Page 45 of My Grumpy Sweetheart
Gradually, Dakota relaxed, his whole body sagging a little in relief. “I know that now. But during the weekend? I was so confused and still angry and hurt, and… it was just too much. I really didn’t want to like you, but you were so… you. Funny, happy, and the last person on earth who would ever seriously bid for a person for nefarious reasons. Even that first night when I lay in bed and watched the TikTok videos you did for work, I felt protective of you.”
“Wait… you watched what now?” Giggling, I shoved against him, not moving him even an inch. “You pervert.”
“I’m not a pervert! I wanted to… investigate your job. But that’s not the point. The point is there were a lot of conflicting feelings at war inside of me, and maybe a few insecurities, too. And I let those feelings get the best of me. I want you to know that ghosting you was killing me, okay? I missed you like crazy.”
My heart skipped a beat and I looked up at him, searching his eyes for a sign he was kidding me. “We only knew each other for two days.”
Dakota chuckled low. “Yeah. It’s crazy, isn’t it? I sound like a teenager who’s in love for the first time, but it’s the truth. I missed you so damn much, and I felt so bad for ignoring you.”
In love? Had he just said… he’d definitely said those words. Granted, in a comparison, but that was semantics.
Telling someone on their second date they were in love with them was too much — exactly the thing I’d do. My heart fluttered in my chest and my whole body broke out in goosebumps.
He was perfect.
Literally perfect. Well, apart from the ghosting thing, but it sounded like that was firmly behind us now.
“Bailey?”
“Huh?” I asked, blinking up at him, meeting his piercing blue eyes. A shiver ran down my spine.
“Were you listening to me?”
I blinked again, wrecking my brain trying to remember anything he’d said after the teenager in love part, but I came up empty. There was nothing there, just static noises.
“I’m sorry, I’m still kinda hung up on the whole in-love-like-a-teenager thing,” I admitted, grinning up at him. Then I realized what I’d just said. “I mean, not that I want to imply you’re actually in love with me. But, like, it’d be totally okay if you were, but also if you weren’t, and…”
“Bailey?” Dakota grinned at me.
“Yeah?”
“I’m not sure if I already am in love with you, but I can definitely see myself falling for you. Actually, I think I’m at least halfway there.”
Blood rushed in my ears, and everything but Dakota faded into the background. There was only him and me, his tender smile, and the way his eyes widened as I climbed onto his lap and pressed my lips against his in a fierce kiss. It took only a second, then his arms wrapped around me and pulled me against him, almost crushing me against his chest. His chest heaved, and I wasn’t sure if he was shaking or I was or both of us were. And I didn’t care. I only cared about him.
My sweet axe murderer with the hard shell but oh so gentle core.
“Dakota?” I whispered against his lips.
“Hmm?”
“Do you think we can get the burgers to go? I kinda want to be alone with you and do things with you, but I’m afraid neither the bartender nor the customers will appreciate the show.”
He shook his head, his hair hitting my face in the process. “You’re impossible.”
Out of his mouth, that definitely sounded like a compliment. I kissed him again before I reluctantly climbed off his lap. Turning back to face him, I gave him a wicked grin. “Oh, just for the record, I’m at least halfway in love with you, too.”
Then I got up and hurried towards the bar to change our order into a to go one, Dakota hot on my heels, growling at me, and just like that, I knew that we’d be fine. Some things were just meant to be.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
DAKOTA
The crunching sound drove me fucking insane. Crunch, crunch, crunch, a bag of chips crinkling, lips smacking, and then the crunching started all over again. And I didn’t even want to think about the crumbs he was getting all over my truck.Again. Because Bailey was a snacker. As soon as our trip was supposed to last longer than an hour, he had an array of snacks packed and was ready to get rid of his shoes as soon as his ass hit the seat.
“I’m so excited to go back. Do you think we’ll make it to the apple butter making class this time?” Bailey asked, giggling. “I mean, not that I’d have a problem missing it if you fuck me into the mattress again.”
