Page 58 of Lead Me Knot

The scar on the side of his leg is visible but healing. “How’s the knee today?”

He waves me off. “Pfft. Stop worrying about me. I’m good. You have enough on your plate like Lauralee waiting on you while you’re over here yapping with me.”

“I do worry.”

“I’m good, son. Soon, I’ll be kicking your ass on that basketball court.”

“You’re sounding like Tagger, and you know how that goes.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, well, I can take you both. So let’s not make a big deal of this, especially when you have company.”

“Okay, Dad. You won this round. But I’ll be back soon enough and bugging you again.”

“Now go on.”

With a grin, I turn around and start walking. Tapping my hat higher on my forehead so I can take in the full view of her, I smile for a different reason.Her.I reach my girl in only a few steps but force myself to stop just shy of kissing her. “Hi.”

Her hips sway twice, and her cheeks pinken for me. “Hi.”

I can tell my dad is still behind us, probably already figuring us out. I’m sure he’ll say something later. But right now, man, I wish I could kiss her, hug her, touch her in any way. Time’s slipping away from us, and I’m going to miss her come tomorrow. I don’t regret spending time with my nephew and keeping my word, but hell, I missed her today. “What brings you by?”

“You.” I love that she doesn’t bother to lie and just says what she wants. And I’m the lucky bastard who fits the bill.So fucking sexy. “I wanted to see you before you leave later tonight.”

“Did you think I’d leave without a proper goodbye?”

“We hadn’t made plans, and I knew you were spending time with your family. I wasn’t sure if I should even drive out.”

“I’m glad you did.”

A loud clearing of the throat behind me grabs our attention, and we both look at my dad. He says, “I’m going to go inside so you two can talk privately.”

When I turn back to Lauralee, she says, “I think he knows.”

“He definitely knows, but since the cat’s out of the bag . . .” I swoop in, cupping her face, and kiss her like I wanted to originally. We waste no time with niceties. Instead, our mouths open, and our tongues entwine. There’s an urgency that hasn’t been there, but with it being Sunday, it’s come into play.

When air becomes necessary, our lips part, but our foreheads press together. We both breathe, regulating our breaths with our eyes still closed. “You make me wish I could stay,” I whisper. The words came so easily that I question when the emotion was formed that created them.

Last night when we were making love or yesterday when we were making plans? The moment I saw her again, if the truth be told. But how can so much change in the course of a few days?

I lift my head and look at her.That’s my answer.

She whispers, “I wish you could stay, too. It was just getting good.” Her laughter trickles away too quickly. A weighty sigh escapes her, and her smile falls. “I can’t even land a joke right now because this feels heavy and too important to goof it up.”

Giving her some space to sort through her thoughts, I step back, but only once. My own selfish needs still win out. “You’re not goofing anything up. You can say what’s on your mind, baby.”

“I didn’t expect to fall for you, but here I am, just a girl from a small town who’s about to have her heart broken when you leave tonight.” Her admission is a shot to my heart.

I must get on that plane. My job is on the line if I don’t.There’s just no way I can now.

I won’t be the guy to break her heart. Not now.Not ever.“I’ll stay the night.”

CHAPTER 21

Lauralee

I don’t knowwhy I’m nervous.

The drive back letting too much time pass?

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