Grabbing into the backpack, he pulled out the baggie filled with slices of bread. “Here.” He jerked his head toward the geese and held the baggie up to her. “Go feed them.”
Her eyes went wide. “Really?” The closest she’d come to feeding birds were the pigeons in Charleston, but they were more like rats with wings. Taking the bag from him, their fingers brushed. It was just the slightest touch, but the heat that moved through her had her feeling breathless again. Her legs weren’t completely steady when she walked closer to the pond. Her attention shifted when the geese moved toward her. They weren’t afraid, but then why would they be when the one who visited them also fed them. She ripped the bread and tossed it in the water and watched in delight as the geese ate it up.
Hank didn’t move, only his eyes did as he took in Arissa. The way her body swayed when she walked, the curve of her hips more prominent with every step. Hank tucked his hands into his pockets holding back the urge to chase after her, snatching her up from those hips. Then there was her ass. Jesus. Encased in tightly fitted jeans. Thoughts drifted through his mind of her laying on her stomach, naked in his bed, his tongue running down her spine until he reached the crack of her ass. Teeth baring, so he could sink them into the soft flesh and—
There was a loud splash before Arissa shouted. “Holy shit, it’s cold!”
Hank was jogging toward her, a huge smile on his face as he let out small chuckles. “Jesus,” he muttered as he got close to her, holding his hand out for her to grab it. “If you wanted to go swimming, you should’ve told me.” He laughed as he hauled her up and onto flat ground. Seconds later, the geese took off in flight. If you looked close enough, you could see one of the geese giving Arissa a dirty look because she’d interrupted their quiet retreat. Not to mention, their meal of finely baked bread from Dehlia’s. “You good?” he asked when she had her footing.
Arissa wiped at her face, her lips quivering a little. “Yeah, feels kind of good.” She looked up at him and grinned. “I leaned too far over, but I really thought that one was going to take the bread right out of my hand.” Her brows furrowed. “But now I’m thinking he did it on purpose, making me fall into the pond.”
Hank chuckled. “Yeah, they have a thing against city girls.” He winked, grabbed her hand and started toward the backpack. “Let’s get back and get you into dry clothes.” That is not at all what Hank wanted to do. Hell no. If it were up to him he’d be stripping his clothes, watching her follow his lead and taking this date to a whole different level. But she was different. A woman you wanted to get to know slowly, enjoying all the little moments with her. So when the time came, the sex was meaningful. Not to mention, he was the sheriff, had a reputation to withhold. Taking the new girl out to the woods to fuck her wouldn’t look good on his resume.
Arissa looked back at the pond as Hank reached for his bag. It really was beautiful. She squeezed his hand and when his focus shifted to her she said, “Thanks for sharing this with me.”
Hank tossed the backpack over his shoulder and glanced back at her. “Welcome.” His voice was a low rumble, the thoughts he had of them skinny-dipping still fresh in his mind. “Next time we’ll come prepared to swim.”
Arissa liked that idea, but swimming wasn’t what she had in mind. “That sounds like a good plan.” She then added, “Not a city girl anymore, Sheriff.” She waited until his eyes found hers. “Not going to be a city girl again. I like it right here.”
When she said the last and let her eyes scan his body before landing back on his he grumbled huskily, “Noted.”
* * *
Arissa sat on her porch and hadn’t been able to stop smiling. She was having trouble catching her breath too, but damn she was getting caught up in Hank Weathers. Their walk the other day to the pond, she wanted to visit again, go skinny dipping, wanted to see Hank Weathers naked, would like to take some time just on that, removing his clothes, one article at a time. Her hands exploring the muscular body his clothes hid, and then her mouth. She reached for her beer, took a long drink. Thinking about skin against skin, wet, her legs around his waist, his cock deep inside her…she took another long pull from her beer.
Hank was coming over shortly. How Arissa looked almost calm when her body was going haywire was a marvel, but the man did things to her. Made her feel in ways she never had before. It was addicting, he was addicting.
Arissa was pulled from her thoughts on Summerville’s sexy sheriff when a car came barreling down the street. She recognized the car immediately, the same car that almost ran her off the road that first day. The older woman was driving, she parked at the curb, her door flew open and she bellowed, “We’re running out of time!”
Arissa’s neighbor, Maureen, appeared carrying a stadium chair in one hand and a folding table in the other. Arissa leaned up in her chair and noticed another woman coming from down the street. She also was carrying a chair and a bottle of vodka. Watching the three women, it was like a dance the way they moved together, putting food on the table,
