“What, no kiss?”
I roll my eyes at him as I try to yank the door out of his hand. “I think you’ve had enough.”
His smile drops quickly. “Never.” He leans down and captures my lips so fast that I barely have a chance to gasp in surprise at his movement.
It’s a punishing kiss, one that leaves bruises on my lips. Not that I mind at all. I’m so lost in him that when he pulls back, I almost fall out of the car as I try to chase his lips back to mine. He catches me and pushes me back in.
“See you soon.”
I nod as he shuts the door.
I watch him walk around his bike, put on his helmet, and get on. He starts his engine, then looks over at me and waits. He has his visor down, so I don’t see his eyes, but the head tilt is what I need to get going. Strapping my seat belt on, I start my car and head out. I check the rearview mirror every thirty seconds to make sure he’s still there and okay. Which is ridiculous since I know he’s a skillful rider, so there’s nothing to be worried about. Yet watching him ride behind me makes me more worried than when I’m behind him.
Yeah, girl, get it.
I huff out a laugh at my own bad jokes as I pull into my drive. Checking the time, I realize I’m already late, so I grab my purse and leave the rest in the car.
The door opens for me just as I was about to exit, another radiating smile on his face that has me grinning too.
“Which house?” he asks.
I point to the one next door a second before he takes my hand and walks us over there. I feel my inner goddess squealing with glee and jumping up and down, matching my heartbeat. I’ve held hands before, but it never made me giddy like this.
Jesus, have I been doing it wrong this whole time?Canyou do it wrong?
It’s just holding hands, but somehow, once again, Reese makes the simplest things seem like the biggest moments in my life. Our fingers are laced together, and I feel like there’s an invisible ribbon tying us together with a bow.
If this is a dream, don’t wake me.
Reese rings the door and looks back at me, grinning. I can’t help it. I feel like we’re both kids with all this grinning and stealing little glances at each other. It feels like what it should be. What the silly Disney princess movies were all about. The small moments that make your heart zing.
“Hey, sweetie.”
I didn’t even hear the door open, too caught up in Reese. Maybe I should have warned him or something. Or maybe I really am just what he calls me—a troublemaker.
“Hi, Daddy.”
Chapter 21—Gator
“Reese, honey, you want more sweet potatoes?” Bailey’s mom, Dionne, asks as she adds a second helping to my plate.
“Thank you,” I say.
Avery, Bailey’s dad, just grunts as his wife also dishes up more food on his plate. Neither of us is finished with the first round, but that doesn’t seem to stop her. I notice Bailey across the table holding up her glass of water to hide her smile, my own lips twitching at it all.
It was pretty obvious from the start that Dionne isn’t about to let anyone go hungry on her watch. Either that or she refuses to have leftovers.
“Now, tell me, dear. Were you here the other night, or was that another biker friend of yours, Bailey? I have to say, my little girl knows how to bring the boys to the yard.”
“Jesus,” Avery grumbles as he hangs his head and stuffs potatoes in his mouth.
At the same time, Bailey cries out, “Mom!”
I choke on my food and grab the water in front of me to clear the air pipe.
“What?” Dionne looks as if she generally has no idea what she said wrong, making it harder for me to keep from laughing. “I’m only saying that if he wants a chance at our little girl, he needs to know that she has plenty of other suitors knocking on her door. He needs to snatch her up quick if he wants to take her off the market.”
“Oh my God, Mom, stop talking.” Bailey looks on, mortified, as she eyes her mom, then me, and finally her dad. “Daddy, do something.”
