“I mean, who does that?”
“Two young, dumb kids who are selfish and in love,” Leo said, chuckling.
“Right?” She crossed her arms, sealing in her body heat. “They’re so young.”
“And dumb,” he reminded, pointing a finger at her.
“Right? And selfish.”
“Right.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think Norah and Landon did this on purpose.”
“Did what?” Leo pressed his head against the headrest, and Isabella stole a second to take in the sight of his straight nose and angled cheekbones, at the unfairness of how even more attractive he’d become with age. When she didn’t speak right away, he lifted his head, catching her gawking.
She swallowed. “You know, planned their wedding on Christmas. To get me home. To force the two of us together for longer than a single day.”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “They are selfish, aren’t they?”
A bit of surprise shimmied through her. Were the two of them actually getting along?
“Okay, fine. Four can play at this game.” Leo smirked, taking off his gloves. He reached into the backseat and rummaged around before bringing out a large glass bottle with amber liquid inside. “Wanna drink?” He waggled his thick brows at her mischievously.
She frowned, tilting her head. “I don’t understand.”
“You see,” he said as he twisted the cap off the bottle, “I bought this whiskey for Landon as a bachelor present. It’s a Hoffman tradition. But the way I see it is, he doesn’t deserve it. Not after conspiring this little plan with Norah—sticking me with you.”
“Wow, thanks.” That comment actually hurt, twisting in her gut.
“You know what I mean.” He held the bottle out to her.
“So you want to drink his present?”
“Exactly.”
She shrugged. Why not? What else did she have to do? She had nowhere to go and nowhere to be.
Isabella took a swig, the malty liquid burning once it hit her stomach. She passed the bottle back to Leo.
“Cheers, to Norah and Landon.” He took a drink.
Isabella reached for the bottle again. “Hear, hear.” She pressed it to her lips and tipped it back. This time, the alcohol warmed her throat, without burning her belly. “May the two young lovebirds have a long, dumb marriage.”
Leo chuckled and put his gloves back on. “Along with sayingscrew youto Norah and Landon, this stuff should help keep us warm.”
“True.” Isabella agreed. “I’m already starting to get cold.”
“Here.” Leo grabbed her coat from the back seat. She leaned forward and he tucked it over her shoulders. She peered up at him, and for the first time all day, they made eye contact. Not a stolen glance, butrealeye contact. And it made the world stop.
A shiver of desire coursed through her. Leo always did have mesmerizing brown eyes. She could get lost in them. Make promises she knew she couldn’t keep. Her eyes flickered away, breaking the trance.
Leo cleared his throat. Then he reached in the back for his own coat. “What about your long underwear, did you bring those?”
“Of course.”
“Why don’t you put them on under your pants. You’ll stay warmer.”
“You think I’m going to get undressed in front of you? I don’t think I have enough alcohol in me for that,” she teased, the whiskey easing her knotted tension and causing her words to roll off her tongue.
