Priceless (Forbidden Men 8)

“You wanted to experience a date, so you’re going to experience a date.” He leaned in to peck a quick kiss to the end of my nose. “And no crying. Only smiles and laughter are allowed for the rest of the night.”

I sniffed at his command. “But what if they’re happy tears?”

“God.” He shuddered and made a face. “No. Those are worse than the sad ones.”

“What?” I exclaimed, beyond confused. “How are they worse?”

“I don’t know. They just are.”

I threw back my head and laughed. “You are so weird.”

“Laughter. Good.” He pointed at me and winked. “Just keep that up. And stay here while I haul the picnic basket out to the island real quick. I’m carrying you to our spot. No wheelchairs allowed tonight, either.”

I shook my head as he threw open his door and popped from the truck before he opened the back extension and pulled out a wicker-covered basket by the handle.

“You can’t carry me that far,” I called, making him pause.

Glancing across the cab of the pickup at me, he lifted a single challenging eyebrow. “Watch me.”

As he shut the door and took off, I watched him through the window, smilingly giddily. I don’t know why I followed his demand and stayed like a good pet, but I was having fun, and besides, it gave me a moment alone in his truck to squeal out my excitement.

So I guess our kiss hadn’t scarred him too badly. That was good. I had no idea it would prompt him into this, though.

I still wanted to drop a couple happy tears because, wow, this had to be the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me. After the debacle with Seth, I was kind of thinking I was done with the whole dating business. It had been a stupid pipe dream, anyway.

But Brandt giving me my first kiss, and now my first date, all because I told him how much I wanted one...well, it made my mind whirl with how many other things he’d be willing to give me...just because I wanted them.

Damn. No! I shouldn’t go there.

I was beyond honored he was doing all this for me. I wasn’t going to hope for more. God, I was such a greedy bitch.

Yet, even as I watched him out the window, strolling back to the truck after depositing the picnic basket, my body coiled with tension deep in my womb. A part of me craved that more he might possibly be willing to give. I swear I could still taste him on my tongue, feel his teeth on my earlobe, smell his scent as he slid his hand under my shirt.

“Oh, God,” I breathed, slipping down the visor to check out my hair in the mirror.

Hmm, didn’t look too bad. Reese had curled it for me before I’d left for classes this morning, and surprisingly there was still some bounce left. Biting my lips to make them redder, I popped my teeth from the bottom one just as he reached the truck and opened the passenger-side door.

Turning his back to me, he bent slightly, saying, “Climb aboard, my lady, and get ready for the ride of your life.” He grinned over his shoulder at me, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laughed. “You are such a goof,” I said, while actually his words heated me in all the right places. My breasts went heavy, and electricity sparked between my legs.

“Only for you,” he answered, reaching back to pat the back upper part of his shoulder blade, silently inviting me to crawl on.

Oh, God. Stomach knotted with arousal, I gingerly climbed from the truck and directly onto his shoulders. My stomach and breasts flattened against him as I gripped him for dear life, not feeling securely in place at all.

“Here, layer your arms over mine,” he offered, spreading his out wide like airplane wings.

When I did, which moved my cheek almost alongside his, he wound his arms around mine until his hands ended up on top of mine. Then he interlaced our fingers and bent slightly before kicking his truck door shut behind him and whooshing forward to give me a jogging ride.

I screamed out my surprise and gripped his fingers hard. “Brandt!”

“What?” he asked with a laugh, shifting his face toward mine until our cheeks rasped past each other. “Don’t like it?”

When he started to slow down, I realized I did like it. A lot. Instead of telling him to put me down, I cheered, “Faster!”

He chuckled and burst out running again.

I might possibly have screamed all the way to the bridge, where he slowed down and more carefully carried me across the swaying overpass.