“Darlin’, you were eating me alive with your eyes.”
“I was lusting after the very delicious pizza you brought.”
“Right.”
I totally hadn’t been. Each time we’d been together lived in my head like a technicolor blockbuster movie with all the good sex parts on a loop. Only in my head they didn’t cut to black. I got all the dirty parts too.
That’s called porn, Kelsey.
Only porn was way less exciting than what Dare had done to me. But was that all we were? Friction and a baby? A baby that might not even be his. What the hell kind of package was I for a guy like him?
Dare pulled back into town, the quiet darkness of the lake replaced by the soft glow from the reconditioned gas lights that lined the streets. He turned up the winding lane that led to The Cove. The restaurant was right on the lake with a breathtaking view of the still water.
He parked and came around to open my door.
The wind had kicked up, reminding us that fall was in full effect. October in upstate New York was a strange mix of hot and cold. The minute the sun went down, the temperature followed suit. He helped me out and closed my door, then caged me against his car.
“Just one more thing before we go inside.”
“What?”
He traced the side of his thumb along the couple of curls I’d managed to bend my stick straight hair into. “That day of the baby shower? When we were arguing in the bathroom.”
“Where you ordered me to take the tests?”
A muscle jumped in his jaw as he gritted his teeth. “Not my finest hour, but I needed to know, Kel.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“Did you contact this Tommy guy?”
“No.” I frowned up at him. “Why would I?”
He blew out a breath. “I did something that might make you mad.”
“Why?” I drew out the word. Where was he going with this? “I’m not with him. I don’t want him. I thought you got that.”
“Well, while you were in the can—er, the bathroom, he texted you. I was freaking out already and then there’s this dude texting you that he wanted to meet up. I believe repeat performance was mentioned.”
“Oh.” My stomach flipped. “Oh, God. Dare, I wouldn’t have. I swear.”
“I know. I know that now, but I just reacted. I had no right, but I wanted the right. I was so fucked up about it all and I was standing out there and you might…” He growled. “I deleted the text.”
I frowned. “From my phone?”
“Yea
h.”
“Oh.” I blinked. My whole body shouldn’t have warmed up as if he’d given me a bundle of roses. But maybe from Dare this was about the same.
Flags probably should’ve been going up like mad. He’d gone into my phone and deleted a text from my ex. Instead, all I wanted was to understand.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you’re mine, dammit. I wasn’t sharing you with some dickhead that put a winky face in a text looking for a damn booty call. Now that I know just how much of a douchebag he is, I’m glad—”
I lifted onto my toes and closed my mouth over his. He slid his arms around me and hauled me close. The kiss was sweeter than his hold. As if he was holding back. I didn’t really want gentle.