Page 6 of Love Me Reckless

Birch opens the door for me, and I lower into the seat, tucking the hem of my dress beneath my thighs. The brush of my fingertips over the place Sawyer’s rough hands cradled me just minutes ago pulls me back in time.

Why was he in a rush to get out of the kitchen?

I remember him promising me a friendly paramedic who tells good jokes, but now…

I glance at the valet stand, where the woman is smoothing back a strand of her hair using the mirrored glass in the building behind her.

Birch opens his door and lowers into his seat. He drops my jean jacket on the console, then reaches up to grip the wheel. The motion pulls the cuff of his dress shirt past his watch. It lights up with the movement, flashing the display and the many metrics he tracks.

Birch is a champion polo player, runner, and rarely sleeps more than five hours a night. He likes monitoring his daily peak heart rate, and I’ve grown used to seeing the number in the top left corner because he sometimes brags to people about it. One time I saw him checking it after we’d had sex.

But he didn’t run or play polo today. He hasn’t even kissed me today.

I reach for the door before I know I’m doing it.

“Kirilee, what are you doing?” Birch asks, slamming on the brakes.

My eyes lock with the woman valet turning away from the glass of the building.

“I’m going to stay a little longer.” I snatch up my jacket and step out of the car.

“The party’s over.” When Birch is annoyed, he does this thingwith his jaw, like he’s pressing his teeth together, but his mouth is still open. It’s not exactly a sneer, but lately, it’s been making me mad. I know it’s wrong to think that way about the man I’m supposed to marry, but I can’t help it.

From the side of the building, Sawyer, Cooper, Sarah, and the others emerge in a pack, heading for the parking lot not serviced by the valets.

Sawyer glances over his shoulder, and our eyes meet.

I break away only to give Birch what I hope is a confident smile. “I know.”

“But how will you get ho?—?”

I shut the heavy door on his protests, and then hurry past the valet stand to catch up with Sawyer and his friends.

“Does your offer still stand?” I ask Sawyer when I reach him, breathless.

He glances past me, and I turn. Birch is standing next to his car, his door wide open. The engine is still running. Another car has pulled up behind him, but he doesn’t seem to care.

“Fuck yeah, it still stands,” Sawyer says in a low tone.

I reach down and tug off my shoes. If I was really brave, I’d toss them to the weeds. “Great.”

A wicked brightness flashes in Sawyer’s eyes. “On one condition.”

The last strap gets momentarily stuck, and I almost topple over, but I catch myself. “Name it.”

“You’ve gotta like pepperoni and olives.”

“Pepperoni and olives happen to be my favorite.” I gather the heel straps of my shoes with one finger.

Behind me, a car door slams.

I don’t look back.

Sawyer’s group splits into two and everyone piles into identical SUVs. I stick to Sawyer’s side like glue. He ushers me into the back seat, then settles in beside me as I melt into the bench with a sigh.

“Where’s this pizza place?” Cooper says from the driver’s seat.

“Just follow Hunter,” someone in the middle row seats says.

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