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“Drinks,” he bit his lip, working the straws into the boxes. Then he put his phone on the roof of my car and finished his thought. “And dancing.”
Music began to play and he held his juice box up for me to clink against his. “Cheers,” he winked.
I tried suppressing my smile as my eyes caught his. The straw slipped between my lips and I took a sip just as he did. We stood there for a minute, as the song continued to play and when he was done with his juice box, he took mine and set it on top of my car.
“Now dance with me.” He held his hand out, waiting for me to take it, but I was quickly aware that it was almost midnight and we were in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Shaking my head, I started to tell him I couldn’t, but he moved closer and put his body against mine. “One song.”
His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. My hands went around his neck and we started to sway. Being so close, I could smell his woodsy scent, see the stubble on his cheeks, and hear the way his breathing stayed steady and rhythmic. Even if there hadn’t been music, we could have swayed to the beat of it, while mine seemed to be skipping beats and creating havoc inside my chest.
For the entire length of the slowsong, we melted into each other. It was more romantic than I had anticipated, and I accepted that I wasn’t immune to the charm Easton had laid before me.
A few cars drove by, but no one bothered us. As the song ended, I realized I could have stayed there all night and let him hold me. It felt good not being so lonely.
But it was late. Max was in the car, and Easton and I both knew we had to leave. He kissed my temple softly and pulled away, grabbing his phone from the top of my car and turning the music off.
“There,” he smiled softly. “The perfect first date.”
“Does this meanyou’redone?”
“Done what?”
“Making me weak?”
His snort made me melt, and the way his head shook as he looked around the parking lot was making my knees feel wobbly again. He licked his lips and looked back at me with a serious look on his face. Then he leaned down and made sure we were eye to eye.
“I’m not done making you weak,” he whispered with a small smile, “but I’m way past done with feeling so spineless.”
Chapter Seventeen
EASTON
As I walked away,I quickly turned back, gave her a wink, and strode to my truck. The last thing I wanted her to think was that I was angry or upset. I was just confused, and it felt like I was losing the courage I normally possessed when it came to women.
She made me feel like I was the weakest man in the world, and while some part of me was okay with that, the other part of me was done being so spineless. I wanted to prove to her, and myself, that I was strong, and only weak for her.
For the next few days, I planned to give her a little space. No fake reasons to go to her house, no notebooks to deliver. She had mentioned she was looking forward to her weekend with Max after his first week of school, and I respected that. Only a weak coward would feel threatened by a three-year-old, and I wasn’t that type of guy. At least, I hoped not. Everything about Jesse and Max was new territory for me.
With a deep sigh, I turned on to the main road that would lead to Harmony Haven and decided to call Miles to distract me. It was late, but if anyone was still awake, it was my little brother.
“Good timing,” he answered after two rings.
“How so?”
“Because I’m sitting here bored as fuck.”
“You must be on duty,” I laughed.
“I love this town. I chose to serve this town. But every once in a while, I wish someone would rob the old gas station or run some drugs through here.”
“Bro, don’t wish that shit on us,” I laughed, but with little humor. “Be thankful we haven’t had to face the kind of tragedy and loss that created who we are.”
“Mom and Dad,” he whispered with his own dry laugh. “Yeah, you’re right.”
For a moment, we stayed silent, both reflecting on the loss of our parents but not wanting to bring up the details. I’d come close to telling Jesse already, but I stopped myself. That conversation wasn’t first-date material. Nor was it something I needed to rehash with Miles at midnight.
“Had a date tonight,” I spilledinstead, hoping it lightened the mood. “Same girl. Jesse. Fuck, she’s so…”
There was no way to finish that sentence. What was she? The only word that came to mind was way too intense for someone I barely knew. Someone I had never kissed. Miles would never believe me.
