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“Don’t make promises you know you can’t keep.” She blinked at him from beneath a tangle of blond hair, as pretty as a picture, made all the more attractive because it was because of him that her lips looked so kissably plumped and his whiskers that left light marks on her pale skin. He felt out of control and damn near animalistic with the need to mark her, to prove to anyone who came too close that she was his and his alone. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have a right to claim her.
He’d given up being an honorable man a long time ago.
“We’ll talk about it later…but later isn’t here yet.” She rolled into him, hooking his neck and pulling him down to her. “Now, kiss me and let’s stop worrying for a little while.”Chapter Eleven“It’s been a minute, stranger.”
Daniel kept his cell to his ear as he closed the door to the truck, doing his damnedest to ignore the censure in his friend’s tone. “I’ve been busy.”
When Hope had woken up, she’d developed a totally bizarre craving for Greek yogurt, so he was hustling to pick some up before she starved to death since that was the one thing they hadn’t purchased yesterday. Pregnancy sure makes her dramatic. Not that he’d ever tell her that to her face. Things were finally starting to actually move forward between them, and he wasn’t about to do anything to fuck that up.
Not on purpose.
He’d already more than proven he could—and would—fuck up on accident.
Hence, making this call while he was alone.
“Busy.” Adam didn’t sound all that impressed, and he shouldn’t be. As far as excuses went, it was a shitty one. “By busy, I take that you mean you’ve been shacking up with Hope Moore for the weekend.”
This goddamn town was out of control. They’d left the house together exactly one time, and that was all it took for gossip to spread like wildfire to everyone who’d listen—which was the entire population. He checked the sidewalk in front of the store, but thankfully he didn’t see any of the older folk lurking, waiting to ambush him for news. If he hurried, he could get in and get out without running into someone he knew. “Word gets around.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t take her to Main Street and expect it not to—though I’m kind of thinking you damn well knew that.” Adam didn’t bother to give him a chance to respond. “What the fuck are you doing? I know things got carried away back at your birthday party, but I was under the impression she went back to Dallas.”
“She did.”
A beat of silence, then another. “Right, well, you don’t have to confide in me about shit. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be giddy as fuck over you shutting me out—again.”
Damn it, Adam had a point. He was the one who’d opened up a little over a year ago when he finally decided to stay in town for good. Daniel headed into the store, keeping his gaze focused on the ground and his hat tucked low. The truth was, there was a reason he’d called Adam instead of just issuing a blanket invite.
He needed someone to talk to.
It was hard to force the words out, hard to make it real by telling someone other than himself and Hope. He scanned the store, but there was only Jessica popping gum at the register, her attention trained her phone. Still, it couldn’t hurt to move deeper into the place. “She’s pregnant.”
Adam didn’t say anything while Daniel grabbed a basket to throw the yogurt into, and by the time he’d turned down an aisle at random, he still hadn’t said anything. “I’m taking that to mean you don’t approve.”
“What the fuck are you doing?”
He winced and held his phone a little farther from his ear. He surveyed the food lining the shelf in front of him. Cereal. He could do better than cereal. She would need vitamins and shit to help the baby grow healthy. Oatmeal is better. He frowned at the selection and finally grabbed one of the high-fiber ones. Babies need fiber, right? “I’m doing right by her, Adam. It’s time.”
“There’s nothing wrong with doing right by her, but this is a fucked-up situation, and if you don’t see that, you’re even more fucked in the head than I thought.”
Daniel narrowed his eyes, moving to the next aisle. “Tell me how you really feel.” He realized he was staring at a vat of olive oil and kept going, heading for the produce section. Devil’s Falls wasn’t exactly a hub of all things grocery related, but surely he could find something that would sound good to Hope.
Adam seemed to realize he was being a jackass, because he took a harsh breath. “I’m sorry. But what the hell are you two going to do?”
