Page 16 of Back in the Country
“Baby Girl,” he says while lowering my hand, “if I kiss you now, I’m not gonna stop, and I have plans for you tonight.”
Well then…
“Let me just grab my purse,” I say with an evenness I don’t feel.
Waylon stays on the porch as I grab my purse and jacket before locking the door. He grins.
“You really have been gone a long time, huh? I can’t remember the last time I locked my door.”
“I always did in Nashville,” I say with a shrug.
He takes my hand again and leads me over to his truck and then opens the door for me. Waylon’s always been a gentleman—all the Thayer men are.
“So where are we going?” His smile is dazzling, and I suppress the urge to dramatically swoon as I climb into the passenger seat.
“It’s a surprise.”
I wait to respond until we turn out of the driveway.
“You know how I feel about surprises.” My voice is a purr as I turn to face him. The hem of my skirt rides up the tiniest bit, and Waylon takes notice before tightening his hand on the wheel and glancing back at the road.
“Last I knew youlovedsurprises.”
I shrug. “Guilty.”
His laughter fills the cab of the truck, and I lean my head back against the seat as I study his profile with a dreamy smile on my face. He’s so handsome with his strong stubble-covered jaw and high cheekbones. It’s honestly a wonder why no one has snatched him up yet.
I’d like to think that it’s because he’s been secretly pining after me, but I know he’s been out with other girls. The thought makes my chest squeeze, and I push it from my mind. He’s here now, and I plan to make the absolute most of it.
Flipping through the stations, I find the catchy lyrics of “Passenger Seat” by SHeDAISY and turn up the volume, already bouncing around in my seat and singing at the top of my lungs.
Life really is sweet, and that’s the truth. This could very well be our anthem. Waylon smiles and shakes his head, looking over at me every couple of seconds. Music has always been our thing. We’d exchange silly pop songs and new artists we’d found. It became a game up until the time I’d started dating Caleb.
Waylon’s absence in my life during that time was like hiking the tallest mountain and finding out that you weren’t prepared for the altitude change. It’s a difficult adjustment, you’re not going to like it, and you won’t ever feel the same. Part of me understood that he was trying to be respectful, but the other part wanted to smack some sense into him.
It was a weird time for me.
Shaking myself from my thoughts, I watch out the windshield as we pull into a large grass field with a kid in a yellow vest directing traffic. The field is already half full, and I scan the area before turning to Waylon with a huge smile.
“Is this like a street fest? Field fest?”
“Yea, my buddy Jake runs it.” He chuckles and the sound sends a jolt of pleasure between my legs. “It’s not too country for a big city girl like you, is it?”
He means it as a joke, but there is nothing funny about the way my stomach falls at the remark. It’s shitty, but I don’t want him to know his words have any effect on me, so I give him a brilliant smile.
“I’mallcountry, Way,” I purr, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob. He clears his throat, and I take that as a small win.
“It’s called Brew, Q ’n Boogie.They have free concerts once a month out here and a bunch of food trucks and vendors come down.”
“Oh, like that song! ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie.’ I love it.”
Unclipping my seat belt, I lean across the bench seat and plant a hard kiss on his cheek before pulling back. Heat glances across his gaze before he pushes his door open and smiles.
“Stay put.”
He tracks me like a predator as he rounds the hood of the truck, and I amsohere for it. Opening my door, he offers me his hand, and I make a production of taking it and then slowly propelling myself into his chest.
Waylon sucks in a breath as I look up at him through my lashes. Our hands are still clasped, but now his other is possessively gripping my hip.
