“I do not.”
“Uh, you do.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ll share my Tic-Tacs with you.”
CHAPTERTWENTY
Sawyer
Taylor was quiet while we waited for the valet to bring my SUV over. Though I kept my hand on the small of her back, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making things uncomfortable for her. Normally, I didn’t give things like this a second thought. And normally, women wanted the attention. But I cared what Taylor thought.
No woman that I’ve been with has ever made me want to care about what they were thinking. Taylor was different, though. She wasn’t into showing off when she went places or looking around to see who noticed her or who she was with. She understood what I did for Michael, and she was okay with it. I’d never have to hide it from her or plaster a smile on my face after a grueling day. Taylor would know. And I loved the fact that she never let me slide on anything. She always challenged me and called me on my shit. I needed and wanted that kind of woman in my life. This woman. And she was in dire need of letting me unravel her and give her incredible sex.
“Is this okay?” I asked her as I rubbed her lower back.
“It is. It kills me to admit this, since I don’t like you, but I like it.”
I smiled and looked toward the street when headlights appeared. If she felt more comfortable and accepting of my touch while telling herself she didn’t like me, then that was fine with me.
Silence hung in the air between us as we hit the road back to Vail. I wanted to know what she was thinking, but she was a strong-willed woman who would voice her thoughts when she was good and ready. I’d learned that much about her.
“Thank you for dinner, Sawyer. I loved the restaurant. The food was amazing, and it was wonderful to meet some of your siblings. And thank you for the hand sanitizer,” she said.
“You’re welcome. But don’t use any of it near me.” I had to tease her about the hand sanitizer.
“Aspen is so pretty. I mean, not that Vail isn’t. But I love Aspen.”
“It’s very nice. I still prefer the small-town feel of Vail. But Aspen has a lot of nice shops and restaurants.”
Snow flurries started to hit the windshield, and the automatic wiper blades turned on. I adjusted the heat setting so she wouldn’t get cold. It would be a longer drive back to Vail if it snowed the whole way.
“The lights are so pretty here at night. I’m rarely here after dark.” Taylor laughed out loud, causing me to turn and look at her.
“What?” I asked.
“When I was in grade school, I’d cut a picture out of a magazine of Aspen at night. I thought it was the most beautiful place. I’d cry and threaten that I was going to run away and go to Aspen. He’d laugh, of course. He’d tell me I’d never make it and would be dead on the roadside. Funny how that never scared me. Death never scared me, but he did.”
I took a deep, steadying breath. I was disappointed that I’d never get to torture her foster father. I glanced at the time on the touch screen display and then reached over the center console and took hold of her hand.
“You up for a little adventure?”
“I should be nervous hearing you ask that.”
“Are you?”
“Not in the least.”
I smiled and drove along the main street and then turned at the next light. I headed toward one of the ski mountains and parked in the parking lot for the gondolas. With night skiing as an option on this mountain, the gondolas ran until midnight. These gondolas were fully enclosed and heated. Taylor would be able to see the whole town lit up.
Before we got out of my Range Rover, I opened the box of Tic-Tacs and poured five or six into my palm before tossing them in my mouth.
“Want some?” I offered.
“I’ll take one.”
“One?”
“Yes, I don’t have a Tic-Tac fetish.”
