Page 65 of Gang of Roses: Rebel

I laughed, shaking my head.

“You really pay attention.”

Crow stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “Always. Loving you ain’t about buying what every woman likes. It’s about knowing what makes you smile.”

After putting my things away, Crow took me to Cuban Whiskey, a lounge in uptown Magnolia Valley, so we could vibe out for the rest of our day. The place was classy as hell, with dim lighting, smooth jazz floating through the air, and the rich scent of whiskey and cigars filling the room. I never would’ve imagined myself sitting there with a cigar between my fingers, but somehow Crow made it feel natural.

The best part was curling up on his lap while we talked, laughed, sipped our whiskey, and watched the smoke drift toward the ceiling. Every now and then, he’d wrap his arms a little tighter around my waist or brush his lips against my temple like he couldn’t help himself. I honestly thought we’d keep things tame since it was one of our first real dates, but we didn’t hold back at all. We flirted shamelessly, stole kisses whenever we felt like it, and enjoyed every second of being wrapped up in each other. Crow took another slow pull from his cigar before leaning back in the chair with me still settled comfortably on his lap.

“Man...” he said, letting the smoke drift from his lips. “It feel good as hell just chillin’ with you.”

I smiled and rested my head against his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Hell yeah. We done been through so much crazy shit together that I almost forgot what peace felt like.”

I chuckled. “So, I’m your peace now?”

He looked down at me with a grin.

“Nah.” He brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You my favorite person to catch peace with.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Damn... that was smooth.”

Crow laughed. “Don’t get used to it. I got one or two romantic lines in me. After that, I’m back to talkin’ shit.”

I laughed so hard I nearly dropped my cigar before snuggling deeper into his chest.

“Good,” I teased. “I like you better that way.”

“I like you too. You and those Timberlands,’ he joked.

A smile crept across my face as I leaned in and pressed my lips against Crow’s. The kiss was slow, unhurried, and somehow managed to make everything around us disappear. When I finally pulled back, I rested my forehead against his and smiled.

“Damn,” I whispered with a laugh. “Every time I kiss you, it get harder and harder to stop.”

By the time we made it back to my place, Crow and I were all over each other. The front door had barely clicked shut before his lips found mine again. Every kiss was hungrier than the last, years of stolen glances, unspoken feelings, and “what ifs” pouring into a single moment. I cupped his face while he rested his forehead against mine, both of us breathing hard.

“You know this changes everything, right?” I whispered.

Crow gave a small smile and brushed his thumb across my cheek.

“I know.”

“We can’t go back to being just friends after this.”

“I don’t want to,” he admitted. “Truth is... I ain’t wanted to for a while now. I was just too scared to risk losing you.”

I searched his eyes, looking for even the slightest hint of doubt.

“So... what are we doing?”

He took both of my hands in his.

“We stop pretending we don’t feel this.” He smiled. “I don’t want another best friend, Rebel. I want you.”

A smile spread across my face before I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again.

“Then no more running,” I whispered against his lips.