After dinner and volleyball Lisa turned on some music and her and Jack danced. Paisley thanked Mr. Keel for the math lesson she didn't want, but was too nice to say, and headed in Jay's direction.
He was already shaking his head. "I don't dance."
"I'm not asking you to dance. I'm asking you to hold me while we pretend to dance."
His eyes narrowed. "This feels like another set up."
She knew he couldn't say no to holding her, so she took his hand and led him to where Lisa, Jack, and now Cal and Ally were dancing.
"You're about to ruin my bad boy image."
"I'm sorry, baby, but I think I ruined that alone time ago."
When he would have looked to see how Jack was doing it, she stopped him by pulling his hips to hers and then snaking her arms up around his neck so she could play with his hair. "Just hold me. You're the best at doing that."
He kissed the cheek that was so close to his. "I can see why Lisa and Jack are always doing this now. Foreplay."
"Speaking about foreplay. When are you going to take my virginity?"
He went still.
Smiling, she played with his hair more. "Did you enjoy your first barbecue?"
"It's starting to look up."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Fine. It was... fun."
"Don't look now but you're not the only one who's ruining their bad boy image."
Punk held his baby in his arms as he sang to her softly. "Oh, how adorable. What does that tattoo say that you can just make out under his shirt?"
"It's equally adorable. It says Fuck It. After seeing his I wanted my own. Across my back, but my back was so messed up they didn't think it was possible."
She laid her head on his shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to his neck. "How about I get it for you?"
He stilled again this time with a snort. "Don't think so."
"Then we'll pick me another one. Matching spider tattoos? I want something that says I'm yours."
When her lips glided over this neck and up to his ear, he shuddered. "Not going to happen. No ink is touching you, babe."
She forgot she was trying to drive him crazy and looked at him with a narrowed glance. Before she could point out his bossiness, she felt what he was feeling. She understood his motive.
It was like when she dressed up for him. He thought she looked hot; he thought she'd look hot with a tattoo but mostly he wanted her just the way she was. No dressing up. No pretending. Right now, he was thinking about the perfect, satin skin of her shoulders. He wanted nothing to mar her beauty.
Her eyes thicken with desire. "I was trying to be a good girl and you're ruining it."
He smiled. "Is that what you were doing?"
"Mmm hmm. I was playing and teasing but now you've started something serious." She flushed herself against him.
Her mom was dancing by with Mr. Keel and paused. "Jay, get your hand off my daughter's ass in front of me, her teacher, and the mailman."
"She started it, Dougie."
"I don't care who started it. I'm ending it."
Paisley hid a smile.
Jay waited until they moved on. "Lisa is trying to set those two up. How do you feel about that?"
She looked at her mother who was laughing at something the teacher said. She did not understand what it could be since Mr. Keel didn't have much of a sense of humor. "Does she like him?"
When he didn't answer or give anything away, she looked at him.
He sighed. "She's still very much in love with your dad, but someone has caught her attention here lately. It's new and she's still fighting the attraction. That's all I'll say."
"Is it Mr. Keel? Does he like her? They've been friends like forever. In fact, he was dad's friend too." Paisley looked around the yard. "Who else could it be? Everyone else is with someone except for the mailman."
"Speaking about the mailman, why is he here?"
Paisley blushed a little. "He's not married and was tired of take out and frozen dinners, so I invited him. Good thing to, he's awesome at volleyball. His name is Stanley, by the way."
"Un, huh." He was looking at her that way that always made her belly feel warm. "I love you."
He admitted. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Everyone always_____."
"Not me. I can feel that that's why you've been upset today. Why, Jay? Is it because of Seth?"
"I wish. I can handle him. This is just a feeling I have."
"Whatever it is we'll handle it together because.... " She kissed him slow and tenderly. "I'm not going anywhere. Feel how true those words are."