Page 17 of Stuck with my Mechanic Daddies

Aurora, for all her sharp edges and stubborn resistance, was relaxing. Not fully, not completely—she still kept a part of herself locked up tight—but the way she leaned in just a little when she talked, the way her lips twitched when I said something ridiculous, the way she was still here instead of finding an excuse to leave.

Yeah, it was progress.

And I liked it. Maybe too much.

The bar had thinned out by the time she finally pushed her empty glass aside.

“Alright, Grady,” she murmured, tilting her head at me. “You win. Medford isn’t entirely awful.”

I grinned. “See? I knew you’d come around.”

She shook her head, but there was no bite to it. Just something else. Something softer.

Dangerous.

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just enough to catch the way her breath hitched. “You having a good time, city girl?”

She licked her lips, and my eyes followed the movement.

“Don’t push it,” she muttered.

But she was looking at me differently now.

Like she was thinking about something she knew she shouldn’t. Like she was daring herself to go there.

And hell if I didn’t want to make that decision for her.

I pushed my chair back, standing. “C’mon.”

She blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What?”

“I’m walking you back to the inn.” I offered my hand.

Aurora arched a brow. “You think I can’t walk myself?”

“Oh, I have no doubt you can.” I smirked. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”

She hesitated. But then, slowly, she slipped her hand into mine.

And just like that, I knew I was fucked.

The walk to The Medford Inn was quiet, the air crisp, our steps in sync against the pavement.

Aurora didn’t pull away.

Not when my fingers tightened slightly around hers. Not when I glanced down at her and she met my eyes without looking away.

It was a challenge. A question.

By the time we reached the inn, tension buzzed between us, thick enough to choke on.

She stopped at the door, turning to face me.

“Well,” she said, voice quieter now, “this is me.”

I nodded, stepping closer. “Yeah.”

Neither of us moved.

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