Page 21 of Accidentally on Purpose

“I had a small mishap at the shop which brought me to the hospital the night Reese was working…”The story we’d concocted earlier tumbled as easily as the truth from my lips. Hell, it came out so easily, I was almost convinced by the time I was done.

The fake stuff was easy—but the real heat radiating from Reese’s skin underneath my fingertips was the hard part. The way I still wanted to kiss her as damn bad as I had this afternoon was the hard part.I should’ve pulled my hand back, but goddamn, her skin was so soft and warm. My thumb started to trace slow circles.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of this, Reese,” Arlene chided when I finished, her eyes glistening with happy tears.

“And that’s the drugs talking,” Reese murmured firmly, brushing my hand away and standing to clear the table. “I’ll get them,” she added when I went to help, her message clear:stay here.

“Alright, babe.”

Pink rose to her cheeks, and damn, if my dick didn’t harden. This woman was all business, all the time. But that blush right there—there was nothing business about that blush. That blush was all pleasure, and I wanted to make it happen again. And again and again.

As soon as Reese walked into the kitchen with the plates, Arlene turned her focus back to me. “I’m glad Reese took you around town today,” she said with a hushed voice. “She works so hard taking care of everyone else, and I’m just—” She broke off and shook her head, a heartfelt smile tugging on her cheeks. “I’m glad she found you. Or you found her, I guess.”

I wondered if she’d be glad if she knew Ifound her daughter on the side ofthe road.

Like she knew we were talking about her, Reese returned with the chocolate cream pie, and Arlene declared quickly, “Now, Iknow better than to talk about Reese’s work, but what’s your favorite project you’ve worked on recently, Decker?”

I grinned. “I’ve got a sixty-nine Camaro that I’m bringing back to life.”

I watched Reese cut the pie, waiting for her gaze to find mine. I could still see her there, running her hand along the side of my car, her interest in my work making my blood hum.

“Oh, that sounds intriguing.” Arlene took her plate and fork. “Is it difficult?”

“Not if you know what you’re doing,” I said, my fingers brushing Reese’s when she handed me a slice. “The key is patience. When something’s been left…alone…for so long, you’ve got to take the time to restore every single piece carefully. Methodically. Let her know it’s okay to come back to life. But if I do that, when I finally go to start her up, she’ll purr.”

Reese’s fork clattered on her plate, and she quickly steadied it with a mumbled apology.

“You okay, dear?” Cheryl asked. “You look flushed.” The woman then blatantly turned and winked at me.

“Just fine,” Reese said with a tight smile. “So, I’m taking you to your doctor’s appointment tomorrow, Mom—”

“Oh, that’s no fun for you—”

“Mom, I’m not here for me or for fun. I’m here for you. Are you really going to try and kick me out of the house every day for the short time I’m here?” she asked, the catch in her voice softening Arlene’s expression.

“No, of course not, but you’re already not staying with Decker at the hotel—”

“Mom.”

“Alright, alright.”Arlene sighed. “I just don’t like to be reminded what an invalid I am.”

“You’re not an invalid, Mom. You had your knee replaced—”

“And you brought your boyfriend to Wyoming to meet me. I don’t want to waste this time cooped up in a chair.”

Reese folded her arms. “Well, it’s not like you can go for a hike—”

“But we could go for a drive!” Arlene clapped her hands together, an idea clearly having struck. “Let’s do the lower loop at Yellowstone. Decker can see Old Faithful. And the bison—”

“I’m sure he’s—”

“Never been,” I chimed in and reached for her hand.

She tensed but didn’t pull away. “Decker…” she warned and then looked at her mom. “You just had surgery, you have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, and if that wasn’t enough, Yellowstone is a whole day event. Between the follow-up appointments and physical therapy—”

“A different day then,” Arlene said, compromise characterizing her tone.

I felt Reese’s sharp inhale, so I gave her fingers a squeeze. Now her eyes flicked to mine.Not tonight.There was no point in arguing.

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