“What? Sneaking out?” I ask with a whisper, still worried I’m going to wake my parents up. There’s something thrilling about sneaking out into the night though. A zing courses through my body at the prospect of getting caught, even though I’m technically an adult, it still feels like I’m being a sneaky teenager.
“Yeah, but you know the proper way to do it, is to go out your window," he says as he reaches down and threads his fingers through mine and gently tugs me down the stairs to his waiting truck. His touch elicits a zap of electricity that goes up my arm and straight to my core.
“That just seems silly when you can use the door,” I answer almost breathlessly.
“But that’s no fun and a sure way to get caught.” His smirk tells me he’s no stranger to sneaking out and probably getting caught too.
“You speaking from experience?”
“I’ve been known to climb through a window or two.”
“Your window? Or someone else’s?” I ask playfully, not even thinking about how his answer may make me feel.
He laughs good-naturedly and raises his eyebrows suggestively. “Not just mine.”
He doesn’t say anything more but the implication that it wasn’t just his window leaves too much room for my mind to wander. Does that mean he’s climbed out of girl’s bedrooms too? I suddenly don’t want to know anymore about Rowan Pierce’s window hopping adventures so I change the subject.
“Where are we going?”
He lets go of my hand, only to open the passenger door for me. He leans against the door frame as I slide into the truck.
“It’s a surprise.”
I laugh, not at all surprised by his answer. “You seem to like those an awful lot. Your last surprise had me sore for two days.”
He waggles his eyebrows, “Had you thinking about me the whole time, didn’t it?”
I shake my head and huff with amusement. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
He leans down, his face mere inches from mine when he answers, “You don’t have to tell me, Daredevil. I already know the answer.”
I think he’s going to kiss me because he leans even closer. I feel heat radiating from his chest, his breath once again skates across my cheeks. I close my eyes in anticipation, my heart pounding in my chest. My palms grow sweaty and just when I think his lips are about to touch mine I hear the click of my seatbelt locking into place.
My eyes fly open as I once again misread his intentions. My cheeks flame red hot in embarrassment. He’s still so close, his body hovers over mine in the seat. His eyes scan my face so slowly, like he’s taking in every beauty mark, every imperfection. My breath halts in my lungs as I hold perfectly still during his inspection. I finally release my breath when his eyes find mine.
He watches me for what feels like an eternity, his pupils dilated so wide that I can barely see the pretty green of his irises. I feel transfixed in the moment, like time has been suspended and it’s only him and me in the world.
My lips part from the intensity of the moment and I watch as his eyes widen with the movement right before he says, “you’re so damn beautiful, Millie.”
His words have my heartbeat shooting off into a breakneck speed, my pulse pounding just beneath my skin.
Maybe I wasn’t wrong.Maybe he does want to kiss me. I practically beg him with my eyes, pleading for him to make the first move and squelch this burning inferno deep in my core that only he has been able to ignite.
He clears his throat and backs away. I feel the loss of him immediately, practically screaming on the inside for him to come back but he doesn’t.
He closes my door and walks around the front before sliding into the driver’s seat with an easy-going smile, like nothing happened. No heated stares, no lingering looks.
Did I just freaking imagine that?
I feel so stupid. I mentally slap myself on the forehead as Rowan cranks the car and pulls out onto the street.
This was a mistake. I can’t do this. I can’t just be friends with him.
I’m having a full-blown internal freak out and Rowan seems to not have a care in the world when he asks me if I’m hungry.
“What?”
He looks over, his eyebrows pull together briefly before smoothing out. “Are you hungry? I ate before I came but we can stop somewhere if you want—”
