“Mom took forever to get ready,” Brody whines. “Plus, she put on lipstick.” He pulls a face.
I tug him close and kiss his head. “You watch it, bathroom hog.”
“I am not. Well, not always.” He looks down at his feet, his cheeks rosy.
“I take an hour,” Ember shouts, and Brody grins at him.
Lucas and Marcy come out to greet us, and the boys disappear inside the house.
“Well, don’t you look fine,” Marcy whistles, and I know my face probably looks like a tomato.
“Oh, stop.” I mean, I did actually use a hairdryer and hot iron today. The jeans I’m wearing are a bit tighter than usual, and the sequenced cross-over top may show slightly more cleavage. But still. “Thank you anyway.”
Ember hasn’t uttered a word to me, but from the way he drinks me in, there is no doubt he approves too. He opens the door to his truck. “This way, pretty lady. Your chariot awaits.”
“So chivalry isn’t dead then?” I quip as I walk up to him.
“Not for this guy,” he says when I’m close to him. He smells like heaven, woodsy and spicy all in one. I hop into the truck, and I’m enveloped in the same scent.
We wave goodbye to Marcy, and he pulls out onto the road. I haven’t been out with a guy in a long time. This isn’t a date. Just two friends hanging out, I remind myself.
Chapter 10
Ember
This woman is a whole fucking snack. That ass in those jeans is going to get her into a lot of trouble tonight. I wonder if I shouldn’t make a play to get her to my house alone. Damn. When she got out of the car, I knew I was done for. I watch her in my passenger seat, and I can’t help but admit I liked her there. My little firefly, her green eyes dancing with unspoken turmoil.
“What’s running through your head? You’re silently shouting.” I cut through the silence, turning on the stereo.The Beatlesblare through the speakers.
“The Beatles? Really?” she scoffs, shaking her head.
I shrug. “They’re classic, sweet thing. The fact that you know them explains it all.” It does. I have always been an old school kind of guy. My parents lovedThe Beatles,ABBA,Simon and Garfunkel. It grew on me. Yeah, I listen to a bit of modern music too. Some International bands,Avicii,bless his soul, the Parlotones, the Vamps, that kind of thing, but my heart is with the classics.
“I grew up listening to this stuff, and it wasoldback then.” She giggles, and I want to stop the truck and tickle her, so she makes that sound again.
“What do you listen to? Taylor Swift?” I cock a brow. I could imagine her shaking that little ass toShake it off. But then my mind wanders, and I have to focus on the road to avoid saying that.
“Her songs are pretty good, actually.” She turns toward me. They are, but I’m not going to tell her that. I change the folders on the MP3 player, and some British Girl Band comes on.
“I loveLittle Mix,” she exclaims, singing along to something about a secret love song. She is so awful, but she is so cute when she sings; it’s actually enjoyable. “This is the kind of music I listen to. I like R&B and a bit of pop, anything I can sing to really,” she adds.
We pull up to Digs bar, and she flushes.
“Thinking about me stripping for you, firefly?”
Her eyes widen, her pouty lips forming anO. She scrunches her nose, ignoring my question, and climbs out of the truck. She stands with her hands folded in front of her.
“I’m kidding,” I remark, stepping closer to her. “But, I do like that I get you all wound up. Makes me want to unwind you bit by bit.”
“Behave.” She takes the lead, walking us to what must be the only bar this town has.
It is pretty busy tonight. I guess all the market-goers decided to hang at Diggers, or it could be the bottomless wings. Dig spots Shelby, and he immediately leads us to a booth closest to the pool tables.
“How did we even get these seats?” I ask her over the rowdy bar.
“I called ahead. I knew it was going to be insane in here.” She motions around us. “It’s always like this at month-end.”
“Smart and gorgeous.”
