“So how did you see her if you weren’t watching me?” I crossed my ankles. “And I don’t mind the idea of you watching me. Remember, I like that.”
Her chest rose in a deep breath, and I could tell her patience was running thin. “I wasn’t watching you. I couldn’t sleep and I was staring out my living-room window. I just happened to see you walking her out to her car.”
I didn’t believe her. Hell to the no. Who just happens to be staring out the window at that time of night? As much as I’d love to tease her, it looked like she was about to punt kick my head, but I was a gambling sort of man. “Well, that makes sense. Not nearly as entertaining as you standing by your window hoping to catch a glimpse of me.”
She stared at me.
I winked. “Steph’s not my girlfriend by the way. We aren’t like that.”
Her hand went to the bracelet on her left wrist. “I’m not like that.”
“Like what?”
Turning her stare to the many stars, she raised her hands. “I’m not like her.”
“Do you know her?”
“I don’t just hook up with guys for fun, okay? I don’t see anything wrong with it. Totally not judging here, but that’s not me. So I’m not interested. Sorry.”
“Wait a sec. I’m confused. You’re not judging her, but you’ve made the assumption that she’s into random hookups? That she’s my fuck buddy? Isn’t that kind of making a rash judgment based on assumptions?”
Her forehead wrinkled. “You’re right. I don’t know if that’s what you guys are about. Maybe you’re just childhood buddies or something.”
“We’re not.” I grinned. “We hook up every once in a while.”
Shortcake’s jaw hit the ground. “I was right! Then why did you accuse me of being judgmental?”
“I was just pointing it out.” I couldn’t stop teasing her. The array of emotions that crossed her face was fascinating to me. “And for the record, we didn’t hook up Wednesday night. Not for the lack of trying on her part, but I wasn’t feeling it.”
“Whatever. This is a stupid conversation.”
“I like this conversation.”
She reached for the bag, but I was faster, grabbing her bag as I stood. A deep, annoyed sigh radiated from her. “Give it to me.”
Ducking my chin, I said, “I’m trying to.” I laid the strap over her shoulder, brushing the side of her neck with my fingers. It wasn’t on purpose that time and when she jumped, so did my heart. Backing away, I picked up the flashlight. “See? I was just being a gentleman.”
“I don’t think you’re a gentleman, but thank you.”
Her words were an odd mix of sincerity and frustration, and she didn’t say anything else as we started back with only the narrow swath of light from the flashlight.
“This place is kind of creepy at night, don’t you think?”
She nodded as she looked over at the dark, looming shadows of the monuments. “Well, I guess, if there’s going to be any place in the world haunted, it would be a place like this.”
“You believe in ghosts?”
Shortcake shrugged. “I don’t know. Never seen one.”
“Me neither.”
One side of her lips curved up. “That’s a good thing I suppose.”
I stopped at the passenger side of the truck. “Milady.”
“Thank you.”
Since there was a little less frustration in her voice, I decided to test my luck. I leaned against the open door, watching the interior light caress the edges of her face. “So, what about it?”
“What about what?”
I tilted my head to the side. “Go out on a date with me.”
She stiffened. “Why?”
“Why not?”
“That’s not an answer.” She grabbed the seatbelt, whipping it around her.
“What kind of question was that? How am I—hey, it’s just a seat belt. Not that hard.” I leaned over, taking the belt from her. As our hands brushed, she plastered herself against the seat. It was such a strange reaction that the tiny hairs on the back of my neck rose as I lifted my gaze. “Why shouldn’t we go out on a date?”
Her hands balled into fists in her lap. I wanted to let go of the damn seat belt, take her hands in mine, and ease them out of the tight ball. “Because . . . because we don’t know each other.”
I smiled slightly as I moved my gaze up, centering on her mouth. “That’s what a date is all about. Getting to know each other. Go out on a date with me.”
“There’s nothing to know about me,” she whispered.
“I’m sure there is tons to know about you.”
“There’s not.”
I leaned closer, inhaling her sweet scent. “Then we can spend the time with me talking.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“Oh, it will be more thrilling than watching Raphael cross a road.”
“Ha.” Amusement flashed in her dark eyes.
“Thought you’d like that.”
Her gaze flickered to where her bag rested against her legs and then back to mine. “Can we go yet?”
“Can we go on a date?”
A sound of frustration came from her. “Good God, you don’t give up.”
Trust in Me
J. Lynn & Jennifer L. Armentrout's books
- Awakening Book One of the Trust Series
- Questions of Trust A Medical Romance
- Carnal Innocence
- Holding the Dream
- Sacred Sins
- Illusion(The Vampire Destiny Book 2)
- Fated(The Vampire Destiny Book 1)
- Midnight rainbow(Rescues (Kell Sabin) series #1)
- Loving Evangeline(Patterson-Cannon Family series #1)
- A Changing Land
- A Clandestine Corporate Affair
- A Daring Liaison
- At Last (The Idle Point, Maine Stories)
- An Inheritance of Shame
- A Wedding In Springtime
- Anything but Vanilla
- Anything for Her
- Anything You Can Do
- An Unsinkable Love
- Barefoot in the Sun (Barefoot Bay)
- Beauty in Breeches
- Behind the Courtesan
- Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager
- Bewitching You
- Bidding Wars (Love Strikes)
- Breaking the Rules
- Breaking Her Rules
- Bluffing the Devil
- Captain Durant's Countess
- Chasing Shadows
- Chasing the Sunset
- Cheapskate in Love
- Checking It Twice
- Cinderella and the Sheikh
- Cinderella in Overalls
- Cinderella in Skates
- Covered In Lace
- Confessing to the Cowboy
- Daddy in the Making
- Destined to Change
- Destiny's Embrace
- Dicing with the Dangerous Lord
- Driving Her Crazy
- Ein Mann fur alle Lagen
- Emancipating Andie
- Falling for Heaven (Four Winds)
- Falling for Jack (Falling In Love)
- Falling into Forever (Falling into You)
- Finally Found
- Find Wonder in All Things
- Galveston Between Wind and Water
- Getting Real
- Guarding the Princess
- Heartstrings (A Rock Star Romance Novel)
- Hummingbird Lake
- In the Market for Love
- In the Rancher's Arms
- Inspire
- Intaglio Dragons All The Way Down
- Into This River I Drown
- Keeping Secrets in Seattle
- King Cobra (Hot Rods)
- Kissing Under the Mistletoe
- Lightning and Lace
- Living London
- Lost in You
- Loving Again
- Marriage in Name Only
- Midnight Special Coming on Strong
- Mountain Moonlight
- Murder in the Smokies
- Coming On Strong
- Northern Rebel Daring in the Dark
- NYC Angels Flirting with Danger
- Once Again a Bride
- Passing as Elias
- Platinum (Facets of Passion)
- Playing at Forever
- Playing Patience
- Prince of Wolves
- Princess in the Iron Mask
- Quinn's Undying Rose
- Racing for Freedom
- Reflection Point
- Rocky Mountain Lawman
- Roses in Moonlight
- Running Barefoot
- Searching For Treasure
- Selling Scarlett
- She's Having the Boss's Baby
- Sins and Scarlet Lace
- Sins of a Ruthless Rogue
- Something of a Kind
- Splintered Memory
- Stealing Home
- Straddling the Line
- Summer in Napa
- Talking Dirty with the CEO
- Taming the Lone Wolff