Page 51 of Falling for You

He smells so addicting and I kind of have this feeling that if this is his natural scent, he’d do very well bottling it up and selling it because it’s man and sexy and oh my gosh I was just rubbing my nose in his shirt.

His chest rumbles beneath mynosethat’s presently pressed into his shirt sniffing like a loon. Ohmygosh I’m so embarrassing! What the hell!?

Strong hands rub up and down my back and I feel his nose dip into my shoulder. He returns the favor and inhales my scent. “Figured if you were getting a good sniff, I would too.”

Humiliated, I keep my head tucked and whisper, “And? What’s the verdict?”

“Fucking addicting. Beautiful. Gorgeous. I can’t get enough of you.”

Yeah.

Me either.

A smart person would question the level of lust I feel for this guy, especially with his background that seems to be common knowledge in our town, but apparently I’m not very smart.

Chapter Thirteen

Rex

“This iswhere you’re taking me?” she asks, surprised but excited, too. Chloe spins around, walking backwards toward the entrance, golden flecks in her eyes shimmering in the sun.

“Yup.”

“A pumpkin patch, huh? Is this what we would have done last night had I not ditched you?”

It’s actually not just a pumpkin patch. There’s a hayrack ride and corn maze but the best part is the fresh doughnuts. I was here only a month ago when Ethan asked me to come with him to talk with the owner about a few things for a Halloween party he’s planning for The Flying Goat. The thirty-mile drive to get here is worth it, especially after seeing how happy Chloe is now that we’re here. And, just to say, the thirty miles of seeing her sitting next to me in my pickup wasn’t entirely awful. With every mile we drove, I felt lighter. As if some of the ugly childhood baggage was somehow drifting away. Simply being around Chloe brings a sense of contentment in me that I can’t help but want more of.

Our taste in music is the same, which was a huge relief.

But even if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have mattered, because she’s so damn easy to talk to, we don’t need the aid of distractions to fill the silence.

She’s goofy, too. WhenEyes on Youby Chase Rice came on, she didn’t hesitate to reach over to the radio and crank it up then sang along — loudly and totally off-key — but her shimmying and seat-dancing made it sound like it was a Grammy performance.

The fun she was having was infectious and soon I was joining her, even reaching across the console to hold hands as she used our arms to do a wave.

Comfortable in her own skin, she’s light and happiness while holding her grief over losing her mother just under the surface. But today, on her mom’s birthday, she’s smiling and I feel ten feet tall and bullet proof knowing I was the one who put the smile on her face.

“Ha! See how well I handled getting ditched? I totally got my date. And I think it turned out better.”

She taps her cheek in thought with her forefinger. “Hmm. Possibly true. But, is it what you’d had planned?”

“Nope. But, I’ll just use those plans for another time.”

“Another time, huh?” she teases.

I don’t even answer. She knows as well as I do that we’re going to make this happen again.

“Holy crap what’s that smell?” Her eyes are wide as she takes everything in, bouncing around on her toes covered in tennis shoes that I thankfully thought to have her put on.

“Apple cider doughnuts.”

Without hesitation, she grabs my hand and tugs me behind her. “Let’s go.”

I chuckle and pull her back. “Hang on, Shaggy, we’ll eat in a little bit.”

“Shaggy?”

“Do not tell me you don’t knowScooby Doo.”

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