When she got close, she made that a more difficult struggle because she immediately wrapped her arms around him, pressed tight, and tipped her head back.
In return, he dipped his and slid his fingers into the back pockets of her jeans.
“I’m dressed as biker babe just in case Henry Gagnon happens to get a shot of me,” she announced. “I don’t want to let down the side.”
She couldn’t do that even if she was wearing that butt-ugly nightshirt he had thankfully not seen since he asked her to lose it.
“In other words, you couldn’t stay away,” he replied.
Her eyes sparkled as she pressed closer. “Wilde and Hay here to instigate their fabulous spread on my manly man biker and his brethren? No way.”
He grinned.
She kept talking.
“And I have two pieces of good news I had to share immediately,” she told him, saying the “two” and “immediately” on squeezes.
“Yeah?”
She launched in, “First, Megan called. She and Keith get to take Isadora home today.”
It had been just over two weeks since the decision had been made. They needed Isadora to gain weight, learn how to suck so she could feed, and have her blinders taken off.
Guess all that happened.
“Great news, Butterfly,” he murmured his understatement.
“Yes, amazing, and get this,” she went on. “Aaron called me.”
Joker’s body got tight.
“Say again?” he demanded.
She shook her head, still grinning. “I’ll say I was a little freaked when I saw his name on my phone, because he’s not supposed to call me unless there’s an emergency with Travis. There wasn’t. He’s fine.”
“So why did that fuck call?” Joker bit out.
“Because,” she was still smiling, “he has a date!”
Joker frowned down at her. “And he thought you gave a fuck about that because…?”
“Because Aaron asked that, instead of his mom and dad looking after Travis while he takes this woman out, maybe you and me would do it.”
It was then Joker stared down at her.
“I said yes, of course,” she continued. “He’s bringing him over tomorrow night.”
“You’re shittin’ me.”
She kept smiling but did it shaking her head, her hair brushing her shoulders, giving him a show he really liked. “Nope.”
The guy did have a soul.
And he was moving on.
And the biggest surprise of all that shit, he was finally demonstrating he wanted to give Carrie what she actually wanted, a copasetic relationship between all of them for Travis’s sake.
Maybe he did love Carissa.
But this kind of love, Joker could deal.
His relief was so great he dropped his head so his forehead was resting on hers.
“Yeah, sweetie. This is awesome,” she whispered, staring into his eyes.
“Yeah, Carrie, it is, baby,” he agreed.
“Joke, brother, I get Carrie’s ass in those jeans demands a man’s hands in her pockets, but shit’s happenin’!” Boz shouted.
Joker watched Carissa’s eyes smile.
Then he felt her lips brush his.
He went in and made the kiss deeper and wetter, but he couldn’t make it longer.
When he broke it, he asked, “You’re gonna hang?”
“Wouldn’t miss this,” she whispered.
He grinned at her.
Then he kissed her forehead and let her go.
*
Joker pulled the stroller out of the back of the truck, shook it out, and shoved his foot down on the pedal that locked it.
The second he was done, Carissa was right there, planting Travis’s ass in it.
But she was doing this being sassy.
“I cannot believe you’re taking us to the mall.”
“You wanted a burger. We got your boy, can’t go to a bar, and Johnny Rockets is here,” he reminded her.
She looked up at him as he scanned the parking garage, making sure it was safe before he started pushing the stroller.
She fell in beside him and declared, “Just to say, Gunther Toody’s is more fun and it isn’t in a mall.”
“I’m hungry and that’s further away,” he muttered.
“By, like, five minutes,” she retorted.
He ignored that maneuvered the stroller down some stairs with Carissa spotting, and then she dashed forward to open the door.
“And just to say,” she went at him again when they were inside, “you couldn’t have parked further away. Johnny Rockets is all the way at the other side.”
“Seein’ as I mighta been here once, but I don’t remember if I have because I blocked it, I don’t have it memorized.”
This was true.
Mostly.
“Whatever,” she said but he could hear her smile.
He could also feel her thumb in his belt loop.
Which meant, when they’d moved through the mall and he made his turn, she had to come with him.
“Jo—”
She cut herself off and he knew why.
She couldn’t miss the store they were in.
Since he’d scoped it out, he didn’t waste time and guided her right where they needed to be.
Silently, Carissa followed him.
While Travis babbled and kicked his feet, Joker positioned the stroller sideways against the display case so the kid had a view before he hooked Carrie’s waist and pulled her close.
“Hello,” a salesperson greeted them. “Is there something I can help you with today?”
Since he’d scoped it, Joker pointed immediately to the case and answered, “We wanna see that one.”
He heard Carrie suck in a breath.
“Of course. It’s beautiful. Fabulous choice. One moment,” the salesperson said, keys jingling.
He heard Carrie start breathing heavily as well as felt her body start shaking.
A velvet mat was put out on glass and then the Tiffany engagement ring was set on it.
“There you go,” the salesperson said.
Joker nabbed it, grabbed Carissa’s hand, and slid it on her ring finger.
They’d need another size. It was too big.
But for now, the gesture would do.
He looked into her eyes, which were on the ring, just as a tear escaped one and slid down her cheek.
He felt that.
And he loved how it felt.
“How’s that for a promise ring?” he whispered.
Another tear slid down her cheek as her fingers curled around his hand and her gaze locked with his.
“It’s perfect,” she whispered back.
“Joe joe kah!” Travis shouted.