Page 22 of Tice's Kind of Trouble
He searches my expression.
When I lean in, he holds my gaze and I whisper. “I forgive you.”
He shudders when I kiss him, his hand moving to my lower back possessivly.
Then I pick up the fork and take bite of the wonderful food he made for me because he cared enough to find out what I like.
Flavor explodes with my first bite. “This is soooo good.”
He rubs my back, chuckles in disbelief, “Just like that, you forgive me?”
I shrug as I pick up another bite, the aroma of peppers and spices washing over me in a teasing wave. “We’re writing new rules here, aren’t we?”
“You’re rewriting everything, Bethany,” he replies roughly. His muscular shoulders rising and falling with a hard breath.
When I smile at him, he swallows loudly and looks at the ceiling. “Honey, be easy on me, my fucking heart can’t take much of that.”
I pause waiting for him to continue, but he just rubs the heel of his hand against his forehead. “What? I just smiled.”
“I know,” he loops an arm around my waist, cinching me closer, causing my stool to squeak on the pristine stone floor. “That’s the smile you had in the first photo I saw of you. The onethat made me sit up in my damned truck like I’d been struck by lightning.”
My body stirs, just the thought of having such an affect on Tice makes me tingle all over.
“Which picture was that?”
He gets a sheepish grin on his face. “It’s not racy or anything like that. It’s…sweet. The one with you in the field with the flowers. You’re wearing a red T-shirt and little black shorts, holding that little fluff-ball puppy.”
“Oh.” I laugh, my cheeks plumping from the smile. “I know that photo. He was my first rescue, Rudy. That little guy was an absolute wild thing in all the best ways. I could barely get him to hold still for a photo. Did you know I run an animal rescue organization?”
“I know everything except the things inside your head…” he presses his hand over my heart, splaying his large fingers across my tingling skin. “And what’s in here. That’s the secret place I want to unravel.”
A full body flush takes hold of me. I had no idea love was so visceral.
But something has taken over my body. Heavens.Thisman.
I’m not sure I can take the feelings he cause to bloom in me like wildflowers. It’s almost too bright, the feeling so big I’m ripping at the seams a little bit.
I love it.
“Slaying me, Tice.” I wave my fork at him. “Now let me eat, I have a feeling I’m gonna need my strength for tonight.” With that I drop my eyes down his body, allowing myself to look at the narrowness of his waist, the heaviness between his thighs, hidden behind those tempting track pants.
Whoa girl. Eat some food because the man has stamina. It’s written all over his muscles.
I scoop up another bite, enjoying his presence by my side, but his mood seems to fall as he traces a finger along my spine. Sensing the shift in him, I decide that the best way to address it is head on.
“Hey, I can tell something is bothering you,” I say as I glance over at him. “Why don’t you tell me why you looked like you were ready to burn down the city when I walked in on you earlier?”
FOURTEEN
Tice
Damn.
Stroking my hand up and down, memorizing the feel of Bethany’s frame, I fight with myself over how and what to tell her about what I’ve learned.
Not only was I pseudo-stalking her, but some fuckhead was out there getting dangerously close to her.
“I should have acted on my urge to ask you out sooner.” I try not to sound like I’m chewing gravel, but it’s impossible. “I could have stopped you from experiencing this.”
