with you, Royal,” Paula admitted in a whisper. “I don’t want this night to end.”
“Neither do I,” I told her. “You live with your family, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“There’s no one at my house. I live alone.”
“That sounds nice.”
“Would you like to come to my house?”
“I would.”
“Will you spend the night with me?” I asked as I slowly leaned forward, ready to kiss her.
“I will. Just one night.”
Our lips touched, softly at first, but the next second, the two of us were devouring each other right there on the street. If this kiss was any indication of the night to come, I was going to be a happy man for the next few hours.
◆◆◆
“I can’t believe you had your truck there as backup,” Paula laughed from the passenger seat. “I never even thought about bringing my car.”
“I had an exit strategy which I’m very happy I didn’t have to use,” I admitted.
“You live out in the country?” Paula asked as she looked around. When I turned into the parking lot of my office, she gasped. “You live in this neighborhood too?”
“This is the Conner neighborhood,” I told her. “My whole family lives here. Only my family, as a matter of fact. Why?”
“My daughter is here!”
I thought about it for a second and knew just where she was. “She’s staying the night with Vada?”
“Yes!”
“Vada is my niece. I didn’t realize you knew Reba and Mace.”
“I just met them on Wednesday. I was out here for pizza so we could hang out before I let Brooklyn sleep over. Reba’s last name is Lane, not Conner, so I had no idea.”
“They’re not married yet,” I told her as I waited on the security gate to slide open. Up ahead, I saw that my brothers and their wives and girlfriends were still out in the street. “Now this is where you make the decision about what we’re going to do. Do we get out of the truck and go join the party, or do we drive into my garage and stay at my house? It’s totally up to you.”
“I feel better knowing I’m close to Brooklyn, but I kind of don’t want to go down there and mom right now,” Paula admitted softly. “Does that make me horrible?”
“Absolutely not. Everyone needs a little time away.”
“Let’s go into your garage and shut the door then.”
I was so glad she’d decided to take that route. I wanted her naked and beneath me right now and wasn’t sure I could wait. She’d said for one night when we kissed earlier and that was fine with me. I didn’t have the best track record with relationships, so a one-night stand sounded perfect.
“This is sort of like a walk of shame but in reverse,” Paula giggled as we passed by my family members who were all sitting in chairs on the wide street. I glanced over and saw Reba’s face, and the look of shock was hilarious.
“Reba’s freaking out,” I told her. “Did you see her? She looked like a fish!”
“I’m glad Brooklyn didn’t see me. That would change everything,” Paula admitted. “Hurry before she pops out and starts waving!”
I laughed as I pulled into my driveway at the end of the block. I parked the truck inside the garage and lowered the large door before we started to get out.
I rounded the hood and waited for Paula to slide out of the truck, not sure if I should offer my help as a gentleman or just let her take the leap down to earth from the passenger seat alone. Just as I decided to help her, her feet hit the ground, and I heard her laugh.
“That’s a big ass truck,” Paula told me as she shut the door. “Is it really necessary to have a truck that big?”
“It’s a work truck,” I answered with a shrug, not that my response really answered her question. “Come on in, and let’s grab a drink. Do you want a glass of wine?”
“I’d love one.”
I took Paula’s hand and led her into my house. The garage door took us in through the laundry room that led into the kitchen. I heard Paula gasp when she saw the inside of the house and knew the exact second she fell in love. With the house, that was.
“This is beautiful,” she whispered as she walked a few steps ahead of me, and I smiled when I saw her kick her shoes off right beside the door.
“Thank you. It’s my dream house,” I explained. “I planned it