Delicate Promises (Southern Bride 2)

Kynslee smiled politely and took a step closer to me. I think I just witnessed the female version of a pissing contest.

“Okay, watch this short video on the background of the story, and once it ends, your adventure begins.”

A younger girl standing next to Kynslee squealed in excitement while she clapped her hands. Soon we were guided into a dark room.

“Okay, no one move until the lights come on!” the same excited girl said.

The lights came on, more instructions were given, and the timer started. As we searched for the clues, the same girl announced, “We need to use math! Is anyone good at math?”

Kynslee grabbed me by the arm and whispered, “I’m going to hit the emergency button and end this before I hit her!”

I laughed. “You’ll ruin it for all of them. I will admit, though, that being locked in the room with the chick who said she’d take your place is sort of scaring me. I feel her undressing me with her eyes.”

Kynslee chuckled.

After ten minutes of no one getting anywhere, I finally saw Kynslee break. I knew she would be into this. She was the one who always won Clue. I’m not even kidding, the woman won every single time. She was the Clue master.

“For fuck’s sake, people. You’re not paying attention to the notes. They are in order! They are clues that have to be read in order.”

A chorus of oh yeah went through the room. Thirty-two minutes and seven seconds later, we were walking out of the escape room. A new record for that particular game. Kynslee relished all the praise, and the same girl who had gotten on Kynslee’s nerves was now her new best friend. They had even exchanged phone numbers so they could come back and do some of the other rooms together.

I placed my hand on Kynslee’s lower back and guided her away from her new group of friends and over toward my truck.

“We have dinner plans,” I whispered against her ear.

“Have to run!” Kynslee called back over her shoulder.

“Don’t forget, Sephora shopping trip!” One of the girls called out to Kynslee.

“What is Sephora?” I asked as I opened the truck door.

“It’s a makeup store,” Kynslee said with a smile.

“Why in the world would you need to go on a shopping trip there?” I asked.

Her brows drew in. “For makeup, Miles. Duh.”

“Do you even wear makeup?” I asked as I studied her beautiful face. Sure, I could tell she had a bit of makeup on but nothing like what some women wore. Kynslee had natural beauty. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

“Yes! I don’t go anywhere without wearing makeup, Miles.”

Leaning in, I smiled. “You’re too beautiful to cover your face with that shit.”

She sucked in a quick breath and stared at my mouth before her eyes lifted to mine. “You do realize that I have it on now, right?”

“Of course, but not very much.”

“No, not much.”

Leaning closer, I brushed my lips against hers. “You’re perfect, Kyns, exactly how you are.”

She pulled back and stared at me for a moment or two before she laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“Is this the game you’re going to play now, Miles? Sweet talk me?”

I stared at her, shocked for a moment before anger raced over my body. “I’m not sweet talking you, Kynslee. Why can’t you let me give you a compliment, for fuck’s sake? Why won’t you let me do what a guy is supposed to do on a date?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Let’s see, because you want me to marry you for reasons that I have yet to figure out. You’re taking me on pretend dates, and now you’re kissing me and whispering sweet things to me.”

“They are not pretend dates, for crying out loud. Do you really think I would feed you a bunch of bullshit?”

“Yes! You clearly need to be married for some reason, and I’m pretty damn sure it’s not because you’ve always dreamed of marrying me.”

I stared at her. My fists now clenched at my side. “Well, that’s where you’re dead fucking wrong, Kynslee.”

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at me. “Wh-what?”

Pushing my fingers through my hair, I sighed. “Nothing. Let’s just go to dinner so we can end this date you clearly do not want to be on.”

I was at a fucking loss. She had wanted me to date her, to do things the right way. I was trying, and every chance Kynslee got, she threw it back in my face. I had no idea if I was coming or going, and it was getting old, very quickly.

Kynslee

I STARED AT Miles as he looked at the menu. He had hardly said two words since he climbed into his truck. I had been so stunned by what he’d said that I simply stared out the window and replayed everything that had happened over and over in my head. I analyzed his expression when he spoke those words. The tone of his voice. The way he softly kissed me. It was really rather pathetic.