Page 113 of Tangled Kisses
“Bet you were adorable.”
She snorts. “Not even close.”
“You didn’t get picked,” I murmur, tightening my hold on her waist, “because you were waiting for me.”
She doesn’t respond, just lets me inch her closer until her head rests against my chest. For the first time since I walked into her office earlier today, the tension in me eases, and I press a soft kiss to her hair, silently praying the song never ends.
But of course, it does. The final notes fade, swallowed by the start of another, and she pulls back as if waking from a dream.
“Thanks.” The softness in her face slips behind a practiced mask as she pulls from my arm. “I appreciate your dancing with me.”
“I’ll dance with you all night.”
Tears fill her wide, dark eyes as she blinks them away. “No point.”
She turns toward the bar, leaving me to watch her retreat. And for the life of me, I can’t figure out what the hell I did wrong.
We polish off another drink,share some greasy food, and she argues with me over the bill until I finally slap my card down first.
“You’re impossible,” she mutters, sliding off her stool.
“And you’re welcome.”
Outside, the night’s cool enough to raise goosebumps on her bare arms. She waves toward the dirt lot. “I walked here.”
“Guess that means you’re stuck with me.” I open the passenger door, waiting until she climbs in before circling around. The drive’s quiet, the radio a low hum under her silence, until we roll past the flickering neon of the only motel in town.
The sign reads NO VACANCY.
“Well,” I say, easing the truck to a stop. “Guess this is you.”
She thanks me, already reaching for the handle. Then she pauses, meeting my gaze. “Are you staying here, too?”
I point at the sign, forcing a shrug. “Afraid not. Think I’ll just camp out in my truck. One motel, one campground—doesn’t leave many options.”
Her brow furrows. “But it’s freezing. Supposed to drop into the forties tonight.”
“I’ve handled worse,” I tell her. “Got a blanket. I’ll be fine.”
She mutters something under her breath, then pushes her door open. Out on the pavement, she digs out her keycard, unlocks the room, and throws me a sharp look over her shoulder, hands lifted in surrender. “Are you coming or not?”
I bite back a smile as I climb out of the truck. “You don’t have to do that. You said you wanted to be alone, Reese. I’ve already pushed my way into your space once tonight.”
“I’m not leaving you in your truck to freeze. You’re far too pretty for that.” Her eyes flick to mine, and I see the softness in their dark depths. “Besides, I’m glad you were here. Truth is, it’s not exactly fun hanging out alone. Might sound pathetic, but?—”
That gets me. Hits deeper than I want to admit. Heat flickers in my chest, spreading wider than it should.
“Not pathetic at all.” I grab my overnight bag from the backseat and lock the truck. “Because I saw how those men were watching you in the bar. Thought I might have to drag a few of them out to the parking lot.”
She scoffs, rolling her eyes. “Nothing like that happened.”
“Damn right it didn’t.” My jaw ticks. “Because I was sitting next to you. Are you sure you can tolerate me for a few more hours?”
That earns me another glare, but this one’s gentler, her lips twitching as she smothers a smile. She throws the door open wide and jerks her chin toward the room. “Come on. Don’t make me regret it.”
The motel room smells faintly of bleach and stale smoke, but the TV works and the bed’s clean, so I call it a win. Reese flips through channels until she lands on some old rom-com, the kind where you can guess the ending in the first five minutes but still watch, anyway.
She curls up at the far end of the bed, legs tucked under her, a fortress of pillows between us.
