Page 9 of Rekindling Little River
He really hoped they said something soon before he talked them out of this idea instead of into it. He hadn’t meant to lay it all out like that. He needed to get a grip on his tongue before he ruined his chances.
The shock in River’s expression was making him nervous. He’d hoped he wasn’t the only one fighting attraction but there was no guarantee what he was feeling wasn’t completely one-sided and the longer River went without speaking, the more he wondered.
“You…” River cleared their throat and opened their mouth like they intended to try again but no sound escaped. They glanced around as if they were searching for a teleprompter to give them words to say and his stomach clenched. “You’vereallywanted me this whole time?”
“Yeah”—he ran his fingers through his hair and smiled sheepishly at them—“I have.”
“But, our friends.”
Um, okay, he was confused. “As much as I love our friends, I’m not looking to add them to our dynamic.”
“What happens when it’s over?”
Dave tried not to let their certainty that it wouldn’t last hurt, but damn. Direct hit. “Who says it has to bewhen?”
“It’salwayswhen.”
The words were said so low that Dave was certain he wasn’t meant to hear them, but he had, and they broke his heart. Whatthey’d said to their friend at lunch came back to him, making him curse himself for not realizing what they meant sooner. River wasn’t sure it would end because they wanted it to, they were sure it would because nothing had lasted for them before.
Going on instinct, Dave reached for their hand and leaned forward until their eyes were on him. “Baby, ifyoudecide I’m not right for you, then I’ll handle it like a man. There won’t be hard feelings or dividing of friends like they’re communal property.”
“But what if you decide I’m not right for you?”
And there was the crux of River’s hesitation. So, Dave made a spur of the moment decision. He laid his final cards on the table in an effort to show River exactly how important they already were to him.
“If you weren’t right for me, I wouldn’t have spent the last eleven months trying to get your attention. I wouldn’t have requested days off to make events I knew you’d be at. I wouldn’t have joined Little Hearts Club hoping to see you more. I wouldn’t have borrowed a friend’s clothes to man a dunking booth, just so you’d have to pay attention to me to dunk me.” He watched their expression slowly shift from shock to awe, but he wasn’t quite done yet. He had one more confession. “If you weren’t right for me, I wouldn’t have bid an entire paycheck on this vacation specifically because I sawyourbid on its twin.”
CHAPTER 8
River
What was even happening right now? How had they not realized what was happening before? Dave hadreallybeen trying to get their attention this whole time? And they hadn’t even realized how hot Dave was until yesterday. Well, not really. They’d had flashes of attraction, but it hadn’t been hard to ignore until dinner last night.
“I haven’t broken you, have I?”
His lopsided smile said he was joking but honestly, he wasn’t far off the mark. River had read a ton of romances where one character longed for another who never had a clue, but they’d never figured they’d be living one.
“Um,” they said, “maybe?”
Dave laughed and it wasn’t the first time River felt goosebumps rise from the smooth, rich sound. There had always been something about his laugh that affected them.
“I hope not. I never want to break you. I want only to build you up.”
Well, hell. There he went again, making them speechless. Every time they thought they had a handle on their reactions, he’d say something else that set them firmly back in a seat on the struggle bus.
“So, what do you say, River? Give me a chance?”
Since their words were once again failing them, River did the only thing theycoulddo. They nodded their assent. Maybe this was exactly what they needed. It could help them find their Little again, and if what Dave said was true, there was a slight possibility that he could be what River had once hoped to find. They weren’t sure if they believed he really wanted them that much, and even if he did, imagining being with someone was often much different thanactuallybeing with someone. He could easily decide later that they weren’t who he thought they were and end it. But River knew for certain that if they didn’t give him this chance, they’d forever regret it and wonder what could have been.
River hadn’t worried over their appearance in a while, but they found themselves pawing through their things looking for the perfect outfit. One that didn’t seem to be present. Dave was coming to escort them to dinner this evening and they wanted to look perfect. Because of where they were going, River had only packed Little outfits aside from their travel clothes, but tonight they needed to feel and be Big. They would be discussing a very important topic. They also wanted to look attractive. It was time to do something they hadn’t done in quite a while. River was going shopping.
River might have been shopping more recently if they’d been able to find a store like the one they stepped into now. It was unlike any gift shop they’d ever seen. The massive space seemed to hold everything a person could dream of needing from essentials like toothbrushes and shampoo, to resort-themed souvenirs, sex toys, playroom toys, lifestyle clothes and the section that was drawing River. Western Wear.
The section held everything one would expect to find in a big-name western shop and more. Boots, hats, skirts, jeans galore, all kinds of shirts from t-shirts to pearl snaps fit for a rodeo queen. But the thing that drew River’s eye was all the bling. Jeweled shirts, jeans, belts, hat bands, boots. One could create an outfit that would turn them into a human disco ball if someone shined a flashlight on them. River wanted to be a human disco ball.
“Can I help you find something?” The voice drew River’s attention to a gentleman rocking the rodeo look to perfection. His tanned skin and the particular shade of red in his hair gave away his Hispanic heritage. His hazel eyes were more unique than any River had seen. They looked like someone had marbled literally every eye color together so that swirls of every color from violet to green to brown and gray were visible. There was a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks, and his wide, welcoming smile was a bright white worthy of an orthodontics poster. River liked him immediately.
“I have a special dinner tonight and I’m looking for the perfect outfit.”
