Page 94 of Passenger Princess

He shifts closer again, stepping into my space and wrapping anarm around my waist to tug me close. "If you promise to read some of your favorite scenes out loud to me, I'll buy the whole damn store."

Heat runs through me as I remember doing just that. "Deal."

He smiles like there wasn't a doubt in his mind that I'd be game before turning me and smacking my ass.

"Go."

"So... our first date," I say with a smile as we walk through a small suburban park Jaime took us to after the bookstore.

We're hand in hand, Jaime holding Peach's leash as she chases a butterfly. It's hilarious seeing big, bad Jaime Wilde holding a pink, glittery leash attached to a harness with tiny strawberries on it, a kitten prancing around, but somehow, it works.

Everything with Jaime always seems to justwork.

I can't decide if it's because I'm so damn into him or if we were both made to be right here with one another. Being a hopeless romantic, I've always believed in love at first sight, but maybe in reality, it works a little differently. Maybe my constant need to bug him, his bone-deep desire to protect me is just that:love at first sightmanifesting in reality. It's been there since the beginning and has refused to be ignored.

"Did I do okay?" A blush creeps over his cheeks and down his neck, and I push my shoulder into him, rolling my eyes.

"You know you did great. Don't go digging for compliments. But it's going to be a hard one to beat."

"Mmm, well, hopefully our next date won’t have to be so cloak and dagger."

My belly tumbles at the thought. In five days, the tour will be over, and we'll be headed home. While I'll still have the title of Miss Americana and I'll be expected to attend a handful of events during my reign, it's nothing like this intensive three-month tour.

"So you're saying we're going to have a second date?" I ask with a smile.

"Ava," he says, half irritated, half entertained. "What part of the last month makes you think we won't have a second date?"

I shrug, but decide to give him a real answer. "I don't know. You won't be attached at the hip to me anymore, and you'll probably get a new assignment…" I say, my voice trailing off to his discomfort, but as is his way, Jaime stops walking, seeing it and pulling me into him.

"Ava, I would move in with you tomorrow if it wasn't too much or too fast for you. We've spent three months at each other's side, every waking moment together. The thought ofnothaving that when we get back makes me sick, though I'm willing to take this at your pace. So yeah, there will be a second date. And a third date. If I get my way, a one-hundredth date. Atake-my-last-name-and-put-a-ring-on-your-finger, date down the line if I'm really lucky."

"Oh," I whisper.

"Why are you so surprised by this?" he asks with a laugh.

"I...I don't know. I don't know."

He stops my mumbling by pressing his lips to mine. Taking it deep until it pulls a soft moan from me. When he pulls back, he presses his forehead to mine.

"You so like me," I whisper.

"I really fucking do," he says back.

FORTY-FOUR

JAIME

"Is this okay?" Ava asks, nerves in her words. She turns in the mirror, left and right and forward like she's looking for any imperfection at all she can fix before we leave, but as always, she looks fucking stunning.

Her dress is a pale blue with long sleeves and a higher neckline than normal, fitted until it stops mid-thigh. It's probably one of the most conservative outfits I've seen her wear on this entire trip, but that's because my girl is panicking.

Tonight is our last off night before tomorrow's final event for the Miss Americana organization, and now that we're officially in California, we're having dinner with Hank and his wife.

I put an arm around her waist, tugging her into my body and pressing my lips to hers. She picked out my outfit, one similar to the gala we went to: a black suit and a black dress shirt.Bodyguard chic, she told me, giggling when I rolled my eyes, but I can't deny we look damn good together.

"Don't mess up my lipstick, Jaime Wilde!" she shouts, putting her hands to my chest and attempting to push, though it gets her nowhere. "Ugh, you're so annoyingly strong."

"You look perfect, Ava," I say to her, low and reassuring, ignoringher arguing. Her body goes slack in my arms, her eyes going hopeful despite the lingering nerves.

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