“Can I talk now?” I ask, adding a sprinkle of attitude. She responds with a pointed glare that makes me want to show her what’s through the door to her left. But what I have in mind isn’t an option right now, so I take that as my cue to continue. “I can have your truck done by the end of the week.”
“Really?” she says, her face lighting up with a hopeful smile. That causes a whole other emotion that I’m not sure how to describe—some may say it has me feeling all thewarm and fuzzies, but I’d rather stick my tongue in a mousetrap than say that out loud.
“Yes, Bambi,” I say, letting the wall prop me up. “Plus, even if I did offer to be your chauffeur, you couldn’t afford me.”
“Is that so?” she asks with a playful smile on her lips. I love it when she smiles. I can almost see the sixteen-year-old Emery I fell for the first time.
“Yes,” I answer, contemplating how far I want to go. “I only take payment in compliments, and I know that makes you physically ill.”
“True,” she says, tucking her arms behind her back and pushing her chest forward. It’s almost like she’s daring me tolook. What a tease. “Would you accept another form of payment?”
Excitement scratches at the back of my throat. “What did you have in mind, Bambi?” I step closer, expecting her to maintain the space between us, but she holds her ground…again.
Emery inches her face closer to mine, and we’re thrust back into the heated moment from a few minutes ago. This only works if I convince myself that it’s all in my head, but now I’m not so sure.
“I can show you better than I can tell you. Close your eyes,” she commands. Her hot breath tickles the end of my nose, and I’m so close to my fuck it moment. I willingly obey and squeeze both lids shut.
I keep them shut, holding my breath and trying to tune out the sound of my own heart hammering. There’s a shift in the air, and then I feel a hand ghost across my chest. It’s both light and maddeningly devious.
Anticipation continues to curl through me as I imagine Emery’s lips inching closer to mine. It’s been so long that I can’t remember how she tastes, and all of a sudden, I realize how much I hate that.
What I expect are two soft lips planted on mine. What I get is a sharp pinch on the back of my arm, making my eyes shoot open in surprise.
“Ouch!” I yell, taking a step back. “What the hell!”
Her eyes shimmer with the same mischievous glow I usually rock. It’s also accompanied by the world’s biggest smile. Apparently, my pain makes her very happy. I should find that concerning, but it doesn’t do anything to quell the fire burning under my skin.
“I can’t believe you thought I was going to kiss you,” Emery says, shoving my shoulder. “You deserve more than a pinch, idiot.”
“You know we’re going to have to kiss eventually, right,Bambi?” I say, trying to recover from the disappointment being injected into my veins. “I thought you wanted to practice.”
She quirks a brow. “I’m sure that’s exactly what you thought. You can think about your actions while you give me a ride home.”
Emery doesn’t waste a second before stalking toward the stairwell. Of course, I follow like the sad little puppy I am.
“You never gave me a definite answer,” I say when we hit the bottom of the stairs. She finally breaks from her fast pace and spins to face me. It could be the fluorescent lighting, but her face looks flushed.
“You have yourself a deal. I’ll start moving my stuff in tomorrow. I hope you’re ready for me to mess up your space. I’m not exactly neat.”
She has no idea just how ready I am.
“This place is packed,” I call out to Beau, who’s trying to push past a drunk couple arguing in front of our table.
“I think there’s a band tonight,” he answers, setting two long-neck beers down. “That or karaoke. I just saw a mic being set up in the corner, but I’m praying it’s not karaoke.”
A fond memory of Beau’s drunken rendition ofLike a Virginby Madonna comes to mind when I think about karaoke. He really had me believing he was a virgin there for a second until he found himself in a dark corner with some stranger later in the night.
“You were a star that night,” I say, offering him a friendly cheers. He glares at me and takes a big swig of his beer instead. I shake my head and smile before pulling my own drink to my lips. After last night, I really needed this.
The ride back to Emery’s place was quiet and filled withtension so thick that not even a knife could cut through it. I spent the entire ride home and most of last night tossing and turning just thinking about that almost kiss. How could something that didn’t even happen take up so much real estate in my head?
I almost had a car hood drop on me today because I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to run my hands through her thick hair and tug until she threw her head back in pleasure. Hell, I’m even picturing her in the bar right now, giving me eyes from across the room.
Oh wait. I’m not picturing it.
She’s here.
“What are you looking at?” Beau asks, turning his head in the direction of my eyeline. “Did you tell your girl to meet us out? Not cool, bro—unless she brought the redhead for me, then I’m all for it.”
