60
The next day, Slade woke up early and was watching television. Candy woke up, stretching with an enormous yawn, and shoved her head back under the pillow.
“Morning, sleepyhead. Sleep well?”
“No. I hate this stupid handcuff. What time is it?” She yawned again.
“9:30. Colt said he is on the way. I was thinking after we get showered we can go do something fun today. I don’t know about you, but I think we need to relax for a while. Maybe all the fighting is because we’re stressed out.”
She pulled back the pillow. “What are we going to do?”
“I was thinking we could go play mini-golf.”
“How the hell are we going to do that?”
“Work together. It would be hard but might be fun. Colt and Tomi are going too. We might catch a movie and have lunch.”
“Okay. Sounds fun.”
“Really? No argument?”
“Nope. I think it could be good for us. So, lead the way.”
“About time you see things my way,” he teased.
Candy giggled as she smacked him with the pillow. “Now let’s not get carried away.”
A while later they were at the mini-golf course, trying to figure out their course of action to win the game.
Slade’s best friend, Colt, was laughing at them as they tried to figure out how to play while being cuffed together. “How do you plan to do this? It won’t work.”
Slade stood, rubbing his chin. “Sure, we can. We just have to be creative.”
Candy looked at Tomi, cocking her head to the side. “In my obituary, tell them I lead a happy life. The last thing the man who killed her said was… Four!”
Slade yanked the line to pull her to him. “Get over here, woman. We can’t lose to them.”
He pulled her in front of him with the golf club, trying to get her to bend backward with his arm around her waist.
Candy was laughing hysterically as he tickled her with his stubbled chin. “I’m not a pretzel! Wait. I got it!” She stood beside him. “I just have to pretend to swing when you do and try to mimic you.”
Slade considered it. “Maybe. Let’s try it.” After his swing, the ball flew and bounced off a nearby tree. “Crap. That didn’t work, Sprinkles.”
“Hey. It’s not a science.”
After a few holes, Slade got an idea. “Hey, Colt? They said we must be together, right? They didn’t say what hand needed to be cuffed. Get the key and change Candy’s cuff to the other hand.”
She got curious, asking, “Why?”
“Because that way I can stand behind you and we can swing at the ball together. Colt can cuff us on the same side.”
She furrowed her brows. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get close to my booty? You’re incredibly determined to have your arms around me. I think you get some sick joy out of this handcuff arrangement.”
He leaned down to her level, wiggling his eyebrows. “Humm? Maybe I do. But I also want to win this game. As competitive as you are, I know you do too.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You’re such a perv. Let’s try it.”
Colt changed her cuff, and Slade grabbed her waist, putting Candy in front of him. Just as if he were teaching her to play golf, he wrapped his arms around her. Candy could feel his hard chest and muscular arms surround her. Somehow, it felt warm and safe.
He put his hands over hers on the golf club and shuffled in closer.
Feeling him pressed against her, she almost lost concentration. It had been a while since a man had been this close. Her breathing went heavy, as the feeling of him pressed to her backside sent bolts of electricity straight through her. It had been this way when they slept, but today it had been different. Slade had been different; more affectionate and flirting relentlessly.
He leaned in, smelling her sweet perfume with a hum. Closing his eyes, he let himself take in her sweet scent. He craved being this close to her from the first day they met. Closer, he moved in, taking in her feminine essence like a drug.
She could feel his breath on her neck as her body shuttered with need. His lips grazing her earlobe made her breath hitch, and all she wanted was for his lips to land there. She had been fighting to not feel anything for him, but this Slade was not the man she thought he was. He was slowly becoming more than just her sexy tormentor. She wanted him more with every moment that passed as she realized who the real Slade truly was.
“Ready?” he asked in a low, deep tone, with his breath tickling her neck, sending goosebumps across her skin. A warmth crept straight to her core as his teeth grazed her earlobe.
A little squeak escaped her. “Ah-huh.”
“Swing,” he whispered.
They watched in silence as the ball rolled into the hole.
“Hole in one!” Tomi yelled.
It surprised Slade that it worked, and his mouth hung agape. The corner of his lip curled up. “Well, I’ll be damned. We did it.”
“We did it? WE DID IT! WHOO!” Candy cheered.
Wrapping his arms around her, he celebrated by hugging her from behind. Tomi and Colt watched them quietly, surprised to see them get along so well. It was clear there was more to Slade’s actions than the competition. The flirting. The looks. It was too obvious to miss.
At the next hole, Slade and Candy were taking their turns laughing and having fun.
Tomi pulled Colt aside with a devious grin as she watched the duo. “Have you noticed Slade seems a little more attentive than just trying to be nice to her?”
Colt watched them, clueless to the cues. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure, but I think Slade likes her. Like, really likes her. Look at the way he looks at her. You can’t tell me you never noticed it before.” Tomi crossed her arms, smiling.
“Humm? You know. I have thought about that for a while now. I bet she likes him, too. She’s simply better at hiding it.”
“How?”
“Look at her. It’s in her eyes. When anyone says anything about either of them, they defend each other. They fight all the time, probably because they’re not willing to give into it. They would have to admit this all was just games to be around each other. Don’t you remember boys in school pulling girls’ pigtails and teasing them because they had a crush? It’s just like Gage is with Isis. Everyone sees it but them. It’s seriously crazy but it looks like what’s going on. It wouldn't surprise me if they don’t end up together.”
Slade walked back over with her. “Okay. You guys won. This was fun. Why don’t we grab lunch and see a movie?”
Colt changed the handcuffs back on Candy. “We have to meet with Davis to give an update.”
“Oh. That’s fine. Candy and I can grab a cab.”
Candy looked confused. “You still want to go to the movies with me with the cuffs on?”
“Sure. It’s early. Not many people go this time of day so we might avoid the crowds.”
Candy shrugged. “I’m in!”
“Cool.” Slade bit his lip, smiling at her. “I’ll have you all to myself.”
“You’re so weird.”
Colt shook his head with a chuckle as he shoved the key in his pocket. He knew his friend was crushing on the girl. “You two kids have fun and keep out of trouble.”
“Easier said than done.”
Candy laughed. “Isn’t that the truth.”
