Page 22 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

His phone made a strange sound, and he groaned.

“What?” I asked.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and grimaced.

“SWAT call,” he grumbled, tossing the phone onto the table and standing up.

He went to grab all the trash, but I stopped him by placing a hand on his forearm, right over the bright green lizard tattoo.

He stilled, his eyes coming up.

“I got it,” I said softly.

He pulled away but kept his eyes on mine.

“Raincheck?” he asked as he started to back toward the front door.

I nodded. “Definitely.”

He turned and walked to the door. “Come lock this.”

Not a suggestion.

Definitely not a suggestion when that kind of order came from a man like Auden Carter.

“Sure,” I said. “Despite not getting along with my father, he did teach me basic common sense.”

Auden chuckled. “The world is a bad place.”

Wasn’t that the truth?

My heart was pounding as I watched him walk down the manicured front walk and stop to take a look at my peonies by the mailbox.

With one last look over his shoulder at me, he walked toward his truck, got in, started it up, and drove away.

I watched him go until I couldn’t anymore, then did that girlish squeal that all girls do when the man they’ve had a crush on for-like-ever kisses them and says something sweet.

I’d just locked the front door when I heard the sound of a motor heading back in my direction.

I peeked out my peephole and felt my heart start to palpate in my chest as I watched Auden park haphazardly in the street and start running my way.

I opened the door to find him running down my walk, hopping over my rose bushes.

He came to a stop directly in front of me before saying, “Your brother is going to rip me a new asshole for this but…”

Then he kissed me.

My toes curled in my shoes.

His tongue swept into my mouth at my gasp of surprise at finding his lips on mine, and then he was pulling away with a grin.

“My brother’s an asshole to me, too, if it makes you feel better!” I called out to him as he jogged back to his truck.

He stopped with one foot in the door before turning around and saying, “No. That actually pisses me off.”

I pulled away with a smile, then closed the door on him.

He sped away, and I had another squeal fest.

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