Hissy Fit (Southern Gentleman 1)

I couldn’t believe that I’d told him about how many kids I wanted—little did he know that I’d known exactly how many I wanted—with him—since I was a freakin’ freshman in high school.

Out of everything that I’d wanted in my life, there was one thing that had stayed constant since I’d been that young, naïve girl—and that was the knowledge that Ezra was my unicorn. The man that I wanted above all others, and I knew nothing else would ever do.

I couldn’t tell you why.

I just knew that he’d been that one for me—and probably always would be.

As a result, to be in his place, sitting on his couch, eating pizza only three feet away from him? Yeah, you could say there was an epic meltdown waiting to be had the moment I walked in my door.

I couldn’t wait to tell Camryn about this.

Camryn had been privy to my crush since she was right there, crushing right along with me to Ezra’s best friend—Grady. It’d been a sad day for both of us when our dream of marrying best friends had died a slow, tragic death. But, it worked out for the best because I could tell that Cady and Grady were made to be together.

Camryn would one day find her unicorn man…and she’d still be excited that I’d actually been in my unicorn’s house.

Even if I had made a fool of myself by telling the man that I wanted three children, all of them within two years of each other.

“Last piece, do you want it?”

I looked over to find Ezra holding out a slice of pizza as if it was the holy grail.

I shook my head. “No, thank you. I’ve already had three. If I eat anymore, I’ll pop.”

That was also a lie.

I wouldn’t pop…what I would do, though, was make a fool of myself.

I was already feeling as if I needed to unbutton my jeans.

Adding in that fourth piece, on top of being nervous as hell, didn’t seem like the best of ideas.

Just as I was about to shift into a more comfortable position—because my God, what the hell was I thinking wearing my tightest pair of freakin’ jeans?—a big boom of thunder rents the air.

Shortly after that, the entire small room around us flickered, made a weird popping sound, and then went completely black.

I winced.

“Uhhh,” I murmured. “That sure didn’t sound good.”

Ezra snorted. “Grady and I did all the wiring on this addition…let’s just say, if you ever see that our house has burned down, that’s why.”

I bit my lip. “That’s not good, Ezra.”

Ezra snorted and moved in the darkness, heading for what I assumed was his phone that he’d left laying near the TV.

“I’m joking. We had a certified electrician come out and check it over…after,” he amended.

I snickered and set my feet back on the floor, my eyes going around the room to try to locate where he was.

Moments later, I saw a lighter flick to life over by the door that led to the main house, and then he was lighting a candle and heading back toward me.

Another boom of thunder filled the air around us, and lightning lit up the entire room like a creepy horror flick.

“After what?” I questioned, sensing he was beating around the bush about his electrician skills.

“After we already caused a small fire,” he lamented. “I’m good with a football…but my building skills—at least when it comes to running electrical—could use some work.”

I snickered, and he surprised me by setting the candle down hard on the coffee table.

“You want to play some cards?” he asked. “I’d ask if you wanted to go home, but I have a feeling that the storm” —the thunder once again rocked the entire room— “is going to be here for a while. It wasn’t supposed to be here for another couple of hours, otherwise, I would’ve cut it short…you don’t mind staying, do you?”

Did I mind staying at my crush’s house?

Hell no.

I’d move in if you wouldn’t think I was a complete freak.

“That’s f-fine,” I murmured, feeling the butterflies start to turn into nausea. “What kind of card game?”

Ezra scooted closer, then pulled some cards out of his pocket.

“Have you ever played Speed?” he asked.

I gave him a look that he could barely make out, but he saw enough to laugh. “You’re gonna go down.”

I snorted. “I used to play with my brothers. Trust me when I say that I’m gonna totally kick your ass.”

He moved so that he was on the opposite side of the coffee table from me, then started to set up the card game. After handing me my cards, he waited for me to put them into order before saying, “Ready?”

And that was how we spent our night.

The thunder rumbled overhead, the wind shook the windows, and Ezra and I laughed our asses off.