Page 43 of Mine To Keep (Southern Wedding)

“That’s okay,” I assure him, and when his hands let go of my hips, I move off him. “This is what I get for dating a dad.”

He chuckles before he rubs his face, grabbing his phone and then getting up. “I guess.” He holds out his hand to me. I slip my hand in his and he doesn’t let it go as we walk toward the front door. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” He wraps his arms around my waist.

I get on my tippy-toes to get closer to him. “Yes.” I slip my arms around his neck and pull him down to kiss him. Just a little kiss, I tell myself and it ends up being a hot and heavy make-out session, leaving both of us panting. “I really wish you didn’t have to go.” I suck his neck.

“If I don’t leave now.” His hands squeeze my ass after they slide down to it two seconds after our kiss turns heavy. “I might not leave.”

“Ugh,” I groan, stepping away from him, knowing he has to get home to Meadow. “Go, before I change my mind, and don’t let you out of here.”

“Hmm,” he hums, winking at me, “don’t tease me with a good time.” He opens the door. “And if anyone isn’t going to let anyone go and keep them, you know, maybe tied up—” He starts off, smirking, but it goes into a full-blown smile. “It’s going to be me.”

My core gets so tight I’m surprised I don’t orgasm in front of him with just his words. “Get out of here,” I say, walking to the door, getting ready to slam it behind him. But he quickly kisses my lips before he walks away. I stand here watching him get in the elevator, holding up my hand until the elevator doors close.

Only once it’s closed do I shut the door and lock it, the smile never leaving my face as I walk back over to the couch and get under the covers. Grabbing the book and the notepad, I go about studying again until the phone rings, and I see it’s him. Not Batman. “Hello,” I answer, putting the phone to my ear.

“Hi,” he greets, and I hear his car door close, “it’s me.”

“Batman?” I reply, laughing when he chuckles.

“You’re funny,” he says to me. The sound of his car starting makes me a touch sadder, knowing he’s going away from me.

“I’m very funny.” I lay my head on the side of the couch pillow.

“So, I have to ask you something, but you can’t laugh.”

“Oh, this is going to be fun.” I smirk.

“We are officially dating, right?” he asks, and I can’t help but laugh out loud.

“Do you think I’m the dating queen of the South?” I ask him. “I mean, I’ve dated, but once your grandfather answers your front door holding a shotgun, the dates got fewer and farther between.”

He says nothing for a good minute, and I look down at my phone to see if maybe I got disconnected, but the timer numbers keep going up. “Hello?”

“A shotgun,” he echoes, and now I’m bursting out laughing.

“I mean, I’m from the South,” I start. “I don’t even think he’s that good of a shot.”

“That good of a shot,” he repeats the words.

“I mean, if anyone is a decent shot, it has to be Uncle Reed; he was with the Green Berets,” I fill him in. “And just because Granddad trained with the Navy SEALs doesn’t mean anything.”

“He’s a Navy SEAL?” he shrieks, and I have to roll my lips.

“No, he just trained with them for fun.”

“For fun?” His voice goes so loud.

“When he was younger, so it doesn’t even count.”

“Oh, it counts,” he declares. “Just my luck to start dating a woman whose whole family can shoot me in the ass.”

“The men, at least.” I tap the couch. “If you go next to my Aunt Chelsea, she’ll shoot your dick off.”

“Good to know,” he says. “Well, this relationship is starting off fun.”

“I think so.” I try to ignore the worry in his voice.

“By the way,” he says, “your new work time is nine o’clock.”

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