Page 28 of If You Loved Me

For this one night, I could give myself the freedom toenjoy it. Even if tomorrow meant she would wake up and realize the mistake she made in wanting me.

“What brought you to the fair tonight?” she asked as we wove through the throng of people dashing toward the rides and various game booths.

Normally, I would have made up some generic response, but those big brown eyes were filled with genuine curiosity and I couldn’t resist her. “When I was in prison, I made a promise to myself that, once I got out, I would make the best of my life. I wouldn’t sit around and sulk over the years I lost. If there was something that came along that I felt I wanted to do, I would do it.”

“Except go on a date with me.” She arched a brow and narrowed her eyes on me, making me laugh.

“Yeah, you got me there. I did deny myself a date with you.”

She stopped walking. “Why? Why would you break the promise you made to yourself?”

“Because you terrify me, Sarah.”

“Terrifyyou?”

I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Yes.” I ground my molars together. “I don’t know what it is about you, but no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to stay away from you. Ever since I saw you at Deacon’s bonfire two summers ago, I’ve done everything in my power to keep my distance.”

“Why would you do that?” She grabbed my hand and held it to the side of her face.

“Because the thought of having you means there’s apossibility that I can lose you. And for some reason, the idea of losing you makes me feel fucking crazy. So, I stayed away for as long as I could. Letting myself admire you from a distance. But…”

“But you couldn’t stay away anymore.”

“Exactly.”

She stepped toward me and the entire world seemed to slow around us. Rising onto her tiptoes, she placed an open palm on my chest that sent a cascade of heat through my body. “I’m glad you didn’t stay away, Ranger,” she whispered, her lips grazing my ear. “And I don’t care what people might say about us because I want you too.”

When she nipped the edge of my earlobe with her teeth, I almost picked her up, threw her over my shoulder, and ran back to my truck. But I remembered what she’d said to Deacon a few weeks ago when I walked into her bakery. If she was telling him the truth about being a virgin, I was going to have to walk a fine line because there was no way in hell I was going to let myself ruin such an important experience for her even if my dick was straining so hard against my jeans I thought it might fall right off.

“It’s settled then.”

“What is?” she asked.

“This will be our first date.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Oh no. This”—holding my hand, she extended her arm and did a little twirl—“is not our first date, Ranger. This is a happy coincidence. If you want me, you’re going to have to take me on a real date.”

“Is that right?”

“Mmhmm.”

The balls of her cheeks tightened as she bit her bottom lip, trying not to smile. She was so damn cute, I wanted to eat her up.

I tugged on her hand until she fell into me. When she was pressed against my chest, I slid my hand along the side of her neck, rubbing my thumb along the edge of her jaw.

“Sarah Williams, will you go on a date with me?”

A single, breathy word left her lips. “Yes.”

I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Now it’s settled.”

“Indeed.”

With a tilt of her head, those lips I dreamed of were merely an inch from mine. “And now it’s time for me to kick your ass in some arcade games,” she challenged before leaning away so I couldn’t kiss her.

“You’re going to be the end of me,” I groaned as she slipped her hand back in mine and we started walking.

“No, Ranger. I think I’m going to be your beginning.”

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