Smiling, I bent down and tongued the confectioners’ sugar off of her neck, causing her pulse to speed up.
“None of that here,” she replied breathlessly, pushing my head away.
I grinned at her and took a swig of my beer, walking slowly with her as she ate the first bite of her cake.
“Funnel cake!” Candy cried. “Where did that come from?”
Way gestured to the man behind her.
“If I wasn’t so full right now…” she sighed. “I can’t. I literally already feel like I need to unbutton my pants.”
Banks chuckled as he too took a drink of his beer.
“Do it,” he suggested.
She rolled her eyes. “I would but… no.”
I hopped back up onto the tailgate and leaned backward, and instead of hopping up next to me, Way leaned back onto the tailgate between my legs.
We watched the rest of the movie like that, in companionable silence.
And when Banks dropped us off later that night, it was with the urge to call if I needed any help.
“I can handle it,” I paused. “But I need to talk to Way first.”
Way who was talking animatedly with Candy about something that had to do with the rodeo.
“I want to say thank you again for saving my ass the other day,” he said.
I rolled my eyes.
“You’re my brother, Banks,” I told him. “Even if you weren’t, I would’ve saved you. But I did go a little extra there at the end when you wouldn’t get your ass up.”
Banks chuckled and offered me his hand.
After shaking, the couple left, leaving Way and I alone standing outside the trailer.
“You wanna go?” I asked curiously.
“Only if you do,” she said.
I moved until she was once again in my arms, this time I didn’t stop from licking the powdered sugar off of her mouth that I could still see was there.
It was dotted all over her face and neck still.
She shivered when I got to a sensitive spot right above her pulse.
“I love you, too,” I whispered.
She shivered and pulled away, her eyes hot.
“I told myself not to love you,” she told me. “But you made it impossible.”
I grinned at that.
“I didn’t realize that you were something I needed,” I said. “But now that you’re here… I want you to know my family. I want you to be a part of our life. I do want to move back home.”
She curled her hands around my neck and pulled me into her space.
“Kiss me, Darby Valentine.”
I did more than kiss her.
I loved her.Chapter 14
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but I hate fuckin’ group texts.
-Group text created by Waylynn to Darby and his entire family
Waylynn
“I’m sorry, but you’re what?” I asked, frowning down at the ground.
“I’m on my way home,” my dad said. “I’m going to come stay for a while.”
I looked at the RV that Darby was currently backing up to, and said a silent prayer thanking that we already had somewhere else to stay.
Because my dad wouldn’t have liked having Darby in his house. Let alone living there.
Dad and Darby, although they got along, weren’t really the best of friends.
Mostly because they were so much alike that they butted heads.
“That’s cool,” I admitted. “What are you moving home for?”
“Not moving. Just staying.” He paused. “I’m bringing Nyree with me.”
I blinked. “Nyree?”
“The woman that I’ve been seeing. I want you to meet her,” Dad said.
I held up my hand and climbed into the bed of the truck, making sure that everything was secure.
Darby, not one to trust me, got in and checked everything as well, giving me a wink.
“Okay,” I said.
“I also want you to possibly find somewhere else to stay,” he suggested casually.
I rolled my eyes.
That was the real reason my father was calling.
He loved me and all, but he didn’t want me to be cramping his style.
“Don’t worry, Dad,” I drawled, my eyes catching Darby’s at the mention of my dad. “I’m staying in the RV I won anyway. And I’m moving it out to the Valentine property since they have septic there.”
“Oh, great,” Dad chirped. “Perfect timing then.”
I looked at the dilapidated house that I was honestly glad I no longer had to deal with.
“Does Nyree know that the place has spiders?” I asked curiously.
“Well, no,” he said. “But you took care of that, didn’t you?”
I laughed. “Sure, Dad. But I gotta go. I need to help Darby get the trailer hooked up and get everything secure.”
My dad hung up without a goodbye, just like he always did.
I rolled my eyes and shoved the phone into the pocket of my jacket.
Darby looked at me curiously but ultimately didn’t say a word until we were in the RV and heading to his place.
“What was that about?” he asked.
I told him exactly what had transpired.
He looked at me like I was crazy.
“Your dad kicked you out of your own house?” Darby asked. “What happened to him sending you papers to put it into your name?”