Page 50 of The Love Wager

Ourlastnight together.

I don’t want to focus on anything but spending every last moment I can with her. Before, this thing between us becomes a thing of the past.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, and now we’re all finishing this round of photos before we head for the reception hall—technically Taylor’s family’s estate.

Indie and I will head over together, and I’m hoping we get a few moments together before we have to spend the night amongst all the drunken frivolity. Not that I’m not happy for Taylor and Spencer, but knowing that tonight is the last time I’ll see Indie has me feeling her impending loss already like an anvil on my chest.

When I open the door for her to slide into my truck, she eyes me sweetly. There have been none of her usual spitfire remarks or antics today. I don’t know if she’s keeping it together for Taylor or because she, too, is dreading our upcoming end.

I get in and shut the door before cranking the engine. For a moment, we both sit in comfortable silence. It’s been a hectic day.

“My best friend is married,” she says.

I let my head loll to the side of my headrest to look at her. “She is.”

“It was a beautiful wedding.” She looks at me as a smile lights her face.

“It was.”

“Are you just going to agree with me all night?”

I nod. “I am.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to do, you know?”

“Is it? Seems like it could be fun. Unless you say we’re robbing a bank on the way to the reception.”

“If I were to take a detour, I wouldn’t choose that.” Her tone has dropped into a husky gravel that has my heartbeat quickening.

“Oh yeah? If you could choose a detour, what would it be, then?”

She bites her lip, and I zone in on the pressure her teeth are exerting into her flesh, wanting more than anything to feel them on mine.

“Anywhere,” she says, and I narrow my eyes at her.

“Anywhere? That’s not very specific.”

“You didn’t let me finish.”

“Oh. Well, by all means, carry on.”

She slides across the bench seat toward me, tilting her head to tease my lips with hers as she hovers close. “Anywhere with you.”

That’s it. I don’t think I’ll survive her leaving here tomorrow. But for her sake, I know I have to let her go. She’s not meant for a one-stop-light town. She’s meant formore.More than I can offer her. More than I stand for. More than me.

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” I whisper.

“Will you?”

When I can’t take it any longer, I press forward, kissing her with everything I can’t put into words. The world surrounding us falls away for a moment, and we’re back in the meadow, beneath the stars, just her and me. No impending clock ticks as her tongue spreads my lips to tease against mine.

A car horn honks, and I realize I’m holding up the procession of cars behind us heading to the reception.

Indie grins and sits straight in the middle of the truck beside me, her hand resting on my thigh.

Putting the truck into gear, I pull onto the street, all the while heavily aware of Indie’s thumb tracing mind-numbing circles on my inner thigh.

“Don’t worry,” she whispers, brushing her lips over my ear. “We’ll find somewhere more private at some point tonight.”

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