AllFreeNovel
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There aren’t Christmas decorations hanging up any longer, but it still resembles a Hallmark movie set. It’s almost as if I expect to see a couple coming out of the bakery holding hands and one snowflake falling in front of them.
Glancing back up at the light, it changes to green.
Minutes later, I’m pulling into the park Danny and I decided to meet at. It’s slightly eerie here by myself, but I do as he told me. Lock my doors and leave the car running. Grabbing my phone, I mindlessly scroll through Instagram, catching up with friends from college.
I’m in the middle of looking at my old roommates photo dump from her trip to Cancun when there’s a knock at my window.
Jumping, I gaze up, thankful to see Danny standing there, smiling brightly.
In a flurry, I turn off my car, shoulder my purse, and step out.
As soon as my feet are on the pavement, his arms are around me.
Cinching at my waist, slightly lifting me off the ground.
My arms circle his neck and it’s the most natural thing to tilt my mouth into his. No hesitation, he takes the kiss I’m offering, giving it right back.
When we break away, he’s wearing a smirk. “Miss me?”
“Are we that far into a relationship yet?” I tease.
“Speeding head first into it.” His voice is soft, vulnerable.
If he can put himself out there, then so can I. “I think so too.”
He drops me carefully, running one hand down my back to cup my ass. His other goes to my palm and clasps our fingers together. “C’mon, I’ll drive.”
Turning to my car, I shut the door and lock it up. Not once does his grip let go of mine. When I’m finished, we head over to his Jeep. Like the gentleman I’m learning he can be, he opens the passenger door, indicating for me to slide in. Making sure I’m comfortable, he shuts the door then jogs around the front to hop in the driver’s seat.
“Where are we gonna go?” I ask as he gets the engine going and buckles himself in.
He shrugs. “Here, there, and everywhere.”
There’s something extremely sexy about the way he puts the Jeep in reverse then turns, places his arm around the back of my seat and checks behind us. It’s an undoubtedly mundane move, but indescribably male.
Facing back toward the road, he puts it in drive and I’m now at his mercy. Ready to go wherever he takes me, both literally and figuratively.
The silence between us isn’t uncomfortable, but I want to hear his voice.
These past four years away from the East Tennessee mountains helped me realize how much I missed the accent of home I’d always known. Needing to hear him speak, I question his lateness.
“Why was your mom telling you about yourself?”
He chuckles, the sound of it rolling over my body, warming parts I didn’t even realize were cold. “She thinks I need to stop helping with the family business. My dad needs to find a way to make things work without me, especially now that I’m on full-time with the fire department. According to her, I’m spreading myself too thin and it’s time for me to give it up. I’m to find a woman and give her grandbabies in the next few years. Those are her wants and desires; she’s made it clearly known.”
“She’s not subtle is she?”
“Not one bit,” he laughs again.
“Doesn’t that scare you? Her already having your life planned before you get there? I have a degree and I’m still not sure where I want to be in ten years. Although I’ve always been a little flighty,” I reluctantly admit.
“Nah,” he shakes his head. “That woman knows my heart. Even when I’m not sure I get where she’s coming from or what she sees in the future for me, it ends up being right.”
It’s impressive to see someone know their mother as well as he does. It’s not something I’m used to. Obviously I know my dad, but I’ve always yearned to have a mother like everyone else does. That’s my hangup, though, and not his. Clearing my throat, I force a smile to my face. “It’s good that the two of you are close.”
“Sometimes too close, but she always means well.”
This is uncharted territory for me. I don’t have these same experiences.
