Tangled Up in Daydreams Read Free Page B

acts like a very stubborn two-year-old. It refuses to cooperate no matter how tender I am with my coaxing.”
    â€œLet me see.” Trying to pull it off.
    â€œI don’t think so.” Dodging his hands. “The interior of your car is not big enough to handle it.”
    â€œPlease?” Grinning at her. “Now I have to see.”
    â€œNope, patience is a virtue, dear boy.” Grinning back.
    â€œOkay, okay.” Grabbing and holding on to her hand instead. Molly could swear she felt sparks.
    As Molly and Liam drove all the way down Sunset Boulevard to the beach, they didn’t really talk much more. Both of them settled into silence, nestled in their own little fantasies of what was beginning between them. Even when they stopped at 7-Eleven to get some beer, they barely uttered a sound, quietly picking, paying, and pocketing the change. Already they felt familiar, like they had done all these tasks a hundred times before. Already they were dancing. It wasn’t until they had parked, ditched their shoes, and walked onto the cool sand that their tongues loosened.
    â€œBeaches at night with a guy always make me laugh a little,” Molly shared as she kicked the sand at her feet.
    â€œWhy?” Lifting the beers under his arm.
    â€œSomething about the romantic potential they’re supposed to have. You know, with the ‘moon on the water casting this lovey-dovey halo of light on the cute couple’ and how for me, the reality never came close.”
    â€œHow so?”
    â€œWhen I was sixteen, I went to Hawaii with a friend of mine and this one night we went to the beach with these two hot valet parkers. I thought, ‘This is my moment. The stars are all in line,’” Molly stated as she walked to the water. “It was supposed to be my romance-novel kiss.”
    â€œSupposed to be?” Liam asked as he walked next to her. “What does that mean?”
    â€œWell, this surfer guy, who I think said he was related to Keanu Reeves, and I pair off. We are sitting on the sand and he’s nonstop talking to me about surfing, which I thought was so fascinating because every time he said the word ‘wave’ his lips kind of curled and his right eye twinkled. He kept talking and talking, and I kept swooning and willing him to plant one on me.”
    Molly swallowed and willed herself to shut up. Any guy could see right through her subtle song and dance around the whole kissing issue.
    â€œSomehow hours pass and I hear my friend start calling my name, yelling that it’s time to leave. So I look at him really hard and bat my eyes, all the while thinking this is going to be the best kiss of my young life if he would only just do it. He leans in and shoves what must be a tongue the size of a cow’s in my mouth, poking it in and out like an iguana!”
    Molly said another small prayer to her God that she could just close her yap.
    â€œIt felt like he was checking my molars for leftovers from dinner. And, to make it worse, he tasted like beer and cigarettes. Here I was on the most beautiful beach in Hawaii, with a gorgeous Hawaiian surfer, and instead of being in heaven, I was a bit player in a Roger Corman T and A movie.”
    Molly took another deep breath and waited. Her face was flaming and her palms were coated with a slick layer of sweat. She could feel her tight black tank sticking to the underside of her breasts as perspiration dripped and pooled on her stomach. Why had she revealed such a silly and stupid anecdote!
    â€œPoor girl, it’s a shame that guy ruined your perfect moment. Usually that happens when you have one of those romance novel/romantic comedy scenarios staring you in the face.”
    â€œYeah.” Molly thanking God that he was going with it.
    â€œI actually sneezed all over some girl once. Shelby Harrington, the hottest girl in the eighth grade finally liked me, and back then I was not the cool rock-star guy I am