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But he hesitates and then says, “Dammit.” He takes another deep breath. “I really, really like things that smell…and taste…like cinnamon.”

Then he turns and heads to his pick-up, leaving me standing there, my mouth hanging open, staring after him, not remembering to breathe until I start to feel a little lightheaded.

Yeah, he knows I’m the one bringing food to his house.

How can he have all of this insight into me as a person and my relationship with my brother and not have figured that out?

But instead of feeling mortified, I feel a flip in my stomach and realize I’m smiling as I get behind the wheel of my car.

I know exactly what I’m going to make him for dessert tomorrow.

He’s going to really like it.

And I bet he even tells me so.

CHAPTER 11

LAWSON

I have butterflies in my stomach.

I am a twenty-seven-year-old man, and I have fucking butterflies.

But I’m okay with it.

Sutton Moore is on her way over, and I am going to get a few minutes with her alone.

I am at the point where I am living for these stolen moments, and I know I need to make the most of them. I have no idea how this can possibly work out, but I really fucking like this woman, and I am thinking about her all the time now.

I am also now ninety-five percent sure she is the one bringing food over.

And I want to praise the hell out of her for it.

Not just the food, which is absolutely amazing, but the fact that her extra gifts are getting better.

Yesterday’s was a teddy bear.

A fucking teddy bear.

I love it.

The note with it said, ‘take me to bed’.

Now, one could argue the girls watching practice overheard our conversation and saw some of the practice for Wes and Hudson's dance-off to Elvis’s "Teddy Bear." It’s possible they got the idea from that.

But it doesn’t make as much sense from them as it does from Sutton.

I’m clinging to that.

The front door swings open, and Sutton steps into the house.

I am standing between the kitchen and living room, and she sees me immediately. She doesn’t seem as surprised as I might have expected.

“Hey,” I greet.

She pushes the door shut behind her. “Hey. I wondered if you would be here.”

I note that she is carrying the same tote bag from the other day.