“You want to head out of here?” I asked a short while later after we’d finished our drinks and our waters. A few of my teammates and their partners had left, and I was ready to go too.
“Yes, Let me just order an Uber.” She pulled out her phone.
I put my hand on hers. “I can take you home, Dani. I only had two drinks and two bottles of water, so I’m good to drive. It’s late, and I’d rather not put you into an Uber when you’ve had a few more. It’s just as easy for me to drive you home.”
“Umm, thanks.”
“Plus, I’m not ready to say good night just yet,” I murmured, enjoying how her smile widened.
“Me neither.”
We said our goodnights, then I ushered her out of the bar. There was a nip in the night air and she curled herself into my body as we made our way to my SUV.
I held the passenger door open for her and she slid in, turning to give me a beautiful smile.
“Such a gentleman.”
“I’m just holding open the door for you. Anyone should do that.” There was a hint of edge in my tone that made her stiffen. Then she pulled the door shut.
“I’m sorry, Dani,” I said when I got into my seat.
She sighed. “I have shitty taste in men. I get it.”
“I’m not trying to remind you of that, I swear. And I didn’t even mean it that way. You were a little unsteady, so I was trying to be helpful. I’d do this for any of my friends, honest. But you know you deserve better, right?”
“Can we not talk about this right now? I was enjoying my buzz.” Then she turned to look out the window.
I reached over and linked my fingers with hers, needing to touch her, and was grateful when she didn’t pull free.
“What are we doing here?” she asked when I pulled up to my condo building a few minutes later.
“I thought you could use a Tucks and Pucks sandwich.”
“A what?”
Had I really just said that out loud? I internally shook my head at my dumbass comment, but at least she was looking at me like I was crazy and not like she was about to stomp off.
“Did you really just say a Tucks and Pucks sandwich?”
“Uh, maybe,” I said sheepishly. “I’ll have you know that Pucks is very good at snuggling. And I’m not half bad, either. Not that I expected you to snuggle with me.” I paused. “Okay, I sound like a total idiot. Anyway, I needed to let Pucks out and we were close to my building.”
She burst out laughing. “You truly are adorkable.”
I shifted my body to face hers after turning off my car. “A-what?”
“An adorable dork. Adorkable,” she said. “I promise, it’s a good thing.”
“If you say so. Are you mad that we detoured here instead of me just dropping you off at your place?”
Her tongue peeked out, touching the corner of her mouth, and I sure as hell didn’t feel adorable or like a dork right now. I wanted to tug her into my lap.
“I promise meeting Pucks will make it all worth it.”
“I guess, but he better give great snuggles.” Her lighthearted tone made me grin.
“The best. He did learn from me, after all,” I boasted.
She rolled her eyes. “Totally adorkable.”
