“That’s cool.”
We finally got to the front. I’d insisted on paying, but only had a few dollars on me, so I ordered us one strawberry each. I handed Joey his.
“All that, and you only ordered one?” he asked.
I raised my shoulders as we moved back outside and stood in the dappled sunlight. “You may hate them.”
“Unlikely. And you obviously don’t.”
“Bad for my figure,” I quipped and bit down, the cool chocolate cracking softly and sweet strawberry juice flooding my mouth. I moaned and closed my eyes.
Joey made a sound like a groan.
I opened my eyes as he dropped his gaze from my face to his own strawberry. “You were right,” he said. “Spectacular.”
“Told ya.” I grinned. We finished up and I leaned on him as we headed back to the truck. “Let’s ride down to Bay Street and drive along the water, it joins back up with Ribault Road and then we can head home.”
“You want to get something to eat first?” he asked as we got to the truck. Seriously, this wanting to spend time with me thing … I wasn’t sure what to do with it.
I was starving, that strawberry had barely hit the spot, but also poor. “Sounds good, but I don’t have any cash. Can we just grab a snack bar or something from a gas station?”
“No way. I need a burger. It’s on me.”
I hesitated. Joey had bought me breakfast last week, had just done me the hugest favor by driving me to Beaufort, and now was offering me dinner.
“Why are you being so nice?”
His eyebrows snapped together. “What do you mean? Am I usually not?”
“No, not always.”
His frown deepened. “Why do you say that?”
I shrugged. “Honestly, you’ve always acted … superior. I don’t know how else to describe it. Like I’m dumber than you or not good at making decisions or something. Case in point your lecture the other night on my decision to lose my virginity.”
“I still think it was dumb. Dumb and dangerous.” We got to the truck, and he opened my door.
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes and climbed up into the seat.
“You don’t even know him,” Joey said, still standing with the truck door open.
“Neither do you,” I argued.
“I know enough from chatting with him that he’s not the guy for you.”
I stared at Joey and could feel the frown on my face. His eyes flicked away, and he ran a hand through his hair. Then he closed the door and walked around the front to his side.
I focused on what my heart did as I watched him, which was beat double time. That was not good. I made a decision.
He climbed in his side and slammed the door.
“I can’t grab a burger,” I said, drawing his eyes to me again. “I forgot I have plans tonight.”
His gaze narrowed, then he glanced down at the phone in my hand. “You have plans you suddenly remembered?”
I cleared my throat. “Yeah.”
“With Chase?”
“Yes.” I nodded, losing count of how many times I’d lied to Joey today.
“Wow, you really meant that Jay Bird name huh? You really think I’m an asshole.”
I swallowed, speechless. I felt like shit. I’d somehow managed to turn the whole lovely day to crap.
“Right,” he said. “Let’s get you back to Butler Cove.”
THE DRIVE BACK was excruciating. The silence was awkward and filled with tension. I couldn’t think of one thing to say to break it or get back to the friendly chatting we’d had earlier. Instead I pulled out my phone and texted Chase.
Me: No plans. You want to grab a burger?
There was no response.
I sighed and put my phone down, leaning my head against the truck window. I needed air. “Can I open the window?”
“You don’t need to ask.”
“Thank you,” I murmured.
I cranked the window down, letting the salt marsh breeze in, and laid my head against the frame. The warm air streamed over my skin and through my hair. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. As chagrined as I felt, I tried to tell myself it was better this way. When Joey was being nice, it felt like it slid dangerously toward flirting. And flirting would mess with my head. Mess it up more than it was already. I should be thinking about Chase. Good looking frat boy Chase.
I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes we were pulling into the driveway of the Butler house. I blinked my eyes and stretched my stiff neck. My phone had slid to the seat next to me. I grabbed it.
“Oh shit,” said Joey, his voice grim, and he killed the engine.
“What?” I said looking up at him. He shifted close. Too close.
“I’m so sorry,” he said and winced. “But you remember that favor?”
“What? Well, yes but—”
His mouth closed over mine.
Oh my Holy God, his mouth. His lips were soft. Minty. A warm hand ran around the back of my neck, and a hot tongue slid over my bottom lip. A thousand sparklers detonated under my skin. The shock of it dropped my lips open, and the tongue slid inside.