It’s only a fifteen-minute walk until we hit the roadblocks and the smell of food fills the air. Winchester Street is filled with trucks, the trees lining the sidewalk strung with lights. A small stage has been set up on the lawn of someone’s house and a band is playing soft rock anthems as people dance and sing along in front of them. Steam rises from cups, mingling with people’s breath, the crowd getting thicker with every passing second.
I turn to Wes, a little worried about what I might find on his face. This is literally one of my favorite things. If he hates it . . .
“Wow,” he says, his head on a swivel as we move between the trucks. “This is kind of awesome.”
Relief floods my gut. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he says, giving me a smile that definitely doesn’t have my heart squeezing.
We stare at each other for a moment, and I curl my hand in my pocket, so I don’t reach for his, but then Jacey’s squeal at the sight of her friends from school has us both blinking and turning away.
She runs off without so much as a wave and my parents turn to us.
“You boys go have fun,” Dad says, clapping us both on the shoulder. “We won’t cramp your style. Let us know when you decide to head back.”
“You should stay tonight,” Mom says to Wes. “You’re more than welcome to use the pool house. That way you can relax and not worry about driving back. I don’t like the idea of you boys out on those mountain roads in the dark.”
“Thank you,” Wes says, giving her a smile. “I’ll think about it.”
My parents link arms and walk off in search of food, and my stomach rumbles in agreement as I turn and look at the rows of trucks. “Have you seen anything you like?”
“Definitely.”
The smugness of his comment has me turning, to find him watching me in that intense way that has my blood heating and my dick perking up.
“Oh?” I ask, stepping close enough that our chests almost touch. “And what’s that?”
Wes smirks. “Barb’s BBQ. Smells amazing.”
Laughing, I shove his shoulder. “Agreed.”
I always have a great time at these events, whether it’s with friends or my family, but walking around, eating, and laughing with Wes, there’s a bubbling warmth beneath my skin that has me never wanting to leave, even when I can no longer feel my nose or my toes.
“We should probably head back,” Wes says, frowning at where I’m shivering beside him. “You should have changed into jeans or something.”
“Are jeans warmer than sweats?” I ask through chattering teeth.
Wes smirks. “Well, either that, or I’m not as much of a wuss.”
I shoulder check him instead of shoving him, so I don’t have to take my hands out of my pockets, and we start walking back. My parents headed back half an hour ago with Jacey, but we’d just ordered churros so told them we’d stay.
“Want a hot spiced apple for the way back?” Wes asks as we pass a green and gold truck that smells like actual heaven.
My eyes drift shut as I inhale the sweet cinnamon scent. It smells like pie and Christmas. “Like you even need to ask.”
Wes orders, while I hop from frozen foot to frozen foot, trying to regain some feeling in my toes. His broad-as-fuck shoulders look even wider in his coat, and I wonder whether my hat and scarf will smell like him now. Probably. The thought has me smiling, and when he hands me my cup of molten apple, I grip it with eager hands, wondering why the fuck I didn’t bother with gloves. Rookie mistake.
“This is damn good,” I say, not caring that the first sip scalds my tongue as the steam warms the tip of my iced nose.
Wes says nothing and I look up to find him watching me over the rim of his paper cup with an intensity that has me squirming.
“What?” I ask, licking my lips.
“Nothing.”
We head back in comfortable silence, but a question niggles under my skin. I manage to hold it in until my house is in sight, the windows dark, but the porch light on. “Are you driving back?”
Wes looks at his watch and exhales, a plume of white breath filling the darkness. “It’s almost eleven. Probably makes more sense to stay, but it’s up to you.”