Stella glanced up at me, and I caught the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes before she masked it.
I knew what that look meant. Stella didn’t trust things to come easy. Didn’t trust men not to be assholes who’d say all the right things and then bail when it got hard or boring. But I’d prove to her I wasn’t like them. I’d make damn sure she never had reason to doubt me. Someday, she’d be as certain as I already was.
“Good,” Colin said. “Because if either of you hurts the other one, I’m taking both your sides and will make your lives miserable.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” Stella pointed out.
“Don’t care. It’s happening.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Congrats, man. You finally got the girl.”
I looked down at Stella, at the way the firelight caught the flecks in her eyes, at the small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I really did.”
We stayed at the bonfire for another hour, but everything felt different now.
Stella didn’t pull away when I stood close. She held my hand when we stood in line at the whoopie pie truck. And when someone asked how long we’d been dating, she didn’t hesitate before answering, “It’s new, but it’s good.”
By the time we said our goodbyes and headed for the parking lot, my chest felt too full to breathe.
“That wasn’t so bad,” Stella said as we reached my truck.
“You’re kidding, right? I thought I was going to spontaneously combust every time someone looked at you.”
She laughed, the sound bright and carefree. “You did fine.”
“I lasted an hour before Colin figured it out.”
“To be fair, we weren’t exactly subtle.”
“You think?” I backed her up against the passenger door, my hands bracing on either side of her. “But I was trying so hard.” I leaned in, my hips pressing against hers, and waggled my eyebrows. “So very hard.”
She let out a surprised laugh, her cheeks flushing. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You like it when I’m ridiculous.”
“I really fucking do.” Her hands slid up my chest and around my neck, and she pulled me down into a kiss.
I forgot about the cold, the crowd, everything except the taste of her and the way she melted into me.
When we finally came up for air, we were both breathing hard.
“Take me home,” she whispered against my mouth.
“Yours or mine?”
She pulled back just enough to look at me, one eyebrow arched. “Cade. Your roommate is my brother. And I have plans for you that require absolute privacy.”
I groaned, picturing what those plans might be. “Right. Your place it is.”
“Good call.” She kissed me again, quick and teasing.
I opened the passenger door and helped her in, then walked around to the driver’s side. As I slid behind the wheel, I caught sight of Colin standing near the bonfire, watching us with a stupid grin on his face.
He gave me a thumbs up.
I flipped him off.
He laughed.
