Page 50 of Yours to Catch
“No, I’ll probably fall asleep before anything spicy happens. It’s a bit of a slow burn, you know?”
“Not really.”
I thumb through the tabs I’ve used to mark my favorite scenes. “Read this part.”
“Am I going to blush?”
“Doubtful. I chose a sweet spot. This guy is so romantic,” I exhale. “He plans the best non-dates.”
“Non-dates?
“They’re just friends,” I remind with a hint of teasing. “Reeve volunteers to show Audria the best parts of living in the country, all the while getting to spend plenty of quality alone time together.”
“Smart man,” Garrett muses. “When you’ve made a full recovery, I’ll take you somewhere fun to celebrate.”
I gasp and don’t even choke afterward. “Our very own non-date?”
“Just you, me, and quality alone time.”
“Sounds dreamy,” I sigh.
“For now, get comfy. Rest your head on my shoulder.” He pats the spot that looks too inviting to deny.
Once I’ve maneuvered myself into the designated nook, his woodsy cologne wafts over me. It serves to remind me just how bad I smell. “It’s probably for the best that we’re not going to actually date because my stench will forever disgust you.”
“I’m not complaining. In fact, I think you smell great.” He buries his nose in my hair, and I just about burn up from mortification.
“Liar,” I whisper. Secretly, my stomach is doing an acrobatic routine fit for the circus.
“Do you want me to regale you with this charming tale or not?”
I cuddle against him, forgetting my troubles. “Yes, please. Don’t let me stop you.”
Garrett clears his throat and dives in. His voice fluctuates for the different characters. Talk about swoon-worthy. He goes above and beyond for my listening pleasure. I shove off the desires, distracting myself with the budding romance he’s reading.
His deep timbre lulls me into a blissful trance. My eyelids get heavy just as Reeve and Audria settle in the back of his truck to stargaze. I find myself drifting off to the sound of Garrett’s gruff tone spouting the internal conflict from another hero. The one in this story presses his lips to my forehead before I lose the battle against sleep.
“Sweet dreams, soulmate.”
Grace is practically vibrating in the passenger seat beside me. “Are we there yet?”
“You’re worse than a kid,” I joke. The urge to cover her wiggly fingers with mine almost makes me fidget.
“Can you blame me? I’ve been pent up for two weeks. Another day in bed and I would’ve jumped out of my skin. Isolation isn’t for me.”
“We can agree on that. Not seeing you at the bar or around town was a real buzzkill.” The forced separation sprouted unwanted feelings about our… friendship. I’m choosing to ignore those impulses for both of our sakes.
As if listening to my emotional turmoil, Grace smiles sweetly and recites, “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.”
Rather than admit the truth, I scoff at the notion. “Nah, I was just bored. Drake and Ridge aren’t nearly as entertaining. They didn’t appreciate my creative drinks or goofy straws.”
Her eyes narrow at my transparent bullshit. “Then I guess you’re lucky I agreed to hang out with you.”
And it’s about damn time. Much like her, I’ve been itching to do something fun. Her clean bill of health happens to overlap with numerous Fourth of July festivities. I chose the option most suitable for a non-date based on the standards set by that romance she had me reading.
My thumb taps the steering wheel, matching the beat of the country song crooning from the speakers. “Just a few more miles. I will say that there’s lots of space for you to run wild.”
Grace rubs her palms together. “Good, I have plenty of energy to burn.”