Page 179 of The Sweetest Return

“You brought the Hellcat?”

“I did.”

Her eyes softened before her smile appeared. “This thing still loud as hell?”

“It was loud when you liked it.”

“I was twenty-two.”

“And had good taste.”

“I had questionable judgment.”

“That too.”

She laughed, and for a second we were young again. Not enough to forget the hurt or pretend the years between us hadn't happened, but enough to remember that before everything broke, there had been a lot of joy.

I opened the passenger door.

“You cheating on Saint Aurelia?” I asked, nodding toward the diamonds.

Her smile widened. “Tiffany raised me.”

“Saint Aurelia pays you.”

“I’m allowed to be bilingual.”

I laughed.

Up close, she smelled warm and expensive, something sweet beneath the perfume that made my mind start misbehaving before we'd even left the curb.

“Are we leaving,” she asked, “or are you going to keep looking like you need a moment of silence?”

“I need several.”

“Take one.”

I leaned closer, keeping the words between us. “You look beautiful.”

The teasing eased from her face.

“Thank you.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

She didn't dodge it.

That mattered enough for me to notice and not enough for me to ruin by explaining.

I closed her door and walked around to the driver's side.

The engine started with that same rude growl I remembered, and Imani tipped her head back laughing.

“You are enjoying this way too much.”

“I haven’t even pulled off.”