She peeked up at me from her lashes. “You’re a dick?”
Amusement shook my chest as I stared down at her. “That’s one theory.”
I finished off the last of the hot dog, balled up the wrapping, and aimed for the garbage can a few feet away. When it cleared the rim, Lou said with sarcasm dripping from every syllable, “Let me guess…you’re remarkably skilled at basketball, too.”
I winked and stood us up before taking her hand and leading her onto the beach. I found us an empty spot on the sand and plopped down, bringing Lou with me.
“We probably should have brought a towel,” Lou remarked. “We’ll track sand in your precious Paula.”
I paused. “Paula?”
“The Impala,” she answered and then burst out laughing at the scowl on