“Interesting idea.”
“Who smells trees? That’s obviously the lie.”
“I appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to the choice, but I’ve never been banned from a hardware store. It was from Hank & Lulu’s.”
“Declan!” I purse my lips, chucking his shoulder with mine. “The Jenkinses are the nicest people. What did you do?”
“I brought three different girls on three different dates to the diner all in one day.” He chuckles. “I was in high school.”
My knee nudges his thigh. “They’re vicious. I like it. How long did it take for Hank and Lulu to let you back in?”
“Immediately. One of my brothers ratted me out to my uncle, who promptly drove my ass up there to apologize. He also made me volunteer there every weekend for a month. After that, they kept me on as a Sunday server.”
“Was that your uncle who you were with the other day?”
“That was him. The one and only Lucas Graham Wilder. He took me and my brothers in after our parents died.”
I think back to the plaque on the wall at the Chamber of Commerce. “I’m sorry for your loss, Declan.”
“Thanks. Me, too.” He shifts, his body leaning against the couch behind us. “My uncle Luke is great. He started Wilder Industries on his own, learning the lumber trade in Montana, where I was born. He moved to Texas when I was really young after some land opened up. Now, my brothers and I own half, with Uncle Luke owning the other half .”
A half-smile stretches across my face. Of course he’s a freaking lumberjack. “Okay. My turn. I can speak French. I got kicked out of my sorority for a prank involving the dean’s office. I lost my fifth-grade spelling bee by incorrectly spelling ‘sesquipedalian’.”
“If you can say ‘sesquipedalian,’ then you can probably speak French. So I’m going with getting kicked out of the sorority. Lies.”
“You’re right. It’s what got me elected president my senior year.”
“So how does one spell ‘sesquipedalian’?”
“Heck if I know. I lost to that bitch Serena Adams.”
We both burst out laughing, our heads bowing close, our noses touching. Our lips are a whisper apart. I’m not sure if I move first, or if Declan does, but our mouths meet, soft and searching. I pull back, my hand finding his jaw, as the puppy snores between us.
“Cal isn’t my boyfriend.”
“I know, Austin.”
The familiar scent of his cologne wraps around me as our lips meet, the woodsy citrus making my toes curl. I can’t help but smile against his mouth at the way my body remembers this. His lips find mine, warm and sure, his thumbs tracing my cheekbones. His breath mingles with mine for a heartbeat before he leans in, his short beard grazing my skin as his lips touch mine, sending another delicious shiver down my spine.
The kiss is soft and unhurried, as if we have all the time in the world. Nothing like in Austin. Yet, it’s just as delicious, maybe even more so because I know where this could lead. He doesn’t rush things, though. Instead, his fingers cup my neck as his lips open, a little bit of tongue seeking mine. Desire radiates through me, but I keep our kiss where it is.
When we finally part, Declan’s nose nuzzles mine as he whispers, “Definitely worth getting locked in the vault, Austin.”
“Same.”
Without warning, the puppy stirs, jumping up with a loud bark. We scramble to catch her little body before she bolts away from us, and Declan catches her just as the vault door opens. The lights flip on automatically, bathing us in amber light that is much brighter than it should be.
“Well, hi.” My boss, Nash Rivers, stands in the doorway to the vault along with Walker James and Cal, taking in the scene before him
Cal’s expression is a mixture of relief and fear. “Thank gawd, BreeBree. We couldn’t find you at first, but Nash suggested reaching out to Hannah, and her phone showed your location is here. The dot’s still blue.”
My hands reach toward the lights to block their sudden brightness as Declan hops up. He extends his hand to help me stand before scooping the puppy into his arms.
My eyes adjust to the light, and I can see tears brimming Cal’s eyes. Poor guy. “Hey. We’re okay, Cal. Truly. It’s okay.”
Walker walks forward, wordless, and pulls me in for a tight hug. There is absolutely nothing going on between us—he’s way too young for me. Still, his concern is touching.
Nash clears his throat, and Walker pulls back, nodding at me. “Wish I would’ve known y’all were down here, Bree.”
