When we pass the door, I can’t help but look up. However, the lady isn’t staring at me with scorn anymore. She’s actually the one looking at the floor now. Her eyes are averted from us, but not in a snooty manner, it’s more like she’s hiding her gaze from Rafe.
He leads us right out of the double front doors and draws me to his side so I’m walking next to him. A bubble of laughter escapes me now that we’re outside and I’m not worried about being yelled at by the staff in front of the entire restaurant.
“Find that funny, do you?” he asks and opens the passenger door for me. I look up at him after climbing into the plush seat, still grinning.
“We probably just got banned for life from that place.”
“It wasn’t that good anyway.” He kisses me again, hard and fast, then slams the door closed while I’m still gazing up at him.
Chapter 15
Instead of going to the movies, we end up just parking in the lot, talking, and kissing. Well, mostly kissing. His hands never wander off my shoulders and back. I don’t know if I’m disappointed or impressed by his restraint. It’s not like I would have sex with him in his car, but I thought he might touch me like he did on the Ferris wheel.
My phone buzzes and lights up the interior of his car. I look down at the screen where it’s resting in the center console and see a text from my mother. It’s half past midnight, and there’s not a single car other than ours in the parking lot. “Wow, it’s late.” I fall back into my seat and let out a groan.
When I look over at Rafe, he’s staring down at my phone. “I suppose I better take you home before someone sends out a search party for you.”
I chuckle. Some of the things he says come off a little twisted. “I had fun today, thank you,” I tell him.
His gray eyes seem extra dark in the dim light as he catches my gaze. “Does that mean you’ll come out with me again willingly?”
“Yes.” I shake my head at his silly question. “But what if I said no?” I challenge.
“I would just have to abduct you then.” He says it so casually, it’s almost hard to tell he’s joking.
“It’s a good thing I’ll say yes then. I’m not really into the whole Stockholm thing.” That actually makes him crack a small smile.
“Are you sure? I bet it could be fun,” he offers wickedly.
“No, I’m good. Call me old-fashioned that way.” I nab my phone and shoot a quick text off to my mom, telling her I’m on my way and will be home soon. It’s funny she’s worried about me. For two years, I was out much later than this and in much more dangerous situations.
“I guess I really do have to take you home now. She already saw my face, and your phone would tell everybody where you were. There are probably cameras that saw us together at the fair and the restaurant,” he muses while starting the car and getting ready to pull out of the parking lot.
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, huh?” I mumble, a little alarmed and slightly appreciative of how deep he’s going into our little joke.
He gives me the lopsided grin. “You sure you don’t want to try out the Stockholm thing? I have a nice place. It won’t even feel like you’re my prisoner.”
“Prisoner?”
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
I toss my head back and laugh. He’s kind of crazy, but I think I like it.
* * *
I’ma little sluggish the next day. After Rafe dropped me off, I checked in with Mom and went up to bed, but it felt like hours before I could fall asleep. Scooby doesn’t care that I’m tired though, he just wants snacks and to run. It doesn’t take much convincing to get me to take him out for a ride after I put Moe and Isabella out in the field.
There’s a car I don’t recognize in the driveway when I get home. I wipe my brow and hop down off Scooby. I make quick work of removing his saddle before letting him into the pasture with the other horses, then I jog over to the house.
Mom is at the table with a slew of papers in front of her. There’s a man looming over her with his finger on the paper. “What’s going on?” I’m probably a mess, but I don’t care.
The man looks up. He’s fairly good-looking in his sharp suit and crisp white shirt. He smiles at me as he extends his hand, even though we’re separated by at least ten feet. “I’m Carter. I stopped by with the papers for your mother to sign.” Slowly, I make my way over to them and briefly shake his proffered hand.
“He’s from the lawyer’s office, babe,” Mom tells me.
“Oh, you never mentioned it.” I watch her face, wondering why she didn’t say anything to me about it.
“That’s my fault. I live nearby and offered to bring these by so she wouldn’t need to come into the office.” Carter winces, but the expression turns into a smile. He’s probably in his mid to late twenties and has the boy next door thing going for him.
