Cade looks from me to Camden then to Charli. “All right.”
Charli huffs out a deep breath. “Hello? I can take care of myself,” she insists.
“Yes, but I would feel better knowing someone was watching out for you,” Cade replies gently.
His sister rolls his eyes. “That’s dumb.” Then, as if a switch is flipped, her annoyance transforms into one of those over-the-top gushy girl hugs. “I’m so sorry you feel bad, but I had the bestest time with you!” She throws her arms around Oaklee and gives her a firm hug.
Leaning closer to me, Cade whispers, “Keep an eye on her. I don’t know when the last time I saw her like this was.”
I nod. “No problem. I’ll make sure they both get home safe.”
Cade lifts his chin in acknowledgement before extracting his girlfriend from his sister’s clutches. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s get you home.”
As Camden and Charli engage in a conversation, my eyes follow their brother as he escorts his girlfriend to the bar. He leans over and says something to Collin, who glances back at us and nods. I’m certain he was just telling his twin how I’m driving the other two home, but to keep an eye on us. Collin and Cade take their jobs as the oldest siblings very seriously, not that I blame them. If I had a younger sibling—or any sibling at all—I’d be the same way.
Camden and I sit and watch his sister for a while, until finally she looks like she’s slowing down. It’s almost midnight, well past the time I thought I’d be home for the evening, and after a long day of work, I’m more than ready to call it a night.
“Ready?” Camden asks when she approaches the table after visiting with a couple of former school classmates.
“Yep,” she replies. She’s most definitely unsteady on her feet right now, and the more tired she gets, the more she seems to stumble.
“Come on, Cactus,” I state, gently sliding my arm around her waist to help guide her toward the door.
“I can walk just fine,” she insists, but I don’t remove my arm. Even though she’s putting one foot in front of the other, I can feel her leaning into my side as we go.
Camden and I each throw a wave at Collin and Lizzie before we reach the entrance. The air is cool outside and is welcome, my entire body suddenly all too aware of how close Charli and I are.
When we reach Camden’s truck, he opens the passenger door. “Put her in the front seat,” he says to me before turning his attention to his sister and adds, “Don’t you dare throw up in my truck.”
She starts giggling and can’t seem to stop. “I won’t, silly goose. I don’t ever throw up when I’m drunk. I’m Super Drunk,” she declares before diving into another giggle fit.
“Come on, Super Drunk,” I mutter, helping her climb into the passenger seat.
Suddenly, she leans forward and sticks her nose in my neck. Her inhale is loud and long, and I catch Camden’s smile and shake of his head. “You smell nice. Nothing like the overprotective jerk you normally smell like.”
I chuckle, reaching for her seat belt to make sure she’s secure. “Thank you? I didn’t realize overprotective jerk had a scent.”
“Oh, it does. But you smell all woodsy and nice now. I like it.”
Knowing my oldest friend is already in the back seat of his truck, most likely watching my every move, I ignore my own desire to brush my lips across her forehead or see if I can catch the jasmine and vanilla scent on her skin.
Instead, I keep things firmly in the no-fly zone, where our interactions have always been. “Let’s get you home and to bed.”
I should get some sort of award for this restraint.
CHAPTER
FOUR
Charli
Why does he have to smell so good?
Even in my drunkenness, I can see the dangers in what I just did. First off, he flat-out smells yummy, like a slice of the outdoors I want to eat like a cookie. A tree cookie, if you will, but one that tastes like chocolate.
Okay, that makes me giggle.
I don’t know where I was going with this…
