“To Alley and her bats!” they all shouted.
The guys all chuckled, now more relaxed. It was clear they all noticed the threat was no longer around us. I just wish I knew what the fuck it had been. I would stay vigilant but wanted River to continue to have a good time.
All the ladies seemed to enjoy themselves after that, with a bit more dancing, a whole lot of laughter and maybe a wee too much wine. By the end of the evening, all of them, except Lake, were a bit tipsy.
It was the second time since meeting River, I’d found myself driving her home after a bit too much to drink. Onlythis time, there was no sadness surrounding us in the car. She giggled and babbled non-stop as we drove to her house.
And she never let go of my hand.
Her stare wasfull of clarity.
River may have been feeling the effects of the glasses of wine she’d consumed, but I could read her gaze like an open book.
She glanced at my mouth and licked her lips. The kiss from earlier was clearly on her mind and wondering if it would happen again.
I was happy to oblige with a goodnight, end-of-date kiss, but that’s all it would be. I knew she wasn’t ready for more and there was no way anything beyond that would ever happen unless she was completely sober.
“Are you going to kiss me?” she asked breathlessly, voice full of need.
The sound went straight to my cock.
Down boy, behave.
“Do you want me to kiss you, sweetheart?”
As I took a few steps to get to her, she whispered, “Yes.”
Knowing Bronson would be bringing the kids home any minute, I didn’t have much time with River alone. I wanted it to be just the two of us when I claimed her mouth again.
Leaning one arm against the door beside her head, I slowly brought my other hand up toward her face. Just as I was about to ask permission to touch her, she said, “Don’t ask, just do what feels right. I trust you and just want you to treat me like any other girl.”
River looked down at the ground, studying the floor then. Doing as she asked, I placed my fingers under her chin, liftingher head so she had no choice but to look at me when I spoke.
I swiped my finger over her sultry lips. “You’re not like any other girl I’ve met. To me you’re the only girl that has ever mattered.”
Her breath hitched.
“One day I’m going to share all my secrets with you,” she said softly. “But today, I just need to feel your lips on mine.”
River’s tongue darted out and touched my thumb, causing a hitch in my breath that matched hers from seconds before.
Wasting no more time, I bent down and took her mouth in an earth-shattering kiss.
When we broke apart, she laid her forehead on my chest.
“Best date ever,” she whispered.
I didn’t tell her I didn’t have any competition since ours had been the only date she’d ever had. Instead, I rested my chin on top of her head like I’d done when we were dancing and wrapped her up in my arms again.
“Yeah, best date ever,” I echoed.
She burrowed in even closer.
“My warrior,” I whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
RIVER
