Page 393 of Steamy Ever After

I look between my uncle and Drake, then crane my neck until I capture Drake’s smoldering gaze.

“What was all of that?”

“Nothing.” His smoldering gaze does indecent things to my insides.

I’m lava hot. Molten desire swims in my veins. Drake is simply that overwhelming, but what was all that subtext between him and my uncle?

“Like hell that was nothing.” I prop my fists on my hips.

“What?” He blinks like an innocent baby, only Drake’s no innocent.

“The whole my girl and she’s in good hands?” On an impish impulse, I reach out and pinch his nipple.

I’ve never seen a man lift on tiptoe like that. Drake practically levitates.

His large hand clamps down on mine. Pressure applied to my wrist makes my fingers let go.

“Fair’s fair.” I grin up at him, pleased with myself.

“Don’t think I won’t make you pay for that. As for your uncle, don’t worry about him. I may, or may not, have asked for his permission to take you out.”

“You did, what?”

“You heard me.”

When did he do that? Because a second ago, Uncle Pete said he heard Drake saved me. Which makes it seem like this is the first time they’ve talked about me, but Drake says otherwise. I’m very confused.

“What I heard is that you asked his permission.”

“You’re in Peace Springs, city girl. We do things a bit differently around here. I wanted your uncle’s blessing before I moved forward, and he gave it.”

“He did?”

“That and more.”

“Do I even want to ask what that means?” My attention shifts outside to my uncle while I figure out what the two of them are up to.

Sara and Uncle Pete stoop over, looking at her car. Sara drags her finger across the front passenger side door all the way to the back of the car.

“Probably not.” Drake’s grin is positively sinful. If his smirk wasn’t so damn sexy, I’d smack it off his face. As it is, I melt for him.

So damn cheesy, but true.

I melt for him.

“What the hell does that mean?” I know I shouldn’t ask, but I can’t help but dig that hole.

“Only that Doc Bateman is a very intuitive man.”

“That literally means nothing.”

Drake’s insufferable.

Completely insufferable.

“Remember that book I was talking about?”

“You mean the one about me being an open book to you?”

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