Page 42 of Midnight Surrounds Us

The smug smile on his face as he looked down at me had me blushing and digging through my mind for any subject I could change the conversation to. If he kept turning me on with his tongue and his words, I’d never learn enough about him to be able to pull the wool over his parents’ eyes.

But I didn’t have to search too hard because we ran into Daisy and her husband José in front of a closed Coffee Shot. Like, nearly ran rightintothem because I was too busy blushing and trying to hide it from Rye, and I almost bowled Daisy over.

She gripped my shoulders so I wouldn’t fall on my ass, and José said, “Hey, Rye. Aubrey. How are y’all tonight?”

Daisy didn’t say a word, she just smiled up at Rye with a look full of gossipy satisfaction, giving me quick sideways glances every few seconds.

Rye reached out to shake José’s hand. “We’re alright. Thanks. Oh and thanks for that meat-and-cheese-board thing the other night.” Rye winked at me. “It was a hit.”

“Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Aubrey.”

I could already hear the book-club talk. The impending squeals and demands for information made it difficult to concentrate on what José had said. “Thanks.”

Daisy’s smile grew while she looked back and forth between Rye and me, not even trying to hide her curiosity anymore. And when she noticed him holding my hand, her eyes flared.

“Rye, this is my wife, Daisy. I don’t think you two have met yet, have you?”

“No,” Daisy said. “We haven’t, but I’ve seen you at the diner and around town,youngman. It’s a pleasure.”

She held out her hand to Rye and he shook it, but he seemed to be catching on to the undercurrent of her teasing smile as he looked back and forth between Daisy and me. José seemed oblivious. He’d probably heard the gossip from his wife, but he wasn’t really one to get involved.

“Alright, well, nice to see you,” I rushed to say. “We’ve gotta get goin’.”

“So soon?” Daisy asked innocently.

“Yes, Daisy. See you at book club,” I nearly growled, and I squeezed Rye’s hand and yanked him down the sidewalk.

Dammit. As soon as she could, she’d be calling everyone we knew to report who she’d run into and how cozy Rye and I had looked together.

“C’mon,” I said, pulling Rye as hard as I could, which barely budged him at all.

“Nice to see y’all,” he called behind us with his usual cocky grin. To me, he asked innocuously, “Where we goin’?”

“My shop,” I whispered. “Hurry up.”

“Why you in such a rush, Spitfire?” he asked, and I could actually hear him smiling. Great, now he was teasing me too.

“Just comeon.”

I pulled my keys from my purse as I speed-walked back to my shop, pulling poor Rye like a puppy, but he just laughed under his breath, like he was enjoying my embarrassment. I almost fell through the front door after I unlocked it, and his sexy chuckle sent a chill down my spine.

He followed me to the storeroom, and when I found the light switch, I flipped it on and rounded on him. At least no one could see us through the big front windows back here.

“Daisy’s lightin’ up the gossip tree as we speak. I just know it.”

“So?”

“You don’t get it.”

“Enlighten me,” he said with a grin. “We’re supposed to be datin’, right? So if someone sees us or talks about us, how’s that a problem?”

“I don’t care if people see us. I agreed to your dumb plan, and I’m stickin’ to it, but now they’re all gonna be talkin’ about what they think we’re doin’.”

“Such as?”

“Rye!”

“I don’t think I know what you mean, Spitfire. I’m gonna need it explained.” The side of his mouth lifted in the cockiest smirk I’d seen yet. “In great detail. Now, please.”

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