Tumble (Dogwood Lane 1)

“What do you think was wrong with her?” I ask.

“I don’t know.”

“It came out of nowhere. She was hugging me and happy as a lark, and then she wasn’t.” I take another drink. “She’s too young for hormones. Or is she? What age do girls start their periods these days?”

Dane goes pale. “I have no idea. Surely not at her age.”

“I wouldn’t think so. It seems so young.”

The waitress comes up to the table and clears away our empty plates and the giant bowl of ranch dressing we shared for our fries. Dane requests the check and a box for the rest of Mia’s burger.

He leans to the side to retrieve his wallet from his back pocket, and I catch him grinning at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Just thinking you smell better than the last time I saw you.”

“You should’ve seen my mom.” I groan. “She picked out a piece of hay right away and was like, ‘This looks like a good sign.’”

Dane laughs, handing his credit card to the waitress as she reappears.

“I’ll be right back,” she says.

My jaw drops. “You didn’t even look at the bill.”

“So?”

“So? She could charge you for ten burgers, Dane,” I say, flabbergasted. “You always check the bill before you pay.”

“I’ll get to see it again before I sign the receipt. And come on, Neely. It’s Mucker’s. If they overcharged me, I’d get free food for life.”

I twirl my straw around my glass. “I forget things like that are different here. You don’t check in New York and your bill goes up one hundred percent.”

The corner of his lip curls. I hold my breath as he moves his hand. He lays it on the inner corner of my thigh, his fingers pressing roughly against my skin. “I can tell you something else that goes up one hundred percent,” he says. “At least it does when you’re around.”

I slip my hand on top of his and bring it higher until our entwined fingers sit between my legs. “Are you talking about the temperature around here?” I tease.

“Well, it is awfully hot.” He nudges his hand against me. “But I was talking more about how erect certain things get.”

“What’s ‘erect’ mean?” Mia hops into her seat and grabs her milkshake. She looks from me to Dane. “Is ‘erect’ like a barrette? For my hair?”

“Yup.” Dane swallows. He jerks his hand from me like it is on fire. “Just like that.”

“That’s not true.” I roll my eyes. “‘Erect’ means something is stiff or straight. Like when you’re in a pyramid. Your legs should be erect because it’s easier for your bases to hold you. Get it?”

“Erect. I like that word.” She slurps the final drink from her glass.

“Really?” Dane mutters under his breath.

“Do you want her to have a bad vocabulary?” I ask just as softly.

He leans toward me, his lips glancing my ear. “I’d like her to have a censored vocabulary, if you don’t mind.”

“Let me clue you in on something, big boy,” I whisper. Glancing at Mia, I ensure she’s preoccupied with the television hanging near the bathroom door. “When a guy comes on to her one day, and he will whether you like it or not, you don’t want her shocked at words he throws around. Understanding things like the word ‘erect’ will give her confidence. Trust me.”

He throws his hands up in the air and settles back in his seat.

“Look at me, sitting erect,” Mia says with a hint of pride.

“That’s it.” Dane scoots his chair back and stands. “I’ll pay and then be in the truck.”

I can’t help but giggle as he walks to the cash register and asks for the receipt to sign. He doesn’t check the price, just scribbles his name, takes the card, and walks out.

“What’s wrong with him?” Mia asks.

“Oh, he’s just being a baby today. You ready to go?”

“Yes.” She hops off her chair and follows me to the door.

We mosey through the parking lot side by side, neither of us saying a word. Once we get to the truck, I hold the door open while Mia climbs into the back, and then I get settled in the front beside Dane.

“Everyone ready?” he asks. “Buckle up back there, rascal.”

The sound of the buckle clicking into the clasp rings through the air. “Don’t worry. I’m buckled in and sitting erect.”

I snort so hard I almost choke.

“You owe me for this one, Kimber,” Dane says.

I glance over my shoulder to see a wickedly sexy smile gracing his lips. My legs pull together.

“I look forward to it.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

NEELY

The couch in Dane’s living room is perfectly worn. Each cushion is broken down to the point where you sink in like you’re in a soft cloud as soon as your behind touches it.

Curled up in the corner, I listen to Dane and Mia laugh upstairs. Every now and then, he makes a weird voice, and she bursts out laughing.