She spun around and whacked Beckett and then Trent with her purse. They both flinched. “What is the problem with youtwo?”
“I—”
“He—”
“Bzzz. Bzz. Bz.” She made a zipping motion with her hands and they cut off. Trent stuck his hands in his pockets and ducked his head. Beckett kept his arms out to his sides, his chestlifted.
“I’m not even sure what happened in there.” She rubbed her temple, trying to figure out what had set them off. The night was going fine. Trent was being his normal, fun self. They always sat by each other and they laughed—not the kind of laughing she did with Beckett where her sides hurt, but grown-up polite laughing. She eyed Trent. He was the type of guy she considered good boyfriend material. He had a steady job, didn’t let women pay for themselves on dates, opened doors, and held chairs. There should be more men like him in the world. But standing next to Beckett, he diminished. And that wasn’t just because Beckett was taller and wider. Beckett was just more … She rubbed her fingertips together, trying to come up with the right word …manly.
So much for taking her mind of Becketttonight.
Her phone beeped. She looked down to see a text from Quinton flash across thescreen.
Will you give Beck a ridehome?
She threw her hands in the air. Both guys flinched again, probably thinking she was exasperated with them when she was really exasperated with herself for comparing Trent to Beckett in the first place. That was so not fair. And thanks to her brother, on top of ruining the fun, flirty thing she had with Trent, she had to give Beckett a ridehome.
Whatever.
She stepped forward and kissed Trent on the cheek. “I’m going home. I’ll see you.” She turned away without saying anything else. As far as she was concerned, they would never speak of thisagain.
“Come on, Beckett, Quinton bailed on you. You’re riding with me,” she said without facing him. She made it all the way to her car without having to look his direction. Good thing, too, because she wasn’t at all happy that he’d gotten her kicked out of her favorite club. Trent honked once and waved as he droveaway.
She reached for the door handle and suddenly Beckett was right behind her, his hand flat against the door to keep her from openingit.
“Hey.” She turned to face him, ready to let him have it for being a complete idiot. Her words evaporated before they completely formed inside her head. Beckett was right there. His large, callused hand rested on her arm, his body curved around hers, and Daisy leaned into him, drinking in his nearness. The parking lot shrank down to a circle that extended about a foot around them. The cool evening air grew thick with anticipation andexpectations.
“What?” shewhispered.
“You kissed Trent.” His blue eyes flashed with somethingdangerous.
“It was quick.” Daisy became acutely aware that her hands hung by her side. They could rest on his chest—he was that close. Or she could place them on his arms or even foldthem.
“It looked like fun.” He leanedcloser.
Overwhelmed by the strength of his undivided attention, Daisy went to step back, only to be caught by her car. She had nowhere to run. Not that she wanted to. What she really wanted was a moment to think this through. Kissing had consequences, and Beckett’s whole body told her he was going to kissher.
Beckett shuffled and put one arm on the car. He smelled as good as ever, like spices and mint and soap andhim. She remembered the soft, tickling feeling of his beard against her palm and wanted that same feeling against her cheek, her neck. Her knees went weak at the thought. Beckett curved an arm around her back, giving her support. He touched his forehead to hers, bringing her desire to feel his lips to a frenzy. There was only one way out ofthis.
She lifted on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. The mixture of desire and fulfillment and heat and exploded into the night like a mushroomcloud.
In less than a heartbeat, Beckett claimed her mouth and she was lost in the manifestation of long-buried crushes and recent revelations. His hands were at her neck, tipping her head as he blazed kisses across her jaw. Daisy gasped as the urgency to be closer spiked. She wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him closer, ever closer, as they kissed again andagain.
They broke apart, both gasping and holding tight to oneanother.
Daisy had no words. She wasn’t even sure that was a good idea, but it had been a fantastic kiss. The best she’d everhad.
Beckett trailed a finger down her cheek. “I’ve wanted to do that since you weresixteen.”
Daisy bit her lip, noticing the slight swelling. “I would have hit you.” She took in a shaky breath as uncertainty crept into her thoughts. “I may hit younow.”
“You probably should—knock some sense intome.”
She moved her hands from behind his neck to rest on his arms. “What’s that supposed tomean?”
Beckett shook his head slowly—like he was trying to clear it. “Nothing about this makes sense. We’re sodifferent.”
She pulled her hands all the way off of him. “Like chocolate andbacon.”
