Page 15 of Off the Clock

“You’re welcome.” His expression was unreadable as he flexed his hands against his side. Like me, he seemed far too awake for what was essentially the middle of the night.

“You heading home?” I asked in a husky whisper.

“Why?” Caleb met my gaze, eyes sharp and unwavering. “Ask what you really want to ask, Tony.”

“Wanna go somewhere?”

Chapter Eight

Caleb

I met Tony’s shifty gaze, not letting him escape. I knew precisely what he was after, and much as I wanted it, I wasn’t about to let him play pretend.

“What sort of somewhere?” I asked. The parking lot was downright chilly for early July, an almost eerie stillness after the long night of fireworks. “It’s past closing time everywhere other than the all-night diner, and even if there was a bar open, I’m technically still on call for the whole holiday weekend, so I can’t drink.”

“We don’t have to drink.” Tony’s voice was husky. Seductive. Yeah, he knew. “Or go anywhere in particular.”

“Well, that’s good because you live in a house full of people.” I kept my tone pragmatic. I wasn’t about to make this easy on him. And also, logistics seriously were a thing. “Nosy people. And I’ve got a brother who is mercifully home asleep, thanks in part to your brother-in-law chasing all the boys home around midnight.”

“Noted.” He nodded curtly and glanced over at my truck, which was ironically parked near the older compact he drove. “I was thinking…a drive?”

I had to laugh because no way did he actually want a drive. “Well, as long as you’re thinking like a teen on the make, how about you take me to one of your old make-out spots.” Might as well go ahead and get to the point. “I didn’t go to high school around here, so I don’t know the good places to park.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“Yeah, you did, Tony.” Trying to call his bluff, I resumed walking toward my truck, clicking the unlock button on my keys. “And it’s been a long-ass day in a long-ass week, and I’m more than happy to go there with you, stupid idea and all, but I need you to own up to wanting it.”

As I’d hoped, he followed fast on my heels, approaching the passenger side.

“There’s a place I could show you.” His tone was cagey as he glanced around, likely to make sure we didn’t have an audience to notice us leaving together. Apparently satisfied, he nodded and hopped into the passenger seat. “Take a left at the hospital, heading east out of town.”

Despite his instructions, I didn’t put the truck in Drive, instead turning toward him. “Words matter. You wanna regret this later, that’s on you. But you don’t get to pretend like I made you or like oops, we ran out of gas and our lips collided, oh no.”

“Well played.” Tony chuckled, a warm, rich sound that filled the truck cab. “Yeah. I want this. And much as you hate the word, I’m curious. Like I said, I know I can be turned on by guys. But I’ve never…and I just want to know for sure.”

“That kiss wasn’t convincing enough?” I shook my head but drove out of the parking lot, turning toward the hospital.

“I might need a few more repeats to be certain.”

“Fair enough.” I shrugged. Tony might becuriousabout same-sex action, but my own curiosity was more about the novelty of making out in a car, finding a remote make-out spot. I’d missed out on a lot of backseat fumbling in my awkward teen phase, and my body thrummed with anticipation. This was a terrible idea, but most of my body couldn’t care less.

We drove in weighty silence for a few miles until Tony gestured at an upcoming unmarked turnoff.

“Right here.” Tony gestured, the moon and my headlights the only illumination of the country road. The turnoff led farther into a dark, forested area along a bumpy path. “This road dead-ends at an old quarry. Not particularly scenic, but generations of Mount Hope teens have found their way up here.”

“We’re alone up here now,” I pointed out as I parked in a wide, flat area near the metal gates for the quarry. As soon as I killed the headlights, the spot felt even more isolated, stars gleaming far brighter than they ever did close to town. “And damn. Look at that sky and moon.”

“Yeah.” Tony leaned back in his seat, adjusting it with a click that made a fresh wave of anticipation pulse through me. “You make me want to be young and foolish again.”

“You’re not that old.” I rolled my eyes at him, not that he could likely see in the darkness of the truck cab. The ten or whatever years between us only ever mattered when he went into bossy mode, and even then, he was the one who truly seemed to care about being older. My crush-prone body had always been more attracted to older, mature guys. “And you wanna be stupid, be my guest.”

Unbuckling my seatbelt, I stretched my arms overhead invitingly before turning more toward him. He’d been the one to kiss me in the kitchen, so he could darn well be the first to make a move here. Luckily, I didn’t have to be too patient as I’d barelyshifted in my seat before he was on me, hands on my shoulders, pulling me closer.

And for all kissing guys might be new for him, he was damn good at it. If my stubble from a long shift without shaving or anything else threw him off, he sure didn’t show it. Instead, he kissed with a sexy confidence matched with a leisurely pace, the sort that said he knew perfectly well I wasn’t going anywhere. His lips were soft but far more urgent than that first, gentle kiss.

He clutched me tighter, tongue delving deep before he sucked on my lower lip. I groaned, and he murmured something against my mouth, approval clear. We traded kisses, hands roving, moans mingling until we were both breathless.

“Want more.” Tony plucked at my T-shirt like its very existence was an offense. I was only too happy to assist him in peeling my shirt off before he did the same. Touching his bare arms and back was nice, but not nearly enough.

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