She kicks off her heels, before putting her feet up on my dash almost exactly the same way Dare does. And then she reaches over for my hand and we settle into an easy quiet where she keeps perfuming her happiness while looking free as a bird.
These assholes have been holding her back. In absolutely everything and anything including the simple things in life by the looks of it. And that shit stops now.
It’s uncanny the way her thoughts are on a similar track to mine. “Hey, Kairo, are you sure you’re okay that we’re going on a date.”
“Huh?”
“I mean it’s not just you and me. How many women have you dated that bring along another carload of security with them.”
“I have to tell you how little it bothers me. Them following us, I mean. Other stuff about how they act around you I have major issues with, but we’re not solving that now. Tonight is about you and me.”
I flick my indicator on and change lanes, giving our convoy plenty of time to switch too and follow as we take Exit 4.
“We’re going to the Bay?” Heidi sits up.
“It’s got the best food trucks,” I answer, about to start listing off all the reasons why the food is the best. I barely finish speaking and my phone rings. Usually, I’d answer handsfree and even though Ramses knows what my plans are, it’s not something I want to risk, I pick up and press it to my opposite side. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Just checking in. Is there something wrong with that?” My brother snaps.
I don’t mean to laugh, but Ramses is as predictable as rain in a storm. He’s wicked pissed because he fucked up with Heidi, trying to go incognito meant he screwed up big time. And if there’s an iota of a chance of her recognising him by his scent, it’s not a chance we can take yet.
“I’d love to chat, but I’m on a date with my pretty girl, and you’re not invited.” I chuckle as I hang up, tossing my phone into the centre console. As soon as it lands, it rings again until it rings out. There’s a second of silence before he tries again.
“Trouble?” she asks; her eyebrow curls up and matches the small smirk on her lips.
“Nah, not really. My brother is being a dick is all,” I offer with a shrug before I link our fingers again.
“Is he always like that?” she asks again, her lips twisting into a smile. Heidi looking sassily demure is a beautiful thing, her eyes sparkle in the low light.
“He is overprotective and irrationally neurotic on a good day.”
“Today’s not a good day?”
“Well, for me, it’s been amazing. For him not so much,” I chuckle before winking at her. “Sit back and relax, we’ll be there soon.”
“Easy done,” she replies before tipping her face to the night sky, a soft smile on her face. I turn the radio to my favourite country rock song and start singing along. Partially to block out the noise of Ramses trying my phone again.
And the rest of the drive we keep our hands intertwined, chatting about nothing, and the time passes too quickly.
I think spending any time with Heidi is going to feel that way. Pulling into the nearly deserted carpark I take a spot over in the darkest corner, and I park on an angle so her security can’t park too close.
As soon as I turn the car off, the radio shuts down with it. The waves crash loudly but besides that the night is quiet. Jumping out of the car, I race around to her door and make a show of opening it up for her, but instead of making room, I crowd into her. My fingers brush her hair off her face, it’s all over the place from having the top down, but she looks amazing.
“Now what?” Heidi asks, her voice a little breathy, and I’m going to make it my mission to make her talk like that every time we’re together.
Purposely pushing her against the passenger seat more I reach over for my bag, and I take my time dragging it from the back to the front so I can soak in her sweet apple scent some more. Her brown eyes are dark, and I’m sure mine are too but I’m not going to hide what she does to me.
“First up, you’re changing, and then I’m going to piggy-back you to the truck. We’re going to order some food to share then sit on the sand, let it get cold while we make out.”
I half expect her to argue about not having anything to wear, but she twists around and unzips the back of her dress. Digging through my bag, I grab a spare pair of grey sweats and an old hoodie, dropping them on her lap.
“Let me touch you up,” I offer when she starts to shuffle around to get her arm free of her dress. My finger trails from behind her ear and hooks into the neckline to drag it down her arm. I never thought undressing a woman like this would be such a turn on, but it is.
And despite looking like I’m completely obsessed and under her spell, there’s a larger part of me that is blisteringly aware of what is going on around us and there is no threat anywhere near. But I also know that Dare is online watching for any sign of trouble coming our way.
I thank my father right there and then for being such a hard ass growing up and giving me and my brothers the insight of how to split attention while focussing on her.
The cup of her sleeve drops to near her elbow, making her dress gape off her shoulder and unveiling her midnight blue satin lingerie; my eyes dart to hers, but she’s watching her security climb out of their car.
