Page 15 of Feels Like the First Time
“For the record, I’m your ex,” Hawk said, holding up his naked finger and giving it a wiggle. He considered wiggling another finger Jamie’s way, but was more concerned with the way Ali’s lips were slightly trembling—and the strange fury growing inside him. “And this isn’t your night, it’s Ali’s. Which is why I came. Now, if you’ll excuse us for a moment.”
Chuckling, Hawk slipped his hand inside Ali’s, holding tighter when she flinched—as if she were holding hands with Ted Bundy.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Something I’m certain I’ll come to regret,” he said as he tugged Ali around the side of the house, and away from prying eyes.
In the past, this was the part when Hawk would smooth down some of Bridget’s ruffled feathers, coax Ali into talking it out until the sisters made nice. In his more recent past, he’d distract himself with work or some blond co-ed until the town’s quota of Marshal females dropped back down to a manageable level. But strangely a blond distraction didn’t interest him much.
And that made him nervous.
When they’d reached the steps on the side of the porch, he placed the pie on the railing and Ali on the first step.
“First, congratulations on the cover. I know how hard you worked on that piece, and no matter what Bridget says or does in there, this is your night. Not hers. So remember that,” he said, not surprised when her cheeks went pink. If there was one way to disarm the town’s tough girl, it was with soft words. “Because if I hear tomorrow that you let her walk all over your night, just like you let her scare you out of wearing that dress, then I will post that picture of you in said dress, sunshine.”
Ali didn’t flinch. His threat only seemed to make her eyes narrow in challenge. “Bridget had no impact on my wardrobe, and since when do you care about what I wear?”
“Since you kissed me in front of Bridget, then told her we were dating.”
“You are my friend, and that was a friendly kiss,” she corrected, unflinchingly direct.
“There was nothing friendly about that kiss, sunshine. Admit it.” He stepped closer, and closer still, until her heels hit the back of the step and he heard her breath catch.
Gotcha, he thought, but didn’t let up. He held her gaze, challenged that stubborn set to her chin with a slight twitch of his lips. Light enough to piss off her competitive side, but with enough heat to make her think he was picturing her in that dress. Which he most certainly was.
And when picturing that dress suddenly led to him thinking about hernotwearing that dress, he knew he was in trouble.
“I told her you were my date, not that we were dating, big difference.”
He chuckled. “Seriously? That’s the best defense you got?”
“By your own admission, you came here for me,andyou brought my favorite dessert. That sounds pretty close to a date.”
“What kind of assholes have you been dating?” He held up a hand. He didn’t want to know. Every time he saw her around town with some yahoo sporting a neck tattoo, it set him off. And he was already primed.
“Until my sister leaves, just one.” Then she let go one of those big smiles of hers and he found himself wanting to sit down. “You.”
Yup, he needed a seat, and since he wasn’t all that choosy at the moment, he plopped on the bottom step and tried to ignore the sweat that broke out on his forehead at the thought of Bridget staying. Even worse was the way his chest pinched over the realization that Ali had kissed him to stick it to her sister.
“And how long will that be?”
“If we play this right, I think she’ll leave right after dinner.”
“That’s the thing, Ali. I’m not a part of this game. I’m the pawn.” Something he should have been used to by now when it came to Bridget. But never Ali. Sure she gave him a hard time, and they had their own odd way of showing affection. But she’d never used him in one of her ridiculous family feuds before.
“Look, you’re the one who decided to show up uninvited,” she accused. “I didn’t ask you to come. In fact, I told you not to. But you couldn’t resist the chance to throw on your superhero cape and save the day. Or maybe it was just an excuse to see Bridget.”
“I came to bring you that.” He pointed to the pie box and he watched the guilt light her eyes. “Yeah, and to make sure you were all right. But I can see that you’re as crazy as the rest of the women in your family, so I’ll leave you guys to it.”
He stood to leave and she grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry, I was just trying to help.”
“By kissing me?”
“I know, it wasn’t a very well thought out plan, but with the time constraints and the pressure of Bridget standing right there, it was the only one I could come up with.”
“Even though you knew you’d be dragging me back into all of this?”
“That wasn’t the plan, and I’m sorry,” she said and Hawk heard the truth in her apology. Ali, in all of her brazen glory, really had been looking out for him. Ali might be tough and appear to have quills, but beneath it all was a huge heart—that cared too much to purposefully hurt someone.
