near the downtown area.”
Presley nods. “Okay.”
“Great. Then we’ll see you then.”
Presley opens her mouth, but no sound comes. She swallows. “What can I bring?”
“Just yourself.” Marla waves and touches Presley’s leg. “Hope you get out soon.”
“Feel better, Rylan,” I say, watching them all go.
Dad didn’t say one word, although I could feel his presence as usual.
Only in the Greene family are you not in charge of setting up the meet-the-parents. Then again, Presley isn’t going to my parents’ house as my girlfriend and she already knows my dad. She’s going on Marla’s invitation because Marla wants to meet the new girl in town.
“Are you sure you want to go?” I ask.
“You can go. You don’t have to stay with me,” she says, changing the subject.
“I don’t know, I was thinking…” I look around. “Maybe we test out these hospital beds.”
I slide up into the bed with her. After a lot of thinking after the doctor came in and she was still sleeping, I’m pretty sure she’s not used to people being there for her. I’m going to be her person. I mean, isn’t that included in the friend’s portion of friends with benefits? To sleep next to her while she recovers from a concussion my brother caused? I’m sure Xavier would agree.
Thursday comes fast, and I’m not prepared to have dinner at the Greene’s. My stomach has been stirring all day.
Cade took the doctor’s orders seriously when he said no strenuous activity for a week, so other than a few hot make-out sessions and Cade devouring my breasts, we still haven’t had sex. I’m starting to think the benefits portion of our agreement will never involve sex. But so far, I haven’t had to see Reese again and I kind of like it that way.
At the end of the workday, Cade walks through the back door of my shop. Since Adam is finished working here and my grand opening hasn’t happened yet, it’s a little lonely.
“Not you too,” he says in my ear from behind me because “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes plays from my Bluetooth speaker.
“I kind of like it.” My hands cover his, and he kisses my neck.
“Ready then?” he asks, stepping back.
“I’m going to wear my overalls just to tempt you to cross the line.” I lift the hem of my shirt in a seductive dance.
“We’ve got three more days,” he says, tapping his nonexistent watch.
“Then it’s on. You better clear time on your calendar, because I don’t expect to leave my bed all day. You’re going to need the wholesale box of condoms.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckles.
“I’m just saying, so far the benefits are weak.”
“Are you suggesting my Kielbasa isn’t filling you up?”
“I want it to fill another part of me.” I turn on the lights by the window to light up the showcases I just set up and lower the lights on the interior of the store.
Cade stops me before I can go through the back door, his hands running up my outer thighs and around until he reaches the apex of my thighs. “Have I told you I love the warmer weather? I love you wearing skirts and how easy it is to tease you.” His finger runs along my clit over my panties. I grow wet with his touch.
I slap his hand. “Three days, remember?”
“Now we’re on the same page.”
I grab my purse and jacket because spring in Alaska is still chilly at night. Once I’m ready to go, we walk out the back door and I lock up. He reaches for my hand but retracts it—remembering we’re in public, I suppose. Although I’m wondering who wouldn’t know we’re fooling around at this point.
We round the downtown parking lot, leaving his truck in the back since we’re walking to his parents’ house. He stops me right before we’re about to be in front of everyone, backs me to the brick wall of the shop, and looks around. Then his lips are on mine and his tongue is in my mouth.
The kiss happens so fast, I’m a fumbling mess when he stops and we both inhale a deep breath.
“Sorry, I had to do that before I lost my chance,” he says.
He waits for me to walk the streets of downtown Sunrise Bay. Most of the stores are closing for the day, but from what I hear, tourist hours are starting in ten days with my grand opening. I guess it’s a big thing here.
“Who doesn’t know about us?” I ask. Clara came by