“Kissing.” I notice that her cheeks flush when I say the word.
“Is there anything that would change if we did talk about it?” she asks warily.
“No, probably not,” I admit.
“Then maybe we shouldn’t.”
“Fair enough. I’m sorry I misread the situation and made you uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t.” She shakes her head. “We’re not children. I can admit that you are very attractive. I leaned over there to give you a kiss on the cheek, but how were you supposed to know that?”
“And then you kissed me back.” But my mind is focused on what she said about me being very attractive. She doesn’t know it, but she’s blowing my ego out of control. Because all I’m going to think about are her words.
Her lips twitch up. “And set your mouth on fire.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Next time you kiss me, warn me if you’re wearing that lip plumper.”
“I will.”
I clear my throat and walk to the other side of the island to pick up the cooler.
“I’ve got the car all packed besides your stuff. When are we supposed to meet your friend to get Alexander?”
I did enough eavesdropping last night on the way home to know that she’s hoping to pick up her dog this weekend.
Lucy hurries in front of me to open the door for me since my arms are full. She trails after me outside and says, “Well, she thought they would be coming either through Bend or Sisters sometime this weekend. Probably tomorrow. Would it be okay to use your car to go pick him up?”
She swings the back hatch door open, and I slide the cooler inside.
“No problem at all. We’ll get it all sorted. Where we’re camping is a little closer to Sisters, but it’s no big deal to meet her in Bend. Besides, I can get to Bend from Sisters in twenty minutes flat.”
She smirks. “Is that including the ticket you get for speeding?”
“They never catch me.” I close the hatch.
“Well thank you so much for helping me get my dog. I’d kiss your cheek, but we know what would happen if I did.”
And then that cheeky little thing turns around and waltzes back into the house.
And now I’m left wondering if she’s as innocent as I thought—or if she knows exactly what she’s doing to me.
THIRTY
Lucy
I’m nervous as heck as we drive over the Santiam Pass. Miles drives like his car has the ability to fly, and there are enough switchback corners that I wonder if I’m going to be sick.
I’ve never been carsick in my life, but Miles has been such a sweetheart and let me experience every bit of pain that goes with it. Headache. Slow breathing. Begging to walk. Trying to leap from a moving car…
Okay. Maybe not all that, but I do finally open my mouth and beg him to pull over to the side of the road, which he immediately does.
“Are you all right?” he asks, but I don’t have time to look at him or even answer.
I leap from the car and run to the edge of the gravel pullout, lean a hand against the tree, and hurl my guts up.
It’s a steep hill, which means I can’t get any farther away from Miles than where I am.
“Oh no. I didn’t even realize you weren’t feeling good. I’m so sorry.”
