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“Let me give you a ride, then.”
‘I’ll be fine. I can walk. Are you okay to drive, even? You’ve had a few drinks tonight.”
“Lainey, it’s freezing out here and nearly midnight. Creeps hang around every corner waiting for a pretty girl to be walking alone. They’ll grab you and take your feet for their fridge before you even know what happened. And I’ve had two beers over five hours, I’m sure I’m okay to drive.”
I gently bump my shoulder against his bicep. “Would it stress you out to know I’ve walked home alone after the bar closed many times before?”
He places a hand on my lower back, fingertips dancing above my backside, ready to cross that fine line between gentleman and something more as he guides me toward the parking lot. “Don’t do that. No more, you hear me? Call me, instead.”
“Okay,Dad.” I purse my lips together to temper a smile, refusing to look at him even though I feel his stare heavy on the side of my face.
We walk in sync, the steps bringing us closer together and his hand moves across my lower back to my hip, pulling me into him.
It’s been so long since a man has had his arms wrapped around me in such an affectionate way. I want to rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes for a second, to let myself believe things could be different. It’s the same feeling I get whenever we are in the same room. We are opposite poles of a magnet, drawn together with so much force it’s hard to separate.
When we turn the corner into the near-empty lot, I see a few compact cars and a giant black truck that catches my eye. The sleek, midnight body matches the aluminum matte black wheels.The cab of the truck sits much higher than I’d be able to reach without a step stool. It practically oozes sex.
Ryan pulls his keys from his pocket, thumb reaching for a small grey button when the engine of the truck revs in front of us.
“That’s your truck?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing at all. I love trucks.” The country girl in me grew up around lifted, loud pickup trucks, and there is something inherently sexy about them. “All the guys in my hometown drive big trucks, but here it seems like everyone has a car. Especially the doctors.”
“Am I not a good ol’ country boy?”
Looking at his crisp ironed button-up and tobacco suede boots, I laugh. “Not exactly. I could see you in a Range Rover, maybe. Or a Mercedes, a convertible, something a little more …” I trail off, looking for the right word.
“A little more …” he prompts.
“Dainty?” I instantly laugh and cover my mouth as Ryan’s face drops. “Not saying you’re dainty or anything, it’s just the word that first came to mind.”
His thumb traces lines back and forth on my hip. “Baby, I promise there’s nothing dainty about me.”
“Well, I’ll never know, will I?”
He barks out a laugh. “Keep telling yourself that, Peterson. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Besides, I need the big truck, how else would I tote around all the babies and puppies that I foster?”
“Orphansand puppies.”
His smile is visible even in the darkened parking lot. “Oh, that’s right.Orphans.”
He follows me to the passenger side of his truck and opens the door, a running board deploying to offer a step up. Hereaches for my hand, and I gladly take his as he helps boost me into the tall cab. The fabric smells like him—mandarin and sage and something else that’s pure seduction. I inhale as I relax into the seat, turning to reach for the seatbelt only to find him already pulling it down and across my lap. My breath catches, our faces level as he leans into the cab for the latch, his muscular forearm draped across my thighs.
“You think you have me all figured out, Lainey,” he mumbles as he clicks the belt in place, tucking his fingers under to tighten the strap. “I know you’ve put me in a box with all the boys who have tried and failed, telling yourself that I’m just like them.” He pulls back a hair, eyes working their way across my face, gauging my reaction before he continues. “I might not be worthy, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting you.” His vision is locked on me as he steps back, a sad smile grazing his lips as he gently shuts the door.
He climbs in the driver’s side and adjusts the heat in my direction. He clears his throat as he presses the button to turn on the seat warmers. “Which way is your place?”
I lick my lips, trying to force some moisture into my mouth after surviving the fucking bomb he just dropped on me. “Down there a few blocks. Take a left at the light.”
The mood shifts and it’s quiet as I reflect on the night I had versus the night I expected. I turn to glance at his profile in the darkened cab, his strong jaw, and shaggy hair that is growing deliciously long. “I’m glad you were there tonight …” I tell him. “I had fun. After the date.”
He keeps his eyes on the road as he adjusts himself in his seat. “The night doesn’t have to be over yet, you know. I can think of a few ways to keep this fun going.”
My stomach somersaults at how bold he has become. I turn to look at him, but he keeps his eyes on the road, trying his best to hide the smile escaping from his lips.
He turns into my apartment complex, and I point to the corner lot. “I’m the third door down by that light.”
