me.

“Oh, no! You have to play me again!” He handed the pool stick back to me. “I’m just warming up.”

“Okay, one more,” I agreed. “You can break this time.”

When it was my turn again, I noticed that he stood right behind the pocket that I was aiming for. I was lining up for my shot but it was difficult as

he was shifting his weight back and forth from foot to foot.

“Um, can you move?” I asked, motioning with my hand.

“What? Am I bothering you?” He snickered.

“No. Well yeah, it’s kind of annoying actually.” I lined back up for my shot, concentrating on the game. He moved a few feet away and then

started twirling his pool stick back and forth. His movements were such a distraction that I missed an easy shot.

“Oh, good try,” he complimented, although I could tell by his tone that he really wanted me to miss it.

Ryan was trying to make a long shot, so I moved to stand behind the pocket he was aiming for. I got into a comfortable stance, casually tugging

my jeans down a bit further on my hips, and slipped my fingers under my shirt to softly scratch my stomach.

His eyes toggled between trying to play pool and watching me scratch my fake itch. He let out a big breath and missed his shot.

“Oh, good try,” I patronizingly complimented.

“I see!” He laughed. “You don’t play fair either!”

I grinned and shrugged slightly; we both were busted trying to distract each other. He wrinkled his nose at me and made a funny face. It was

actually quite adorable.

When I leaned down to make my next shot he stood directly behind the pocket again. This time he lifted the front of his T-shirt enough to fake a

stomach scratch. I could see the hair on his stomach, which was visible above the top button of his jeans. One naughty little thought ran through my

head, but despite that I made the shot anyway.

“Nice try. But the twirling of the pool stick was more of a distraction than that was!”

I had to walk past him, and when I did he stuck the bottom of his pool stick between my feet, causing me to trip. He caught me with his free arm

to keep me from falling.

“Ass!” I snickered.

“Sorry, I can’t help it if you’re falling for me,” he said confidently.

“Pff, hardly,” I muttered. I leaned my pool stick up on the wall.

“Come on. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Don’t walk away,” he pleaded.

“I’m just going to the ladies room,” I stated over my shoulder. Ryan trotted up behind me.

“What, are you following me now?” I kidded.

“Hardly.” He smiled a cocky grin at me and gave me an innocent little shove towards the ladies room door.

A few moments later, we resumed game two and it was his turn to shoot.

“So Taryn, tell me. Are you a fan of Seaside, too?” he asked, monitoring my reaction.

“No. I haven’t seen it,” I said calmly. It was the truth. I took a sip of my beer and contemplated refilling my glass.

“You haven’t seen the movie? For real?” He was frozen in his spot, gaping at me like I had two heads growing out of my shoulders.

“No, I haven’t.” I shook my head. I guess he was amazed at that revelation; his open mouth turned up into a smile.

“Yeah right!” he snorted and took a sip of his drink.

“What, do you think I’m lying to you?” I couldn’t help but look him directly in the eyes.

“What about the Seaside books? Did you read any of them?”

“No, I haven’t. Everyone I know has though. I suppose that’s why you’re so popular these days?” I shrugged and finished my beer.

He twitched his lips into a smirk. “Yeah… I think you’re lying to me.” He scratched his forehead again.

His accusation irritated me; I didn’t like being called a liar but I remained amicable nonetheless. I got up from my seat and walked over to where

he stood by the pool table. I stopped two feet in front of him and looked him directly in the eyes, making sure to hold his gaze before I spoke.

“I honestly have not seen your movie nor have I read the books. You can see in my eyes that I’m not lying. I don’t know what else to say to make

you believe me.”

Ryan stood perfectly still, looking dumbfounded. After a few seconds I broke our eye contact and walked over to the table where I had set the

pitcher of beer. I filled my glass and looked to see where his glass was. Might as well give him a refill, too. I stepped towards him to top off his

drink.

“What?” I asked carefully. He looked like he was in a trance. “Did I… say something wrong? I’m, I’m sorry I haven’t seen your movie. I hope that

didn’t offend you.”

“No! That’s…perfectly okay,” he said, a hint of a smile touched his face. I watched as he just about swallowed his entire glass of beer.

“So besides kicking butt on the pool table, what else do you like to do?” he asked after I officially won our second game.

“Lots of things,” I quickly replied. I didn’t know what to tell him. I was too busy wondering why he was still here hanging out with me. Surely he

had more important things to do.

“Like?” he prodded.

“Well, I like anything that involves water…swimming, boating, things like that. During the summer, some of the local businesses here in Seaport

have a softball league. Sometimes we play volleyball down at the beach. But, unfortunately since I took over running the pub, I don’t have as much

free time as I used to.” I shrugged. “I work a lot.”

While I was busy talking, Ryan set up the table for game number three. I noticed that his demeanor changed slightly. He was more at ease...

relaxed… calm. It was like a blanket of tension was removed from his shoulders.

I was getting set to break at the table when he interrupted me.

“Quick, without thinking, what’s your favorite movie of all time?”

I stood up a little too fast. The motion along with several glasses of beer and shots of whiskey affected my equilibrium.

“Um, um,” I stammered while trying to figure out what my favorite movie of all time was. “I don’t know if I have one particular favorite. I have a few

but it’s hard to pick.”

“Okay, well… what made the list?”

I sucked in a sharp breath between my teeth. “Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Galaxy Quest, anything from Pixar…” I rambled.

“I see. You like outlandish humor.” He chuckled. He rattled off a bunch of funny lines from the Monty Python movie. It was obvious that he had

seen the movie as many times as I did.

“Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!” we said in unison, both of us adding the French inflection to the movie line. It made me laugh

out loud.

It was my turn to shoot again, and just as I was ready to make my shot, Ryan yelled another funny line from the movie. I couldn’t stop laughing.

“Stop it!” I pleaded, wiping my eyes.

I tried to make my shot again when Ryan came up right next to me and said a line from a funny scene in Galaxy Quest.

“Is there air? You don’t know.” He sniffed the air. “Seems okay.”

I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. “Stop!” I gasped.

I reached to give him a teasing nudge with my fingers. Ryan caught me by the wrist and gently pulled me in, folding my arm with his, until my

hand was pressed against his shoulder.

“Okay, ok, ok,” he said, cracking up laughing again.

I could feel the warmth of his chest on my fingertips. Even though we were bent into each other, laughing hysterically, my mind started reeling just

from this innocent touch. I could not allow myself to have those thoughts about him so I quickly pulled my hand away.

He continued making funny voices and quoting my favorite movies. I was laughing so hard that I lost the third game. I couldn’t focus with the tears

of laughter in my eyes.

“You cheat!” I scolded him.

“Who, me?”

“Yeah you, Mr. Innocent!”