Trace was still asleep when I came back into the room and I let out a sigh of relief. Usually, Trace didn’t sleep long after I’d gotten out of the bed. He must have been really tired.
I had just finished hiding the bruise on my face when he woke and strode into the bathroom.
“Hey,” he muttered groggily, hugging me from behind and pressing his hips against me.
“Trace,” I groaned, prying myself from his arms.
“It’s morning. I can’t help it,” he yawned. “You already showered,” he stated, taking in my wet hair and fresh clothes.
I nodded. “I wanted to get the bar smell off of me.”
He reached up and smoothed his thumb beneath my left eye. I hoped he didn’t wipe the makeup away. “I thought for sure that would bruise,” he whispered to himself.
“It didn’t,” I said a bit too quickly, backing out of the bathroom and away from him. “I’m—uh—going to get us some breakfast while you shower.”
He eyed me suspiciously. “Ooookay,” he drew out the word. “My wallet’s on the dresser, grab some cash.”
“I notice you didn’t say to grab your car keys,” I taunted with a grin.
“No one but me drives the Camaro. Ever,” his eyes were serious but he was fighting a smile. “It won’t take me long to shower. Why don’t you wait and we’ll go together?”
“I can do that,” I crossed my arms over my chest, “but there’s a McDonald’s right next door. I won’t be far, so you don’t need to worry.”
“I don’t worry—”
“Your pants just caught on fire with that lie.” I grabbed his wallet and snagged a twenty-dollar bill. “I’ll be back in five minutes. Stop treating me like I’m two and you have to babysit me.”
His eyes narrowed and his tongue flicked out to wet his lips. “Oh, I know I don’t have to babysit you, trust me.”
I chose to ignore his comment. “Go shower. You smell.”
“Thanks sweetie. Love you too,” He called after me sarcastically.
It was early so there wasn’t much of a line at McDonalds. Besides, this didn’t strike me as the hot spot in town anyway. I grabbed the bag of food and drinks and walked back across to the motel. They were literally right beside each other. The smell of the greasy food was making me hungry though. The cheese fries we’d had last night hadn’t been enough to eat. If I kept eating all this cheesy grease filled food on this trip I’d end up gaining fifty pounds.
I had the keycard with me but my hands were full and I couldn’t get it out of the pocket of my jeans. I knocked on the door with my shoulder.
Trace opened it a moment later, standing there in nothing but a towel and wet water droplets sticking to his sculpted chest. I wanted to lick him.
“Whoa,” he grabbed the drink carrier that I almost dropped because I was staring at his chest. It would have been a worthy cause though. He had such a nice chest that you couldn’t keep yourself from staring at it.
“Sorry,” I stepped around him as he closed the door.
He placed the drinks on the dresser and tossed the cardboard carrier into the trashcan.
By the time I had our breakfast sandwiches laid out he’d put on a pair of boxers and loose jeans. My eyes roamed over his body, memorizing each dip and curve of his muscles, and tracing the lines of his tattoos.
“You know,” I smiled as he sat down beside me and grabbed his
sausage egg and cheese biscuit, “you’ve never told me why you got a four leaf clover when I got my first tattoo.”
He swallowed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “I thought it was pretty obvious,” he shrugged, “you’re my lucky charm.”
I wasn’t sure if I should hug him or punch him for his cheesiness.
“Don’t mess with me,” I eyed him.
“I’m serious,” he crumbled up his wrapper and dropped it in the paper bag. “From the moment I met you my life had meaning again,” he looked at me seriously. “I’m not one to confess all my feelings and be gushy, but it’s true. When I met you…” He paused, his brows furrowing together. “I was finally getting over what happened to my dad and seeing the damage I’d caused to my family. But meeting you is what truly changed me. You made me laugh again, Olivia. That may seem like something simple,” he cupped my chin in his large hand, “but when you go years without laughing at anything…when all your thoughts and feelings are only bad. Laughing takes on a whole new meaning. So yes, you’re my lucky charm.”