Page 14 of Riding with the Bad Boy

“Do you bowl?” How had I never asked her this?

“Bowl?” Her eyebrow went up. “Like the game?”

“Yep.” I smiled. “We love to bowl, but I will warn you. We get really competitive about it.”

“I know.” She replied. “I’ve been to your charity event before.”

She was talking about the Pin Me For Charity event that my sister-in-law started.

“Really?” How had I missed her? “That’s Antonia’s baby.” I laughed. “Everyone thinks that my brother started it, but it was all her. She wanted to do something in honor of her mother, who has advanced kidney failure due to having sickle cell.”

“I didn’t know that.” She pushed her salad around her plate. “It’s a great fundraiser.”

“It really is.” I took a sip of my wine. “Maybe next year you can be on my team.” It was normally just me and two of my cousins, but I’d love to have her with me. She grunted, but didn’t say anything else.

Maybe I was trying to change too fast, but if I was being honest with myself, I had always wanted her to be more a part of my world. There was a lot of my life I would have loved to share with her, but if I did, then I’d have to admit we were in a relationship.

Were we already in a relationship?

Was it that simple? Had we been more serious than I thought this whole time? Had all the barriers I put up been for nothing?

I didn’t say a lot more as we finished eating. My mind was too confused. Too caught up in questioning every moment of the last year. By the time the sun set, I was still lost.

Danni put up the food as I put away the grill and the chairs and made sure we didn’t leave any trash or anything outside. When I came in, she was already in the bathroom. I assumed she was putting on her pajamas.

I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into bed. I wasn’t sure how she would feel about us sharing, but neither of us would fit comfortably on the couch. I rested my back against the pillows and waited. Sure enough, when she came out, she stopped and looked right at me.

“We’ve been in bed together before.” I pointed out.

“Things are different now.”

“No one says we have to fuck.” I wished the word back as soon as I said it. If we were going to do the relationship thing then it wouldn’t just be fucking.

“Look, I know how to keep my hands to myself.” I didn’t want to, but I would do it for now. “It would just be easier and more comfortable for both of us if we shared. And considering wehave a longer drive day tomorrow, I’d like to get as much rest as possible before we head out.”

A gust of wind passed her lips before her shoulders dropped and she walked over to the bed. “Fine, but stay on your side.”

I held my hands up. “I promise I’ll try.” It was the best I could do.

She got in and slid as far away from me as possible. I turned away from her and hit the switch to turn off the lights. The room went black and completely quiet with only a sliver of moonlight filtering in. I lay there trying to forget she was beside me so I could get at least some sleep.

“What’s going on, Rocco?” Danni’s voice was soft behind me. I flipped, so I was lying on my back and saw she was doing the same.

“What do you mean?” I stared at the ceiling and tried to match my voice to hers.

“Tonight felt like a date.”

“Did it?” I let out a breath. So I did remember how to do some things right.

“Yes.”

I went to my side so I could face her. “I just wanted to spend time with you.” God, I wanted to touch her. I had to ball my hand into a fist to keep from reaching out.

She twisted her head. Those amazing eyes of hers looked right into mine. We stayed that way for a short time before she moved closer and put her head against my chest. Her arm went around my waist.

“This doesn’t change anything.” Her breath warmed my skin.

“Okay.” I couldn’t agree to that, and I had a feeling that if I repeated the line I used earlier, I’d get hit.

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