Page 73 of Sweet Surrender
He didn’t budge and her forehead creased until they were wearing matching his-and-hers frowns. His stomach clenched. He didn’t ever want to be the reason she frowned.
“Don’t you trust me?” she asked.
He stroked his thumb over the creases in her forehead, smoothing them away then tucked a curl behind her ear. “Of course I do,” he replied softly, enjoying being able to touch her so freely.
“Great! Now get changed,” she said, smacking his ass and tearing out of the room.Tornado Taylor,he thought with a smile and did as she asked.
“I’m ready, do I need anything?” He came out of the bedroom and felt her eyes sliding over him. He’d only changed into clean jeans and a V-necked sweater.
“Just your car keys but you can give them to me, I’m driving.”
His eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“You said you trusted me,” she pouted, and he wanted to pull her bottom lip between his teeth.Did nibbling her count as kissing? Could he get away with a fake boyfriend nibble?
“Fine,” he sighed, dropping his keys into her outstretched palm. They left the cabin and got into his car. He watched as Taylor stroked the leather seats, over the dashboard and around the steering wheel reverently.
“Can you please stop fondling Beatrice?”And start fondling me?Watching her fingers stroke and squeeze was making his jeans extremely tight.
“Beatrice?” She snorted with laughter and then clamped a hand over her mouth, pulling a laugh from him. “I’m so looking forward to this,” she said.
“Taking Beatrice for a spin or our date?”
“Both,” she replied, smiling at him and he genuinely felt like they were headed out on a date together. Then she revved the engine loudly and his light and fluffy feeling disappeared.
“Oh God, I’m nervous,” he groaned.
“About my driving or our date?”
“Both,” he quipped, and she shot him a sharp look.
“I’m an excellent driver I’ll have you know,” she sniffed. A wave of nostalgia threatened to consume him as memories of teaching her to drive clamored for attention. Had she forgotten that? The arguments, the tears, the triumph when she finally got the hang of the stick shift. The way she’d thrown herself at him with glee and he’d tried not to sniff her hair and pretend she was his girlfriend.
“I know you are.” His reply managed to convey all his memories and he felt a lump rise in his throat. Her gaze softened, her mouth opened then closed and she looked away again, breaking the spell.
They arrived at their destination in one piece, he only had to pump his imaginary brake once as she parked at a random building in the next town over.
“I still have no idea what we’re doing,” he said, looking up at the building which gave him zero clues. She surprised him by taking his hand as they walked in and squeezing tightly, his pulse pounding at the contact.
“You’ll see in a minute,” she sang.
She led him inside and then he saw a sign for “Cathy’s Couple’s: Cooking and Baking Classes” and excitement fizzled inside him like he was a kid at Christmas.
“We’re baking?” He tried to keep the eagerness out of his tone but failed miserably.
“Yup! Aren’t I the best fake girlfriend ever?” She beamed at him but dropped her voice slightly when she saidfake.
“Hands down the best fake girlfriend I ever had,” he grinned at her. His brain trying to interject that so far, she was better thananygirlfriend he’d had, real or fake, and he shoved the thought away. He wanted to pull her into a giant bear hug, squeeze her and never let her go, or press kisses all over her face.
She had done something really special and found an activity he would thoroughly enjoy. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had done something special for him. His throat tightened as he savored the moment. With her beaming up at him, and the thoughtfulness she’d shown, and the pure amazing fact that they were here together, that they’d gotten to this point in their relationship.I only ever want to be with her. The thought cooled his blood slightly.This isn’t real, remember?
“Come on!” She dragged him inside before he could dwell on his thoughts any longer.
Inside the room were six individual workstations that each contained a mixer, cake tins and utensils, ingredients, oven mitts and aprons. There were other couples already gathered at each station checking out their equipment. He and Taylor greeted everyone as they made their way to the empty station at the back of the class. Most couples said hi back but one couple in particular were really sizing them up.
Beau put his hand on the small of Taylor’s back and dipped his head to her ear. “I think we’ve found the couple that are going to take this way too seriously.”
“We’re totally gonna kick their ass, aren’t we?”
