Read Online Blue Ribbon Summer (The Baltimore Banners Book 3) by Lisa B. Kamps - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lisa B. Kamps
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squeeze his shoulder, and he looked over to see Kayli smiling at him.
"It'll be fine, don't worry." She lowered her hand and glanced over to the dance floor as the band started playing another song. It was crowding quickly as people filed out to dance, and Ian noticed the wistfulness in Kayli's eyes as her feet tapped the floor under her chair.
He took a deep breath and looked over at Jake, who was watching him carefully. He glanced down at the twins, who seemed content to be quiet and still...for once.
Kayli had called it hooch. Ian figured it must be the same as liquid courage. He reached over and grabbed Kayli's hand and tugged as he stood. "So, do you think you can show me how to dance to this?"
Ian was rewarded with a bright smile and sparkling eyes, and knew that he would gladly suffer any embarrassment as long as she looked at him like that.
Chapter Seven
Kayli bit the inside of her cheek, trying to stop the laughter she felt gurgling beneath her breastbone. Ian muttered another curse under his breath as he stumbled along behind her and nearly tripped over a small log, catching himself before falling down. He stopped a foot away from her, giving her a disbelieving look before she turned and continued walking.
"Seriously? I thought you said it wasn't far." Ian grumbled, his footsteps noisy in the darkness.
"It's not. Honest."
"I think you're trying to get me lost. Because if you decided to leave me right now, there is no way I could find my way back to the truck."
Kayli laughed again at his grumbling, then reached for his arm when he started to walk past her in the darkness. He stumbled to a stop, looking at her in confusion before she pointed in front of them. Although how he could have missed the sound of the running water was beyond her. Unless the shots he had been tossing back had a bigger effect on him than she thought.
"I'm not trying to get you lost, so don't worry. I just thought you might want to get away from all the stares and questions back at the bonfire." Kayli dropped her hand and stepped around him, walking a few more feet to the flat rock overhanging the river and spreading the sleeping bag down, then lowering herself to a sitting position. The only sound was the gurgling of the water passing in front of her, and Ian's noisy footsteps as he followed her.
It was a silent oasis compared to the noise of the small crowd at the bonfire.
Jake had left the bull roast before it ended, claiming to be tired. And he had offered to take all three girls home with him--after suggesting that Ian and the twins stay at the house tonight, instead of driving the almost ninety minutes back to the city. Jake had leveled a quiet look at Ian when he repeated the invitation, quietly assuring him that they had the extra rooms. As far as subtle went, Jake failed miserably. But some kind of silent agreement passed between them, and Ian had taken him up on the offer.
Ian now lowered himself next to her, hanging his feet off the edge of the rock and staring into the muted darkness around them. The half-moon cast everything in a barely-there ghostly light, cloaking them in privacy in the middle of the great outdoors.
"You weren't having fun at the bonfire?"
Kayli glanced over at Ian, then looked back down at the moving water and shrugged. About twenty or so people had decided to have a bonfire after the bull roast, and Kayli had been invited. She had thought they'd have fun, just hanging out with a few of her friends, and they had--until the stares and questions really started, almost to the point of rudeness.
"It was okay. I just thought you might want a break, maybe some peace and quiet."
"Hm."
She could feel his eyes on her, but didn't look at him, afraid of what she might see. Because if their positions had been reversed, she would have just gone home.
Alone.
"I'm sorry they were giving you such a hard time."
Ian gave her another careless shrug then lay back, gazing up at the stars. A few quiet minutes went
"It'll be fine, don't worry." She lowered her hand and glanced over to the dance floor as the band started playing another song. It was crowding quickly as people filed out to dance, and Ian noticed the wistfulness in Kayli's eyes as her feet tapped the floor under her chair.
He took a deep breath and looked over at Jake, who was watching him carefully. He glanced down at the twins, who seemed content to be quiet and still...for once.
Kayli had called it hooch. Ian figured it must be the same as liquid courage. He reached over and grabbed Kayli's hand and tugged as he stood. "So, do you think you can show me how to dance to this?"
Ian was rewarded with a bright smile and sparkling eyes, and knew that he would gladly suffer any embarrassment as long as she looked at him like that.
Chapter Seven
Kayli bit the inside of her cheek, trying to stop the laughter she felt gurgling beneath her breastbone. Ian muttered another curse under his breath as he stumbled along behind her and nearly tripped over a small log, catching himself before falling down. He stopped a foot away from her, giving her a disbelieving look before she turned and continued walking.
"Seriously? I thought you said it wasn't far." Ian grumbled, his footsteps noisy in the darkness.
"It's not. Honest."
"I think you're trying to get me lost. Because if you decided to leave me right now, there is no way I could find my way back to the truck."
Kayli laughed again at his grumbling, then reached for his arm when he started to walk past her in the darkness. He stumbled to a stop, looking at her in confusion before she pointed in front of them. Although how he could have missed the sound of the running water was beyond her. Unless the shots he had been tossing back had a bigger effect on him than she thought.
"I'm not trying to get you lost, so don't worry. I just thought you might want to get away from all the stares and questions back at the bonfire." Kayli dropped her hand and stepped around him, walking a few more feet to the flat rock overhanging the river and spreading the sleeping bag down, then lowering herself to a sitting position. The only sound was the gurgling of the water passing in front of her, and Ian's noisy footsteps as he followed her.
It was a silent oasis compared to the noise of the small crowd at the bonfire.
Jake had left the bull roast before it ended, claiming to be tired. And he had offered to take all three girls home with him--after suggesting that Ian and the twins stay at the house tonight, instead of driving the almost ninety minutes back to the city. Jake had leveled a quiet look at Ian when he repeated the invitation, quietly assuring him that they had the extra rooms. As far as subtle went, Jake failed miserably. But some kind of silent agreement passed between them, and Ian had taken him up on the offer.
Ian now lowered himself next to her, hanging his feet off the edge of the rock and staring into the muted darkness around them. The half-moon cast everything in a barely-there ghostly light, cloaking them in privacy in the middle of the great outdoors.
"You weren't having fun at the bonfire?"
Kayli glanced over at Ian, then looked back down at the moving water and shrugged. About twenty or so people had decided to have a bonfire after the bull roast, and Kayli had been invited. She had thought they'd have fun, just hanging out with a few of her friends, and they had--until the stares and questions really started, almost to the point of rudeness.
"It was okay. I just thought you might want a break, maybe some peace and quiet."
"Hm."
She could feel his eyes on her, but didn't look at him, afraid of what she might see. Because if their positions had been reversed, she would have just gone home.
Alone.
"I'm sorry they were giving you such a hard time."
Ian gave her another careless shrug then lay back, gazing up at the stars. A few quiet minutes went
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