Page 99 of Secondhand Smoke
“When was the last time you went to the drive-in?”
“Drive-in?” Nell blinked, surprised. That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. She took a deep breath before managing to form the words without overthinking them. “Probably last summer, with Johnny Matthews.”
Barrett took his eyes off the road, his face twisted into something unrecognizable, and pointed out the window. “Okay, all the more reason to do this then.”
Neon lights of the drive-in flashed a large arrow guiding the entrance drive into the parking area past the ticket booth.
She forgot all about taking deep breaths. Drive-ins had always been a summer activity. She’d never been in October. “They’re open this time of year?”
Barrett chuckled. “Only this week, forScare-a-thon. They started it last year, only for the week leading up to Halloween. I can’t believe you didn’t know.”
She couldn’t believe it either. Yet here she was. Somewhere normal.
Not her house, not Toni’s garage, or the quarry. Somewhere different. And she was still sitting in the passenger seat, and her breathing was almost normal.
They parked a few rows back, with the back of Barrett’s van facing the screen.
Nell stared at her surroundings: the other cars, the people sitting in lawn chairs or in truck beds or just in the front seats, couples and families and friends. All out here, a fifteen-minute drive from her house.
A fifteen-minute drive.
“I made it.” She turned to Barrett, and his expression wrapped her in warmth.
He leaned in. “Yes, you did.” He pecked her lips.
She pouted as he pulled away too soon. After all that, she felt she deserved at least a full-on kiss. She was going to voice her dissatisfaction, but he was already climbing out of the car.
“Come on, let’s sit in the back.”
Following his lead, Nell hopped out of the passenger side and walked around to the back of the van. She’d expected it to be empty, but when he opened the doors, she was met with a pile of blankets and pillows stacked together in a layered nest.
For the back of a van usually meant to transport instruments, it was quite cozy. She reached out and patted the blanket pile, finding it pleasantly soft. On the side, there were a couple beers and bags of treats and chips.
He’d prepared.
A pair of arms startled her delight, wrapping around her waist from behind. Her heart fluttered as Barrett pulled her against his chest, his familiar scent enveloping her as his chin rested on her shoulder. He hummed in approval at the masterful setup, the sound ringing through her body.
She blinked, not sure how to respond.
She’d dated quite a bit, but no one had ever held her so affectionately before. So comfortably. No one had ever done something this . . . romantic before.
What was left of the tension from the drive flushed from her body as she gave in and leaned back into his hold.
His voice lowered into a cocky husk. “I bet Johnny Matthews never did anything like this, did he?”
Nell craned her neck as best as she could to face him and caught him peering down at her through the bottom of his dark lashes. She understood that look now. “Are you jealous of Johnny Matthews?”
“He got to take you out before me. Of course I am.”
She turned to face him, his arms remaining diligently around her. “Johnny Matthews was a terrible kisser and always smelled like a doctor’s office. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about.”
Barrett’s brow rose. “All I got from that was that you kissed Johnny Matthews, and I hate that even more.”
Nell giggled. Pushing onto her tiptoes, she caught his mouth. She felt his lips turn upwards as they softly pulled her in for a few lingering seconds.
The moment she pulled away, he winked. Her heart stumbled over itself.
Oh, he was clever when he wanted to be. He knew how to distract her.
