Page 45 of Sipping Seduction
“If I could offer you a tiny bit of advice before you head out?”
“What’s that?”
“Put some clothes on. The sheriff might not be as willing to overlook you driving down the highway in your birthday suit, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, thanks, man.”
The window rolled up and Evan waited a few moments before he turned and lifted the corner of the blanket off my head. “You okay back there?”
I didn’t want to think about what I looked like. The combination of stuffy car and mind-blowing sex probably meant I had mascara smeared over my cheeks and a hairstyle that matched Weird Barbie’s. “Was that as painful for you as it was for me, just listening?”
Evan grinned. “Hurley’s okay. He won’t rat us out. Besides, I’ve got goods on him.”
“Oooh, what kind of goods do you have on Beaver Bluff’s favorite deputy?” I took the white dress shirt Evan handed me and shoved my arms into the sleeves. There was no way I’d be able to cover myself up with what was left of my dress.
“I’m sworn to secrecy, but I can tell you it involved a mule, the swimming hole, and a triple dog dare that went incredibly wrong.” Evan arched a brow. “Hand me my pants?”
“It’s a miracle you all survived to adulthood.” Between the stunts Evan and his brothers pulled on their own and the trouble they got into with their friends, I was surprised none of them had lost a limb along the way.
“I bet you’re glad I did, though, aren’t you?” His mouth ticked up in a cheeky grin.
“Most of the time,” I deadpanned.
He shook his head as he pulled his pants up his legs and over his hips. “Wait until we get home. I’m going to make sure you appreciate the fact I’m still around.”
Heat bloomed in my chest, then traveled up to my cheeks and down to the still tingling spot between my thighs. I climbed into the front seat wearing nothing but Evan’s dress shirt and a smile, eager for him to show me exactly what he meant.
CHAPTER23
Evan
Frannieand I settled into a routine over the next couple of days. We’d wake up together, then she’d make me coffee from her fancy-shmancy machine before we’d head off to work. When we got home, we’d cook dinner—usually something fairly easy—and spend the rest of our evening in my bed. I’d never been happier and couldn’t imagine life being any better.
After a week of avoiding the outside world and losing ourselves in each other, I figured it was time to take my girl out on the town. So, Friday night, I met her at home, then we headed to Pappy’s for our usual burgers. The place was hopping with a fair number of football fans grabbing a bite before heading to watch the high school take on their biggest rival.
Frannie hadn’t been sure about attending the game together since she didn’t want to feed the gossip mill. I told her there was no use trying to hide. We’d be better off facing it head on and letting people get their “I told you so’s” out of the way so we could get on with our relationship. So, when my sister Ruby slid into our regular booth in back, I reached across the table for Frannie’s hand.
Ruby snagged a fry from the burger basket Pappy had just set down in front of me. “Is it true the two of you are seeing each other for real?” she asked, right before she popped the fry into her mouth.
Frannie took in a deep breath while she waited for me to reply. We’d already decided I’d handle my family, and she’d handle hers, which really wasn’t fair since she only had her dad to worry about.
“You figure that out on your own, little Sherlock?” Giving my sister shit was pretty much a full-time job. Usually she deserved it, but with four brothers around, it was also inevitable.
“Everyone at the distillery’s talking about it. How you beat out a Stewart to win Frannie’s heart.” Ruby grabbed another fry and dipped it in the secret sauce Pappy always served alongside his burgers.
As much as I would have liked to claim victory over a Stewart, especially one who was as put together as Andrew, I felt the need to set my sister straight. “It wasn’t exactly like that, Rubes. Frannie just came to her senses and realized I was a much better kisser.”
Frannie’s eyes widened and a faint blush kissed her cheeks. I gave her a reassuring grin across the table and squeezed her hand.
“Gross. I don’t want to think about any of my brothers kissing anyone. Did you know he went for six weeks without brushing his teeth the summer he hiked part of the Appalachian Trail?” Ruby shook her head as she chowed down on another fry.
Frannie just gave her a sweet smile. “I can assure you, your brother’s oral hygiene has improved a lot since then.”
“We were supposed to be roughing it. I chewed on a stick, just like they do on Survivor.” It didn’t do any good to try to defend myself.
“I suppose you know how gross he used to be since you’ve known him almost as long as I have.” Ruby got up and slid onto the bench across the table. Then she wrapped an arm around Frannie’s shoulder and pulled her into a hug. “I’m glad you two are seeing each other. You’ve always been like a sister to me. Maybe one day we’ll get to make it official.”
I’d been smiling but almost choked on my own breath when those words came out of my sister’s mouth. Not because proposing to Frannie hadn’t been my end goal all along, but because we hadn’t even broached the topic yet.
