Southern Attraction (Southern Heart 3)

“Too many damn laces,” she grumbles when I return, fighting with one of the boots.

“Here.” I hold out my hand and she practically throws it at me. I quickly lace it up and hand it back to her.

“Show-off.” She sticks her tongue out at me.

“Watch it.” I lean in and kiss her. I have the second boot laced by the time she has the first one tied. This time, I place it on her foot and tie it up. “Ready?” I ask, placing my hands on her hips and lifting her off the tailgate.

“I could’ve jumped down.”

“I have no doubt, but then I would’ve lost the chance to have my hands on you. No way am I going to let an opportunity pass me by.” I smack her lightly on the ass and follow her to the passenger door, which I open for her.

“I also know how to open doors.” She smirks.

I wait until she’s climbed inside and has her seat belt on, then lean in and kiss her again. It’s just a quick peck, but it’s my lips against hers and that’s all that matters. “I know you can, but I was raised to open doors. No way will I go against that. My momma would scold my ass if she found out.”

“So you only do it to stay on your momma’s good side?”

She’s trying to get a rise out me. What she doesn’t understand is that she already has. All she has to do is breathe or let me hear her voice when she’s hundreds of miles away and I’m hard as a fucking rock. Not exactly the rise she’s hoping for, but it’s because of her all the same.

“No, what I’m saying is that I’m a gentleman. I was raised to treat women with respect. Especially the woman in my life. And you, my dear, are that woman. So stop your bitching and let me take care of you.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that.”

“No.” I kiss her one more time before shutting her door.

The drive to Miller’s Peak is filled with questions about where we’re going, what it’s like, and whether it’s packed this time of year. Jamie is vibrating with excitement, and I’m glad I decided to bring her here.

“So how many others have you brought here?”

“Well, in high school there would be groups of us that would take hiking trips. David, Aaron, Evan and I have hiked the higher one, Anderson’s Peak, a few times.”

“So your high school girlfriend?”

“Nosey Nell,” I tease her. “No, not my high school girlfriend. I’ve never really had a serious girlfriend. I’ve dated, sure, but never someone where I felt like I knew it was going to be long term.”

“You’ve never been in love?”

I think about how to answer her questions without sounding like a jackass. “I’ve cared about a few girls. My longest relationship was about nine months, I guess. That was my senior year.”

“Did you love her?”

“No. I cared about her, but… It never felt like forever.”

“Did you tell her that you loved her?”

“No. I’ll never lie to you, Jamie. What you see is what you get.”

“That’s what you’ve said before. I just… most guys—”

“Stop right there. I’m not most guys. I’m a man, and I will never lie to you.”

“I know. I mean, I feel like I can trust you. It’s not that I don’t. Please don’t think that. I’m just learning about you. I want to know you—I mean really know you.”

“I’m an open book for you. I’ll tell you anything you want to know. You have to promise me something though.”

“What’s that?”

I pull into the parking lot and turn off the truck. “You have to stop thinking th