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She stands on her tiptoes, kissing my cheek. “Responsible men are so hot.” She winks and lowers her heels to the floor. She interlocks our fingers as I push off the wall and fall in step beside her. Vanessa is on the other side of her.
“Max, do you think you could stay with Irelynn for a few minutes when you drop her off? I have to run to the bookstore after my class ends to get a couple more books.”
“Sure, that’s no problem,” I say over Irelynn’s head. Glancing at Irelynn, I shake my head. “Stop biting your lip, Irelynn. You aren’t going to make me late for work.”
She releases her lip, laughing. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
I shrug. “It seemed obvious.”
Vanessa lets out a long sigh. “You two are so cute. I’ve never seen Irelynn so in sync with anyone before.” She throws her arm over Irelynn’s shoulder and says in a low voice that is just loud enough to reach my ears. “Marry this guy and have a bunch of adorable babies once you finish grad school, okay?”
“Ugh! Vanessa.” Irelynn’s jaw clenches and she throws a warning look at Vanessa, who promptly ignores it.
Kissing her on the cheek, she breezily says, “I gotta head to class. See you later, bestie.” Then she throws me a wave. “Max, thanks again for watching over her after class. I’ll see you soon.” Then she dashes off.
Swallowing hard, my stomach churns from Vanessa’s words. Cold sweat trickles down my back. Marriage is not a word that has been in my vocabulary since my engagement with Brianna ended. The mere thought nearly causes hives….
Irelynn gives me a sidelong glance, clearing her throat. “Please, ignore Vanessa. She is impossibly dramatic and says the strangest things.” Irelynn waves her hand dismissively, but she’s combing her fingers through the ends of her hair as if she’s very uneasy.
I nod, trying my damndest to forget what Vanessa said. Hell, Irelynn and I haven’t gone on an official date yet… though speaking of….
“So, dinner tonight?” I change the subject, not wanting to discuss anything relating to marriage or children.
Irelynn looks relieved. “Absolutely. Do you know where you want to go?”
My face relaxes and I smile at her. “I do. But it’s a surprise.”
“Oh? Well, then, can you tell me if I should change or not?” Her big brown eyes peer up at me, a grin pulling up her lips.
“Wear something comfortable,” I simply say, scanning her outfit.
“Hmm… now I’m curious.” Excitement makes her eyes sparkle and I make a mental note that she loves surprises.
“If you guess correctly, I’ll tell you my middle name.” My grin stretches across my face as we head toward her next class.
“Oh, upping the stakes, huh?” Her grin widens. “Game on.”
My voice is low against her ear. “Game on, beautiful.”
Chapter twenty-five
Irelynn
August27,2018,4:00p.m.
Max holds my hand as he drives to my apartment, rock music playing through his speakers. It’s a beautiful day and the temperature is perfect. Max has the soft top off his Jeep, allowing the warm air to blow across our skin as he drives.
Turning my head, I study him from behind my sunglasses. The sun glistens through his honey blond hair, illuminating his golden highlights. He’s wearing a pair of sunglasses over his blue eyes, and though I love seeing the emotion in his gaze when he looks at me, he looks damned good in the glasses. His tan face is relaxed as he navigates through traffic, heading back to my apartment.
He turns his head my way, his eyes a mystery since I can’t see them. “What are you thinking, beautiful?”
“How hot you look right now.”
Oh. My. Freaking. God. Did I just admit that to him? What the hell is wrong with my brain-to-mouth censor?
He chuckles. “That’s quite a compliment, coming from you.” He lifts my hand to his lips, kissing it, and I swoon.
I let out a soft sigh, sinking into the seat. Max has me feeling out of sorts in the best possible way. Every time I’m away from him, I can’t stop thinking about him. Longing for the time to pass so I can see him, though we haven’t been apart much since Saturday.
