Page 78 of Tinder Embrace
"Dinner?"
I nodded, pushing to my feet to grab plates.
Davis wolfed down his slices, returning for seconds before I’d even finished my first.
“Everything okay, Bee?” he asked as I picked at my second slice.
Blurting out that I was pretty sure I loved him could wait. I forced a smile. “Just reflecting on the joys and pains of small-town life.”
He stilled. “Oh?”
His carefully casual tone made me look up. Concern wrinkled Davis’s brow.
“Have you ever wondered what it’s like to buy head lice treatment or condoms without becoming the talk of the town?”
He shrugged. “That’s why I love the internet. Anything you need, delivered right to your door.”
I giggled. “You’re willing to wait a couple of days for shipping?”
“What can I say? I plan ahead.”
I bit my lip, amused. “C’mon, Davis. Not even you anticipate head lice.”
He winced. “You’ve got me there. But I do usually keep flea treatment in stock for the kittens.” He peered at me, watching me steadily. “Are there things you miss about Spokane? Do you see yourself moving back there?”
“Nah.” I shook my head, secretly thrilled when his shoulders relaxed. “Once you’ve left the bumper-humpers behind, you never want to go back.”
His low chuckle stroked every nerve. Davis arched a brow. “Bumper humpers?”
I grinned. “Yeah. You know, jerks who follow too close?” I shuddered, playing up my reaction. “What can I say? I’m a country girl at heart.”
Davis reached out, squeezing my fingers gently. “I couldn’t be more glad to hear you say that.”
“Is it because I’m talking about humping, and that turns you on?” I asked solemnly, holding back a teasing grin with effort.
His low laugh roiled my stomach in the best way, sending a clutch of butterflies soaring. “Itisa tad more grown-up-sounding than the hippity-dippity, but I wouldn’t change you for the world, Bee. It’s more that I’m glad to hear you’re here to stay.”
“In Campfire?” I leaned back. “Oh,honey. Unlike my class’s head lice, you’renevergetting rid of me. I’m a lifer.”
“And I couldn’t be happier,” he murmured, sneaking a quick kiss.
Content, I dug into my pizza, reassured by his marinara-flavored kiss that Davis wanted me to stick around as much as I wanted tobearound. The old days of avoidance were well and truly behind us.
Chapter 29
Davis
Maybe the lice thing should have freaked me out more, but with Sophie's happiness on the line, I couldn't bring myself to care. I'd dealt with far worse, both on the farm and in my vet tech days. If she thought a little shampoo would scare me away, I hadn't done a good enough job showing her how I felt.
Jo would argue that I shouldtellher, but it hadn't seemed like the right time to blurt things out.
I kissed Sophie goodbye as she gathered her things to head to school Monday morning. A white-haired woman waved to me from a chair next door, a broad grin on her weathered face.
“Morning, young man.”
“Good morning, ma’am,” I said, not wanting to be rude to Sophie’s neighbor.
“You don’t have a living grandfather, do you?” she asked.
