“Yeah, yeah.” He glances back toward the kitchen. “Nice girl, that Hailey. Maddie’s always talkin’ about her. Doesn’t feel right she’s all the way out in Colorado alone.”
I keep my face neutral. “She’s doing fine.”
“You keep an eye on her out there?”
“Yeah.” My throat goes a little tight. “Maddie makes sure I do.”
Dad nods, satisfied, and twists a hook. “Good.”
“Hey.” Hailey sidles up next to me a minute later with a plastic container. “Your mom said to put these in the garage freezer. But I don’t know where…”
“I’ll show you.” I take the container from her and jerk my head toward the mudroom. “This way.”
The hallway between the kitchen and the garage is narrow and quiet. Her shoulder brushes mine and every nerve in my body takes notice.
“You okay?” she whispers, eyes dancing because she knows exactly what she’s doing, just like she knows damn well where our deep freezer is.
“No,” I mutter back. “You?”
“Not even a little.”
I almost kiss her. Right there, next to my dad’s boots and Mom’s box of angel choir decorations. I want to press her into the wall, taste the sugar on her mouth, remind her what I do to her when we’re not surrounded by family. Instead, I open the garage door and keep my nefarious thoughts to myself.
I set the cookies in the freezer, close it slow, then lean both hands on the top like I need the support. She’s watching me, cheeks still flushed from the kitchen, hair in that loose ponytail that shows her throat.
“This is torture,” I say quietly.
Her smile is quick. “Kinda fun, though.”
“You think this is fun?”
“You trying to act like you’re not currently dying to climb me like a Christmas tree?” she teases, keeping her voice low. “Yeah. A little.”
I groan once, very quietly, and scrub a hand over my face. “You’re gonna get us caught.”
“Me?” She presses a hand to her chest, fake-offended. “You’re the one looking at me like you did in that motel room right before you?—”
“Don’t,” I warn, voice dropping.
Her eyes spark. “Don’t what?”
I step in, just enough that she has to tilt her chin up, just enough that her back brushes the freezer. I don’t touch her. I don’t kiss her. I just let her feel the wall of me and how thin the ice is.
“Tempt me,” I murmur, “or I’m gonna fuck you right here.”
Her breath catches. “You wouldn’t.”
He tilts his head to the side. “You sure you wanna test me again?”
The door to the kitchen swings open. “Cole? Did you show her—oh.” Mom stands there, holding a roll of tape, eyes flicking between us. “You found it.”
“Yeah,” I say, stepping back, casual as hell. “Just putting them in.”
“Your freezer is very organized, Mrs. Bristol.”
“Oh, I wish,” Mom says, stepping in to set the tape on the deep freezer. “Now, when you two are done flirting?—”
“Mom,” I groan.
