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“Good, then I’ll figure something new out and put a smile back on your face where it belongs.” She watched me over her bowl as we ate in comfortable silence. Well, comfortable for me, I could tell by the twitches on her face that her mind was rolling, and a lot was going unsaid between us, for now.
Maybe the date was exactly what she needed to open up about whatever was on her mind, even if it was to admit that buying me was just a joke with the hefty price tag.
That’s what I half-expected anyway.
That had to be it.
After finishing our pasta in silence, I took the dishes and washed them after sending her to shower and get dressed. A half-hour later, she came down the stairs in a pair of tight jeans, a vintage Stones t-shirt, and a blazer, looking cool and sexy as all hell.
“Acceptable?” She lifted her arms and then dropped them back to her side as she spun. I put the dish towel down, wiping my hands on my thighs while staring at her tight, perfect ass. Then, instinct took over as I walked over to her and grabbed her chin, kissing her deeply before pulling back.
“Perfect. Though truthfully, you could wear rags, and I’d still think you were hot.” She stared at me for a moment before smiling doubtfully and walking over to the door. She tugged on a pair of Converse as I got my boots back on, and I held the door before ushering her out to my truck.
She climbed into the passenger seat, grabbed the door as I started to close it, and sat there, half-hanging out the door before she nodded.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it seemed like consent, so I closed the door and walked over to my side, climbing in and pulling out.
“So, what replacement date idea did you come up with?” Dakota leaned forward to adjust the volume on my radio, leaning back again as she bobbed her head with the song.
“I’m still going to take us to Pleasant Lake, mainly because I think if we ran into any of my brothers right now, you’re not in the mood to deal with them.” She nodded in agreement. “So, my original date still stands. Maybe not the high-tea picnic, though, since it’s probably going to be more like dinner by the time we’re hungry again.”
“So, we’re spending the afternoon in Pleasant Lake?”
I lifted my foot off the gas slightly, suddenly feeling uncertain with my plan as I glanced at her.
“We don’t have to.”
“It’s not—the date sounds great. But I work in Pleasant Lake.”
“Oh, right.” I frowned as I considered what she meant. “You don’t want to run into any co-workers?” It was nearing the end of winter when the coldness gave way to milder weather. We didn’t need the same kind of gear we would have a few weeks ago … and just like that, I had my new idea.
“Not—”
“Okay, I have a new plan. Back to the picnic idea, sort’ve.” I grinned at her, checked my rearview mirror and side-view mirror, and then pulled a U-turn. Dakota leaned forward to brace herself on the dash as I did, and she glanced at me in confusion.
“Should I be worried?”
“I’m a firefighter, Dakota. I’m the hero.”
She snorted and rolled her eyes, unable to stop her laugh. “I don’t know that I’d call you a hero.”
“Hey, Mrs. Taverstock did last week when I retrieved her cat. That’s high praise.”
Dakota let out a sudden bark of laughter, and it warmed me through, feeling as though I’d finally cracked the hard shell she’d wrapped herself in for protection. She didn’t need it, not with me.
I had no plans of hurting her, now or ever.
dakota
Deacon droveuntil he stopped at a sideroad country market, dragging me inside as we picked out bread, cheese, and snacks. They sold moonshine, too, so Deacon grabbed a bottle before looking over their offerings for handknit hats.
He picked out a grey one with a white pompom and slid it over my head, his fingers brushing my cheeks when he pulled away, and the flutter of butterflies made me feel nervous. With a kiss on my nose, he sent me back to the truck, and when he emerged from the store, his arms were overflowing with more things than we’d picked out. He dropped everything into the bed of the truck before walking back to the front of the store and grabbing a bag of firewood.
After depositing it with the rest of the stuff he’d bought, he climbed back in and silently drove out of the parking lot. He still hadn’t given away anything about this date, keeping the classic rock station on the radio playing loud and singing along like he wasn’t keeping me on my toes.
The urge to ask him what was happening played on the tip of my tongue but every time I looked over at him, ready to say something, he smirked and shook his head.Alright then.
Before long, he stopped the truck on the side of the road and turned to look at me.
