Page 83 of The Thought of You

A sex video? I’m wishing for scandalous sex videos now?

What spell does Owen have me under?

I pull the window down to prepare for our turn as soon as the sedan in front of us moves forward. “Doesn’t relate to why this would be a surprise.”

“Sometimes, it’s all about the little things.”

“You just said it’s the huge things—or thing, in this case.”

He throws his head back and laughs. The hearty sound echoes out my open window, drifting into the night, and I smile too. I don’t remember a time when I’ve had that much of an effect on his funny bone. He and I don’t exactly have a similar sense of humor.

“I knew you thought it was huge,” he says as I assume the sedan’s spot at the speaker, which crackles with static before a voice greets us.

“Order whenever you’re ready,” they say.

“What do you want?” I ask Owen as I scan the menu, contemplating what mood I’m in—fruity or chocolatey.

“If I said you, is that sappy, romantic, or both?”

“Now is not the time for such grand ponderings, Owen,” I hiss, but my smile is natural. I can’t stop it any more than I can stop my heart from beating so fast because of him.

“Fine,” he draws out. “I’ll take a cookie dough blizzard, please.”

“I’m thinking strawberry cheesecake,” I say, but it’s mostly to myself.

With our orders in place, I curve around the path toward the window, where Owen reaches his long arm across my chest and hands the scrawny teen his credit card. Once the window closes, I shrug Owen off me and declare, “I could’ve paid.”

“You’re driving. It’s only fair that I pay.”

I tsk as the window slides open again. I can’t easily reach the two cups, so I use my window to leverage myself and rise halfway out of my seat.

Which is when I feel a pinch on my ass.

Yelping, I nearly drop the sweet cargo onto the asphalt outside. “What do you think you’re doing?” I whisper-scream toward Owen as I nestle the two treats inside my cupholders.

“Wasn’t it obvious? Your ass was right there for the squeezing, and if you didn’t think I’d take the opportunity, then you don’t know me at all.” He snorts and holds his shoulders high, clearly proud of himself.

He’s ridiculous and goofy, but he’s also safe and strong. I like the mix of qualities in him. They work as well as the wild combinations at the restaurant earlier tonight.

And I like that he can’t help himself around me. How long has it been since I felt so desired? Since a guy just couldn’t keep his hands off me?

Too long.

If I were told two weeks ago that Owen Conrad would be the one to end my dry spell, I would’ve cackled until tears streamed down my face.

But peeking over at him, even as he licks the melting ice cream off the edge of his cup like an animal, I’m glad it was him.

chapter

twenty-six

OWEN

“Who was your favorite teacher in high school?” Addie sticks her plastic spoon in her ice cream and holds a finger up. “And don’t say Señora Gomez. She can’t hear you, so there’s no need to kiss her ass.”

“She always gives me extra Spanish candies, though.” Even when she was my teacher and not my co-worker, Señora Gomez would sneak me a few extra pieces because, according to her, I was muy grande and needed more food than the other kids.

She wasn’t wrong.

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