Rockstar Baby (Crescent Cove 6)

My first batch of ice cream.

My first job.

My first date with a boy.

I tugged on a few more layers of armor—bra, underwear, long-sleeved T-shirt with a rude, dripping ice cream cartoon, and my mint chocolate chip socks. There was no way he would want me when I was wearing this.

I twisted my hair up into two twists on top of my head because it was so beyond snarled from all our…fun.

Yes, fun. That was it.

We could totally have a very late lunch and do the banter thing, and then he’d go on his merry way. I’d

be left with a little soreness—because holy crap, that man knew how to fuck—and a great memory to get me through the next few months until I could get my truck ready for summer.

Easy peasy.

I slid back into the room to find Rory at my large window. He’d pulled his jeans back on, but they were still unbuttoned. He was shirtless and the afternoon light showcased his wide shoulders and lean hips. I was halfway across the room before I thought about it. What the hell was I going to do, cuddle up to him and look out the window like we were in some rom com come to life?

He turned to me with a hesitant smile. “Can you tell me why there’s a large white lunch truck in your backyard?”

“That’s soon to be my ice cream truck.”

“Is it now?”

“It is.”

“What? Like the ice cream man?”

I narrowed my gaze at him. “Not quite.”

I picked up his shirt from the end of my bed and tossed it at him. Much safer if he was fully dressed. That way I wouldn’t toss him back down on the bed.

“I’ll show you.”

He caught it against his chest. “All right.”

I walked out the door and down the hall to the back door.

“Ivy?”

“This way.” I called from the back door. I stepped into my snow boots and crunched my way across the yard to my future. I reached for the handle and hauled myself up into the rusted-out truck. I’d convinced my brother to help me strip it down to the bare parts just before winter hit. I’d lowered the windows to get the taco smell out of all the crevices. The brisk winter winds that whipped through the back of our property had done the trick.

A long whistle dragged me out of my musings.

I turned around with a big grin. “Like it?”

He folded his arms across his chest. “It’s big.”

I laughed. “I know it looks like something out of a bomb shelter right now. Me and my brother ripped out all the rusty grills, and I’ve ordered a huge double walled freezer to go right here.” I widened my arms to take up the empty section. “It’ll have room for all my ice cream tubs, and on Sundays, I’ll have gelato. A lighter ice cream for after the big family picnics and dinners.”

He lifted his arms up to hang on the handle above the old ventilation area. “And will you be wearing a cute little striped apron?”

“Shut up. I’ll be wearing a T-shirt and shorts because it will be a million degrees in the summer.”

“Short shorts?” he asked with a lot of hope in his voice. Way more than he should have since he probably wouldn’t be seeing me in said shorts, but I was willing to play along.

“Easier to wipe ice cream off my legs if I keep them short.”