Page 57 of The Rebel (Looking to Score 1)
I reach over and grab her hand, giving her a smile. “I didn’t have to. But I wanted to.”
She smiles, settling in beside me as I pull into the drive-in’s gravel parking lot for our evening of a double feature. Since she likes nineties music, I guessed that she’d like nineties movies too, and the theater is showing some classics—first Legally Blonde, followed by Scream.
Eden’s eyes widen as she takes in our surroundings. It’s a weekday night, so there are only a handful of other cars here, all spaced out to give everyone plenty of breathing room.
“Have you ever been here before?”
She shakes her head. “No. Isn’t that crazy? This place has been here for like forty years.”
I nod. “It has. I only came once before. I think you’ll like it.”
I back into a parking space and open the tailgate of my SUV to let the cool evening breeze in and give us a clear view of the movie screen beyond.
“Shall we?” I ask, gesturing to the back. I’ve laid down the rear seats and padded the cargo area with blankets and pillows.
With a giggle, Eden climbs to the back. “This is awesome.” She sighs, snuggling into the warm fleece blankets.
Thankfully, it’s not too chilly tonight, but it’s cool enough that we’ll have to cuddle up to stay warm. Perfect.
I join her in the back and pop open the small cooler I’ve stowed beneath the seats. “Rosé?”
She grins and holds out both hands. “Yes. Please.”
I chuckle and pour her a glass in a disposable cup. Eden accepts the cup and takes a small sip of the chilled wine while I set out the snacks I’ve packed—chocolate-covered peanuts, white cheddar popcorn, and bags of miniature pretzels.
“There’s snacks too?” she asks excitedly.
“Plenty of snacks. And if we get hungrier than this, there’s a hot dog stand over there. I’ll go pillage for us.”
She chuckles. “The perfect man.”
The compliment radiates a contented warmth through me. While it’s far from true, I decide to bask in that emotion for a moment longer.
It’s still light outside, but the sun has started to set, casting everything with a pretty pink glow. The screen lights up with movie previews, and I adjust the volume on my car stereo so we can listen. Eden has a dreamy sort of smile on her face as we recline on the makeshift bed of pillows in the back of my SUV.
“This has got to be the best date in the history of dates.” She gives me a soft, appreciative look. “Thank you for planning this. It’s exactly what I needed to relax.”
I nod. She’s been under a lot of pressure as a team owner, and while the Titans have had a good start to their season, it’s far from over. “You deserve a night off.”
I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. I’m sure most guys who had the chance to take the Eden Wynn out on a date would have gone much more high-end than six-dollar movie tickets and a bagful of snacks from the gas station. But I’m really fucking happy she’s pleased.
“Thanks for this, Holt. It reminds me of something I’d do in high school. A date at the drive-in. Except it’s better than high school, because I don’t have to be nervous about whether you’re going to try to get in my pants later.”
I chuckle and gaze down at her. “Believe me, I’m going to try.”
She laughs and playfully swats my thigh. “You can try, but just know I’m here for this movie. I haven’t seen vintage Reese Witherspoon in years. And pass me some of that popcorn, would you?”
I obey, handing her a bag of popcorn and refilling her wine.
Our time together is effortless and easy, and isn’t something I take for granted. While it’s true I haven’t dated much, there were a few women in between first hooking up with Eden and now. None of them made me feel like this. Being with Eden is like coming home after a long day of work. There’s comfort and satisfaction and something you just can’t quite put your finger on.
I lean in to ask if she wants more popcorn, but Eden shushes me because the movie is starting. I settle in beside her with a growing feeling inside my chest and a smile that refuses to fade.
• • •
Back at my place, we fall onto the bed together, and Eden wastes no time slipping her hand beneath the fabric of my shirt, placing her warm palm flat on my stomach.
A groan pours out of me, an almost desperate sound. I’ve been hard since halfway through the last movie. I strip out of my shirt while Eden pushes down her jeans. Soon, we’re back to kissing.
She skims my chest with featherlight touches, treating me as though I’m fragile, something precious to her, and I don’t know how to feel about that. But I think I like it a fuck of a lot. The terrain of this new relationship is shifting under my feet, and I’m struggling to catch up. My heart is already there, but my head? It’s a mess.
