I tip her chin, meeting her gaze as her eyes glimmer in the flickering movie light like shards of sapphire. “Show me what you’d do if you weren’t so worried about messing this up. It’s only practice, so you can’t get it wrong.”
I wait patiently, letting her take the lead. Birdie exhales slowly, inching closer until our thighs touch, and her head rests on my shoulder. I brush a gentle kiss on her temple, anchoring us both in the moment, though her body is still locked up, one hand hesitating at her side.
“You’re doing amazing,” I say quietly, brushing her hair back. “Mind if I help make this even more comfortable for us both?”
Birdie looks up, a shy smile forming. “Please.”
I reach over and take her hand, guiding it across my chest before letting it rest on my hip.
“This okay?” I ask.
She nods. “Perfect.”
“Good,” I murmur. “I love having your hands on me.”
I’m struck by how perfectly she fits in my embrace, and I want to burn every detail into my memory so I never forget—from the softness of her hair to the way her body relaxes against mine, proof she’s starting to let her guard down around me.
My heart skips a beat when she drapes her leg over mine and nestles further into my arms. I adjust my grip to keep her steady, enveloped by the warm, inviting scent of vanilla and oranges in the air.
“We’re actually cuddling, and I haven’t kneed you in the balls or anything,” she declares triumphantly.
I stifle a laugh to avoid drawing our neighbor’s attention. “I’m so damn proud of you.”
God, I’d give anything to kiss her right now, but I promised to take this slow, and I won’t risk spooking her just as she’s starting to relax. Instead, I settle for another kiss on her forehead as her gaze drifts back to the movie screen.
Birdie is curled up in the passenger seat, turned toward me, her eyes closed, and her mouth parted as she snores softly. Her hand remains outstretched across the bench seat from when she reached over to squeeze mine, telling me how much fun she had at the drive-in before promptly drifting off to sleep as we drove along the highway.
Guilt tugs at me for keeping her out so late. No doubt she’ll be up at the crack of dawn tending to her animals. She has a steady stream of rescues coming through, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the old shed on her property is currently home to a couple of special guests—likely the reason behind her recent run-in with the law. But I’m not about to go digging into something I’d rather be in the dark about.
It’s late when we finally pull up to Birdie’s. I cut the engine, my gaze falling back on her sleeping form. The soft glow from the porchlight illuminates her features, highlighting just how stunning she is, and for all intents and purposes, she’s mine.
I pull the keys from the ignition and step out of the truck. When I get to the passenger side, I open Birdie’s door and retrieve her tote from the floor before scooping her into myarms. She nuzzles into my chest as I carry her across the lawn toward her house. Once I’m up the porch steps, I carry her to the porch swing and take a seat with her still in my lap.
She’s so damn beautiful, and I’d give anything to carry her to her room and spend the night holding her close—but saying good night here will have to do.
“Birdie, wake up,” I say softly.
She stirs, her eyelids flutter open, looking up at me with a drowsy smile.
“Hi,” she murmurs.
“Hi, baby.” I brush her hair from her face.
She sits up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before glancing between me and the front door.
“Shoot, last time I checked, we were in your truck on the way home. Sorry—I guess I passed out mid-conversation, didn’t I?”
“You did. Glad to know my voice doubles as a lullaby.”
She lets out a melodic laugh. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Long car rides make me sleepy no matter who’s behind the wheel.”
“I’ll stick with my theory that you were under my hypnotic charm.” I wink.
She lazily drags a finger along my chest. “We’d better stick with your version of reality or your ego may never recover.”
“You’re extra sassy for someone who just woke up.”
Birdie fiddles with her necklace, a sign she’s nervous. I stay silent, letting her take the lead.
