Worth It

My fingers grew restless and body tense with wanting. I moved my touch down the sides of her throat, over the backs of her shoulders, and along her spine until I was gripping her backside and pulling her into me, against every part of me.

Her arms came around my neck. I was so hard and achy I would’ve taken her right there if she’d let me. But a group of guys passing nearby scared the crap out of us. We broke apart, gasping and gaping at each other.

When the others passed, unaware of our presence, City bit her lip. Then she reached for my hands. I took both of hers, and she seemed to calm, grinning wildly.

“So, do you really want to throw caution to the wind and get something to eat together?”

I winced, not wanting to ever tell her no. But... “I can’t.” Her face fell, so I rushed to add, “I wish I could, but I’m supposed to meet Mercy in twenty minutes on the square.”

At City’s curious frown, I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Mom wouldn’t let me borrow her car to come into town unless I brought Mercedes too. She said she needed a night out away from the baby.”

“Oh.” She bumped her shoulder against mine before she turned and started up the street. “Yeah, I had to catch a ride into town with Max.”

I hurried to catch up so we could walk together. “And he didn’t have a problem dropping you off alone at the movies?” When she sent me a strange frown, I added, “I mean, he wasn’t suspicious that you were meeting anyone?”

She grinned. “I told him I was meeting my friend Ada and watching a show with her.”

“Who’s Ada?” I cocked my head to the side, trying to recall if she’d ever mentioned her before. “I don’t remember you ever talking about an Ada.”

“Haven’t I? Are you sure? Because she’s one of my favorite authors ever. I thought I’d mentioned all my favorites to you.”

“You mean Ada Frost, or whatever?”

“Yes! I knew I’d told you about her stories. Ryan’s story is supposed to come out next, and I swear I’ve been waiting forever for it. He’s this war hero who gets PTSD, but he also had a really bad past where his dad—”

“City,” I said.

“Hmm?”

“You’re fan-girling.”

She flushed. “Was I?”

“Just a little.”

“Sorry, it’s just...I really like her stories. They come alive to me. Even when I got so mad at Will for what he did in his book, I had to forgive him like a chapter later because of the way Ada wrote his remorse and the reason he had to do it. It was just so—”

I cleared my throat, and she glared at me. “I can’t help it! Once I get started oohing and ahhing over an author, I can’t seem to stop.”

When I laughed, she scowled harder. So I pulled her against me and hugged her. “Actually, I like it. You’re cute when you get all passionate about something.”

She buried her face into my shirt and inhaled deeply. I knew she was smelling me. I liked knowing she appreciated my scent, because I sure as hell appreciated hers. Without thinking, I pressed my nose to her hair and returned the favor.

“You should’ve seen me the day she wrote me back after I emailed her, telling her I was a fan.” She sighed blissfully and hugged me closer. “It was one of the best messages I ever received.”

I chuckled as I rested my cheek on the top of her head. “I bet. But I still can’t believe you lied to your brother.” Then I softly sang, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

She poked me in the ribs. “Hey, it wasn’t a lie. Ada was so nice and considerate in her letter, I really do consider us friends now. And it just so happens I have my Kindle with me in my purse, and since her stories are uploaded there, that means she was with me...in spirit, anyway.”

Gasping in mock outrage, I narrowed my eyes at her. “I can’t believe you brought a third person—in spirit—to our first date.” Then I grinned and pressed my forehead to hers. “Think she’d mind if I kissed my girlfriend goodnight?”

“Pfft. She writes romance. Of course she won’t mind. In fact, I bet if we were good enough at it, she’d even put it in one of her stories—” She cut herself off with her own gasp. “Oh my God. That would be so cool.”

I pressed my hand to her lips before she got going on another one of her happy tirades. “Then I guess we’d better make it good.”

Replacing my fingers with my mouth, I kissed my girl and smoothed my hands over her hair, then down her back, up her arms. I cupped her face and deepened things, brushing my tongue across hers and stepping in closer.