“How do you know how old Love Hill is?”
“You told me.”
“Oh.” I guess I must have.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” he asks as we finish up our meal.
I wave a hand toward the blank walls in the living room. “On what? You don’t own a television.”
I made the mistake of asking him why the first time I was here. Never again. For someone who doesn’t talk much, he didn’t have a hard time lecturing me about how televisions are ruining the next generation.
“Smartass. We can watch on my laptop.”
“Okay. Pick out a movie and I’ll clean up.”
This is our usual routine. He cooks. I clean. Oh no. We have a routine. The situation is more serious than I thought. Are we – gulp – in a relationship? I should go. I can come back when I’ve got my head screwed on right.
But do I go anywhere? Of course not. No one ever accused me of being smart when it comes to men.
We settle on the sofa with Archer’s laptop. He wraps an arm around my shoulder, and I cuddle into him. This is exactly what I mean. Not smart.
My phone beeps with a message while the opening credits are still rolling. I dig it out and read the message from Gabrielle.
“I need to go.” I force myself away from him and stand.
“Is everything okay?”
“Elizabeth is having a crisis. I’m on deck to bring the alcohol to cheer her up.”
I sit on the floor to put on my boots. “I’ll be back for my car in the morning.”
“You’re not leaving your car here,” he grumbles.
“What? Why not? Are you ashamed of me visiting you?”
“Why would I be ashamed of you?” He appears genuinely confused.
I finish with my boots and stand to confront him. “Why else don’t you want my car parked next to your truck?”
He motions outside. “Because the sun is setting, and I don’t want you trekking through the woods alone in the dark.”
All my bluster flees at his explanation. “Oh.”
He tweaks my nose. “Yeah. Oh.”
He grabs his jacket and shrugs into it. What is he doing? He must notice the confusion on my face because he explains. “I know you can walk back to your car by yourself, but there’s nothing wrong with me escorting you like a gentleman.”
I waggle my eyebrows. “You sure weren’t acting like a gentleman when you tied my hands to your headboard last week.”
His eyes flare causing the green to swallow the brown. Stupid sister and her stupid crisis. I had plans for the night.
He opens the door and motions me outside, “Come on, trouble.”
I can practically feel my heart begin to tether itself to him as he accompanies me to my car.Knock it off, heart. We don’t deserve love, remember?
Chapter 7
Never wish for something you know better than to ask for ~ Cassie’s rules for living a safe life