Page 43 of When I Fall In Love

“You smell of chili, right here.” My forefinger is trailing over his pec now and prods the spot where May spotted that crumb. He’s so deliciously delicious. “I want to lick you.”

“Jesus Christ, Bee,” he groans as he gathers me like a log of wood and lifts me without ceremony into the seat, catching my head as I flop back, and easing my legs into the footwell.

From somewhere hands are clapping and a chorus of whoops sounds over the lawn. “Who’re they cheering for?”

“I am never going to live this down,” Hunter mutters, his face right into mine, his blue eyes twinkling in the dark as he straps me in. “They’re cheering for us, in general.”

“Nice.” His lips are right here. Inches from mine. I need only to lean forward… And he’s gone with a firm closing of the truck’s door. I follow him hazy-eyed as he walks around to the driver’s seat and clambers in.

“You’re good?”

“Never better.”

Hunter smirks. “We’ll talk again about that in the morning.” He starts the truck and drives off, switching on his headlights.

“Too bright,” I say and close my eyes, but now I can’t stand the swaying of the truck up the hill to the road, so I stare ahead again.

“Not going to be sick, are you?” Hunter glances my way and reaches for my hand and squeezes it with a low chuckle. “I have never seen you like this and have no idea at what point you’ll empty your guts on my leather seats.”

With a pointed stare, I press the button to wind down my window. “I don’t puke in cars. I aim for outside.”

Now he’s laughing. “Excellent.”

Hunter tries to move his hand away, but I hold on and eventually his grip relaxes in mine and his thumb brushes over the top of my hand in a tender caress.

“Just this,” I whisper. “Just until we get home.”

“And then what?”

“To bed.”

It grows quiet, Hunter steering with one hand on a road I think he could probably drive blind. The chilly wind that whips into the truck sobers me up somewhat, but the world is still wonky. Too soon we’re in my driveway and he parks in front of my charming little red door with the pumpkins hiding in the dark. I forgot to switch on the outside lights when I left earlier, as it was still daylight.

“Come on,” Hunter says with a last squeeze of my hand. “I’ll make sure you get inside.”

He’s out and at my door in seconds and helps me out, holding my hand until we’re under the little portico that shelters the entrance.

I open my purse and stare into it. “Where did I put the house keys?”

“This works with a code.”

“Oh yes.” I stare up at him. “Oh God. I dunno what it is.”

With a sigh, Hunter punches a code into the keypad and the door clicks open. He reaches his arm inside and switches on the inside light and it throws a soft beam over us. “You’re good to go in.”

“So very clever,” I say, not ashamed for one second that I am gazing at him, starstruck. “How did you do that?”

“Mind-reading magic.”

“Oh. Does that mean you’re going to kiss me next, because that’s the only thing buzzing through my head.” My hand is on his chest, that magnet that has been luring me from day one.

Hunter glances down at my mouth, his tongue flicking over his bottom lip. His fingertips caress my cheek and wander deeper, into my hairline by my neck, there where he knows I’m so sensitive to touch. “You’re tipsy, Bee.”

“I know. Dang it. Does that mean you aren’t going to have your wicked way with me either, like I desperately want you to?”

He smiles, leaning a bit closer. “Still reading those smoochy books, are you?”

“God no. Gave up on love and romance. It’s all horseshit.” Both my hands are on him now, shamelessly feeling him up as I aim to circle my arms around his neck and make him stay.

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