Ryder brought her a fruity beer with a swirly straw in it, and then he gestured at the table. There were two simple, shallow wooden bowls full of yellow dandelion flowers. “Those are for you,” he said low, ducking his gaze as though he was embarrassed.
He looked so fucking cute right now, his red whiskers on his chiseled jaw two days grown, his eyes the color of the sky, that slight smile that seemed to always sit on his sensual lips. His defined chest and shoulders pressed against a blue T-shirt he’d dug out of a giant plastic container of extra outfits someone had stashed down here. He wore a navy baseball cap on backward, and medium wash jeans hugged his powerful legs. Suddenly desperate to feel his body against hers, Lexi leaned forward and hugged his waist as tight as she could with her puny human arms. “Did you do all this?” she whispered.
“The Bloodrunners helped. I wanted to do something special for you.”
“It’s so special, and I’m so happy that you give me moments like these, Ryder.”
“Can I ask you something big?” he murmured.
Heart pounding, she answered, “Of course. Ask me anything.”
Ryder pulled something from his back pocket and dropped to one knee.
Panicked, she asked, “What are you doing?”
He gave her a mushy smile, then popped open the ring box. And inside was a…
Tiny clay penis.
She snorted and reached for it, plucked it from the plush velvet and held it between her finger and her thumb. “Is this a replica of your dick?”
“I made it at the pottery shop in town, just for you.”
“It’s actual size,” Aaron called from by the grill.
“Fuck you, man,” Ryder said. He dragged his gaze back to Lexi and tried to keep a straight face when he told her, “Lexi, you’re the most beautiful, perfect, funny girl I’ve ever met. I like how one of your boobs is slightly bigger than the other, and I like the way you snort when you laugh really hard—”
“Ryder,” she warned. The crew didn’t need to hear all this about her.
“I like how when you brush your teeth, you get toothpaste everywhere and look rabid, but still sexy.”
Okay, he was joking now, and she was going to play along. “There is nothing more satisfying than a good minty froth. I like the way you sniff your armpits before we leave the house to make sure you put on deodorant.”
His eyes danced. “I gotta smell good for you, baby. I like that one side of your nose goes up higher when you smile.”
“Well, I like the way you sniff your food before you eat it.”
“Not your food though, Sexy Lexi. You cook good. And I like the way your hair looks like a lion’s mane after we make the boing-boing.”
Lexi covered her face and shook her head to cover her giggles. “Okay, this has to stop.”
“No, don’t stop now,” Wyatt called. “This is awesome. You’re like two weird, malformed peas in a pod. It’s like watching a slow-moving train wreck.”
“Lexi,” Ryder murmured, trying to twist his lips into a serious line again. “Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to Alana and Aaron’s wedding?”
Stalling for time so she wouldn’t lose it when she answered, Lexi looked at the others who were in different stages of laughter. Finally, she looked down at Ryder with the most serious face she could and said, “I will.”
Like a romance movie, he lifted her off her feet and spun her in slow motion until she was dizzy.
“Are we done with these shenanigans?” she asked him.
Ryder set her on her feet and steadied her shoulders when she stumbled. “Only if you keep my tiny ceramic penis in your pocket forever as a good luck charm.”
“Fine.” She studied it. Ryder had taken the time to paint little veins on it and everything. Geez. She shoved it deep in her jeans’ pocket.
“Do you like it?” he asked, and the hopefulness in his voice was so cute.
“I love it.”
Ryder swayed them from side to side, then spun her outward in a fancy dance move, and brought her back against his chest. Nonchalantly, he asked, “Do you like me?”
“You know I do.”
“Do you get a weird feeling in your chest around me?”
She jerked back. “Yeah. You?”
He grinned and dipped her, kissed her. “Maybe.”
“Do you like me?” she asked.
“I gave you my tiny penis,” he said, like it should’ve been obvious.
“I need compliments and declarations,” she said primly, sliding her hand in his as he lifted her upright again in the sand.
Ryder looked uncertain for a moment before he buried his face against her neck. And soft as a breath, he whispered, “I love you.”
“What?” she said rearing back to look him in the eyes.
“You heard me.”
“I want to hear you again when you aren’t hiding.”
“Why?”
“Because you tease all the dang time, Ryder. I want to know without a doubt that you are being serious. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me.”
“Will you say it back?”
“I don’t know. Try me.”
Ryder let off a little growl and looked around at his crew who all seemed to be suddenly very busy with cooking dinner. He dragged his gaze back to hers, and now his eyes were blue with gold centers, practically glowing in the evening sunlight. “Lexi, I love you.”