The cool night hits me like a splash of cold water, and I think about turning back, about keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground.
But then Reid’s laugh breaks through my racing thoughts, and I glance up at him. He’s smiling, genuine, playful, and suddenly, the fear doesn’t seem so loud anymore.
It’s drowned out by the excitement, by the way his hand feels around my waist, pulling me closer to him with every step.
“Where are we going?” I ask, a little breathless, but I can’t quite hide the grin tugging at my lips.
“Somewhere fun,” he says with a wink, as if that explains everything.
It doesn’t, of course, but it’s enough to keep me moving forward.
We step out into the parking lot, the sound of our shoes against the gravel mixing with the soft murmur of the town in the distance. I can hear the laughter from the bar, but it feels miles away now, part of some other life.
It’s just me and him, and I have no idea where this is headed.
I feel tipsy, but it’s not just the alcohol. It’s him. The way he’s looking at me, like I’m the only person in the world. And that’s enough to make me forget all the rules I’ve spent so long following.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I ask, a little teasing, but also uncertain.
Tonight hasnotgone the way I planned, and I don’t know if I should just… throw caution to the wind in this way.
Reid just shrugs, his grin widening. “When’s the last time you did something spontaneous? Live a little, Dakota.”
His words float between us, and I let them hang there before something inside me clicks. Maybe it’s the whiskey still buzzing in my veins, or maybe it’s just the way he’s looking at me like he’s waiting for me to jump.
Either way, I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head as I reach for his hand.
“Alright. Lead the way,” I say, my heart doing that thing again. Fluttering in my chest, trying to escape.
Reid’s eyes light up, and without another word, he tugs me toward the truck. I follow willingly, my mind a swirl of questions and excitement, but all I can focus on right now is the way he makes me feel.
Alive, untethered, and like anything is possible.
When we reach the truck, Reid turns to me with that grin again, only this time there’s something more in his gaze that feels heavier, but in the best way.
“Well?” he says, taking a step closer, his breath warm against my ear. “What do you say, Fletcher? Ready for a little fun?”
I swallow, my pulse racing. The night stretches out in front of me, full of unknowns, and I’m just… living.
I lean in, my lips brushing his ear as I whisper, “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Reid chuckles, the sound low and full of promise, and before I know it, his lips are on mine, claiming me.
I pull him closer, deepening the kiss, feeling his hand slide up my back, his touch warm and sure. The world fades out, and there’s nothing but us. Kissing and laughing, our lips never quite leaving each other’s as we stumble away from the truck, still caught in the heat of the moment.
“You’re trouble, too, Fletcher,” Reid says playfully between kisses.
I pull away just enough to look at him, grinning. “You have no idea.”
I’m dizzy with the heat of it, the thrill of the moment.
“Your truck’s looking pretty good right now,” I say with a laugh, thick with the alcohol and the heat of the moment.
Reid’s gaze flickers down to my lips, and his thumb brushes across them, tantalizingly slow.
“Guess we can’t waste any more time, then,” he murmurs before pulling me inside his truck, the door slamming behind us.
Inside, the space feels too small, too hot. Reid is everywhere, his hands sliding to the back of my neck, tilting my head so he can kiss me again, deeper this time, as his other hand moves to the hem of my shirt.
