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I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to suppress the smile threatening to spread across my face. “That so?”
“Mhm,” he hums, the sound low, sending a tingle down my spine.
There’s a moment of silence between us, thick with tension, and I’m suddenly very aware of how close he’s standing. His arm brushes against mine as he reaches for another crate, and I swear I can feel the heat radiating off him. It’s ridiculous how much just being near this man affects me.
Rayne leans in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve been thinking about you, Billie.”
I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. Did I hear him right? I turn to look at Rayne, but his face is unreadable, calm as ever. “You have?”
He gives a slight nod, and for a second, I’m convinced he’s about to say something more, but then a customer interrupts, asking for a dozen cupcakes. The moment is gone, and I’m left feeling like I’ve been splashed in cold water.
I force a smile and turn back to the customer, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach.
* * *
Rayne
I never liked these kinds of events, too crowded for my taste. But when I saw Billie was here, I couldn’t stay away.
She’s reacting to me, and I’m trying hard not to let that smug grin pull at my lips. I can tell she’s feeling the tension between us, and hell, it’s taking all my control not to just pull her behind this booth and kiss the living hell out of her. But I play it cool. She deserves all the time in the world, not some rushed moment in the middle of a crowd.
I offer to help, mostly just to stay close to her, but it’s worth it when I catch the way her eyes linger on me, like she’s sizing me up. She can try to act all professional, but I know I’m getting to her.
I move a little closer, brushing my hand against her waist as I reach for a crate. Her breath catches, just like I thought it would. Good. I want her feeling the same fire that’s been burning inside me for too damn long.
The booth’s busy, but it doesn’t matter. I’m only focused on Billie. I lean in just enough for her to hear me. “Been thinking about you.”
Her eyes widen, and I can see the surprise written all over her face. It’s cute. She tries to play it off, but I know I’ve got her attention now. I like watching her squirm, seeing her struggle to keep things casual when the heat between us is anything but.
A customer cuts in, asking for cupcakes, and I step back, giving her space. But not too much. I like watching her work, her hands moving quickly as she packages the goods. Her lips part justslightly as she focuses, and all I can think about is what they’d feel like pressed against mine.
Patience, I remind myself.
But I can’t deny it any longer—Billie’s more than just some passing attraction. She’s got me hooked, and I’m done pretending otherwise.
Chapter 3
Billie
By the time the festival winds down, I’m exhausted—physically from all the customers and mentally from trying to keep my head straight with Rayne so close all day. My body’s on autopilot, packing up the booth. But my mind? It’s all on him. His gruff voice, the way his hand brushed against my waist, the heat radiating from him every time he got near me.
I throw the last empty crate into the stack, glancing around. Shay left earlier with the bakery van—something about making a pit stop on her way home. Knowing her, she’s probably off flirting with someone at the food court and only God knows when or if she’ll be back.
Rayne’s still here, leaning against the side of the booth, his arms crossed, watching me with that intense gaze. I can’t help but feel the weight of his eyes on me.
“You need a ride?” His deep voice cuts through the quiet, low and rough like it always is.
I hesitate for a second, but I can’t lie—I do need one. “Shay took the van. I don’t think she’s coming back anytime soon.”
Rayne just nods, like that’s the most natural thing in the world. “Let’s go, then.”
We finish packing up in silence, the air between us thick enough to cut with a knife. When we’re done, Rayne nods toward his truck parked a few feet away.
“Hop in.”
Rayne’s car is big, dark, and rugged. And it smells exactly like I expected. Like him. Leather and woodsy aftershave, and the second I climb inside, I feel the warmth of his scent all over. There’s something about being in his space that sends a shiver down my spine. It’s like I’m surrounded by him, and it’s doing things to me I can’t explain.
Rayne climbs in on the driver’s side, and the truck rumbles to life, the low growl of the engine vibrating through the seat. The atmosphere inside the cab is thick with unspoken words, and I’m hyper-aware of how close we are. His arm resting on the back of the seat, his hand gripping the steering wheel, the way his thigh brushes against mine when he shifts gears.
