“YOU LITERALLY TRIED TO BRIBE that judge. How old was he? Twelve?” I laugh as Chase takes a few steps in front of me and spins around.

“Yes. But he really wanted that ice cream, and I was more than willing to deliver on a triple scoop cone if he happened to decide my design was better.”

I shake my head and laugh, knowing she still delivered, even though the boy didn’t vote for her very odd-looking Tyrannosaurus Rex she built—if you could even call it that.

“I told you,” she says and shrugs. “I have absolutely no shame when it comes to winning.”

“I’ll have to remember that next time,” I say, taking my last sip of beer and throwing it into the trash can beside me.

“Next time?” Chase asks, her smile making the sapphire in her eyes come alive more—if that’s even possible.

“If you stick around long enough, I’m sure there’ll be something else we can compete at sooner than later.”

A little tipsy and a lot adorable, she throws her head back and laughs.

There’s something about her that owns my attention. Was she uber competitive at LEGO building? Yes, but she laughed and joked and charmed everyone she sat next to.

I know, because I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Hell, I probably lost my round against her because I was so busy looking up and laughing at how serious she was and the expressions on her face.

“Gunner?”

“Hmm?” I ask as her eyes find mine, and a sheepish smile plays on her lips.

“I think I made a tactical error.”

“A tactical error?” I ask, taking a step toward her. “How many days have you been in Destiny Falls, because it seems you’re already picking up the lingo?”

“Funny.” She sways.

“You okay?”

“Tactical error,” she repeats. “I worked all day and was so busy that I kind of forgot to eat anything.”

I chuckle. “And now you have a good buzz going on an empty stomach.”

She takes my hand without hesitation, when previously she’s been more tentative. Her guard is lowered, and I love that I get to see both sides of her in such a short span of time.

This woman. Jesus. She does funny things to my insides.

I could have taken the easy route—hit on her and taken her back to my place—but there was something about her that made me pause. Maybe I wanted this instead. Time. Getting to know her. Winning her over.

While I’m not one who hops from bed to bed, I’m not immune to some unadulterated, no-strings-attached fun here and there.

But dating someone? That’s typically not my thing. The oversharing. The letting each other in. The vulnerability.

I’ve been hurt enough in my life, the last thing I want to do is to step into that shit willingly.