“Of course.” I smile as I hop into Danny’s truck.
He opens the door and pauses. “Wait, are you sure you don’t want to take that sexy Beemer? I mean, it’s made for Vermont back roads, and—”
“Funny, funny. I know, it’s embarrassing. I’ll have it picked up in a few days.” I slink into the seat. “Pretend you never saw it.”
“Well, if you insist. I’ve always wanted to ride in a leather seat with needless technological options. How the fuck are we going to know the weather in Madrid right now? But whatever.” His pretend disappointed sigh as he gets behind the truck’s wheel makes me laugh.
“I can only hope that we’ll make it to our destination in this basic truck. Where are we going exactly?”
“Michelle’s. It’s the only bar in town, but they have insane jalapeño poppers and endless pitchers of beer.”
“Those are the only two things I need right now.”
The engine roars. “Perfect. Because that’s about all they have.”
A few minutes later, he parks on Wake’s main road and sets his hand on my lower back after he opens the door to the bar, ushering me in first.
I’m five steps in, the blaring music and chaos of this small bar hitting me, when I turn and stop him, impulsively setting a hand on his chest. “Danny? One thing?”
“Name it,” he says genuinely.
I try to lift my touch, but I falter for more than a second. Way more than a second. But how can I not be distracted by what’s under my palm? By what I see when my gaze shifts to his arms? How his T-shirt hugs him so tightly and innocently? Shit, these muscles have come from actual hard work. Not the gym, not any kind of prescribed workout, not an LA trainer. And he has no idea how hot he looks.
It takes a second, but I shake off my lewd thoughts because he’s with Mary Ann.
“You’re driving me home tonight, yes?”
“Yes,” he agrees.
“That means that you cannot get drunk tonight. You shouldn’t have been drinking the other night when you showed up at my place, and I totally should have stopped you, but I didn’t.” I can hear how my voice changes, how I softly plead. “Danny, you can’t do that. You cannot drink and drive. Even though Wake is not traffic central, it’s still not smart.”
“I know. I’m sorry. That wasn’t okay.” The tone and stance he takes tell me that he’s serious. “And I’ll have two beers tonight, and then I’m a water man. Okay?”
I nod in thanks.
“It won’t happen again.” His hand goes over mine, and it’s only now that I realize that I’m still touching him. He only whispers his next words, but I will hear them forever. “I’m responsible for you. I don’t take that lightly.”
There’s a squeal from across the room, and both of us are swallowed up in a Mary Ann hug.
“I brought you more eggs!” she yells. “Danny texted me that you’re a master chef now!” She doesn’t give either of us time to comment before she drags us back to a table. “Callie, meet our besties. Not only do I have two dozen more eggs for you, but I also have two new boys for you, Matteo and Slow.” She flops back into the booth and eyes the table. “Neither of them has to be refrigerated.”
When I look over, I’m not sure what’s more attractive—the boys or the additional fresh eggs.
