Page 49 of Heat Advisory

We’d picked a casual restaurant only five minutes away since we were both hungry but too tired to get dressed up or go too far from my apartment.

Dinner was easy. Comfortable. We talked about family and old memories—like the time Morgan had tried to ride one of our llamas, Bob, on the farm and ended up being chased by him as she screamed bloody murder across the pasture.

He laughed so hard that he nearly knocked over his drink. “Oh my God…I can’t wait to tease her about that.”

At one point, he reached across the table and stole one of my fries, just like he used to in high school.

“You never learned,” I said, remembering how I used to threaten to jump him if he did that.

“Maybe this time, I want you to jump me,” he said and then winked at me as he ate the fry with a sly grin plastered to his face.

Later, as we waited for the check, he leaned back in his chair and studied me in that quiet way he used to when I would tutor him.

“I didn’t think I’d get this,” he muttered softly.

“Get what?”

“Another shot.”

Something heavy settled in my chest. He reached across the table and took my hand in his as he stroked his thumb over the back of my hand. Those butterflies from earlier came rushing back in with a vengeance.

He walked me to his truck after and gave me a small kiss on my lips.

“Thank you for giving me this second chance,” he whispered and then placed another soft kiss on my forehead before driving me back to my apartment.

The short ride felt even quicker than usual. He parked and turned toward me.

“I’d invite you in,” I told him and then added a smirk. “But I’m just going to go in, grab my keys, and run over to grab these emergency vases for the wedding.”

“That’s fine,” he said, leaning over into my space. “I just need some emergency kisses first.”

His lips brushed mine, softly at first, warm and unhurried. I caught the faint taste of beer and cheeseburger as he deepened the kiss, and then he slid his hand up to cup my jaw and draw me closer.

When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine as we tried to steady our heavy breathing.

“I could come with you,” he offered. “I’ve never picked out emergency vases before, but I could keep you company.”

“More like keep me distracted,” I said, and that was exactly what he would be—a distraction.

“Cora, did you just say that I am so ruggedly handsome that you would be distracted by my devilish good looks the entire time we were together?”

His teasing nature had me wanting to tease right back. “That’s not at all what I said.”

“But it’s what you were thinking,” he goaded, trying to bait me into saying yes.

He was correct, but I’d never tell him that.

“You better go before I follow you upstairs and we find something else to do with our time instead of getting wedding vases.” The heat in his eyes as his low voice made that declaration was enough to set my panties on fire.

His idea sounded like a much better time. Alas, I had bestie responsibilities to handle. I pulled my head back and looked at him, imagining all the things he might do to me if we went upstairs instead.

“Cora, don’t look at me like that if you want to make it to the vase store,” he grumbled.

I licked my lips before correcting him. “It’s a craft store.”

“Go,” he ordered. “Call me when you get back, and we can FaceTime.”

We’d done that a few other times in the past few days, and I’d loved it.