“That’s what you really want?”
I forced a smile. “Yep.” I looked around. The chick in the bar was still there, waiting. “It’s getting late.”
“You wanna head to the B&B?”
I nodded. “Yeah, that’d be good.”
He pressed his hand to my lower back as we returned to the bar. He didn’t spare the girl grinning at him the slightest glance.
We left, but he didn’t head for the B&B, not right away. No, he took me on a scenic drive around the town. The place was even cuter than I first thought.
“It’s so pretty here,” I said as we drove past some of the cute storefronts and a café that I decided we needed to try in the morning.
“Thought you’d like it. Mom’s originally from here.” He pointed out the window to a small house across the street. “That’s where my grandparents lived, where she grew up. We used to come and stay here once or twice a year.”
“They don’t live there anymore?”
“Passed away a few years ago. I haven’t been by the house since my grandfather’s funeral.” He looked out the window at the sweet little house, and there was sadness in his eyes and a soft smile on his lips.
I’d never wanted to wrap my arms around him more. Then I wanted to kiss him and keep on kissing him until that sadness left his eyes. God, I was a confused mess.
He put the truck into drive and we pulled away.
“It must be weird for you, being here again,” I said into the silence.
“Yeah. I wasn’t sure I could drive by their old place, honestly.” He gave the steering wheel a squeeze. “But it was good to see it.” He glanced at me. “Glad you’re here with me.”
I reached out and gave his arm a squeeze. His gaze slid to me again, and I had to mentally restrain myself from leaning forward and planting one on that gorgeous mouth of his. I wasn’t sure I’d ever wanted him more, and I’d wanted him plenty since that night together, and before.
Releasing his arm, I looked out the front window, and Manic said nothing more. We drove to the B&B. The place was decorated with fairy lights, and they were all on when we pulled up.
“Wow. So pretty. Ann certainly goes all out. This place is picture perfect.” I turned, and Manic was watching me.
I quickly looked away again and got out of the truck. He met me at the front and we took the stairs and onto the porch. I opened the door and felt him watching me again. I shivered.
“Stop it,” I said.
“Stop what?”
“Giving me that look.”
“What look?”
“You know what you’re doing,” I said and forced a laugh as I walked up the stairs.
I waited by the door, and Manic pulled the key from his pocket but didn’t unlock it. He crowded me. His big body so close. Too close. “Tell me what I’m doing, Addie?”
His voice was low and sexy, and my face heated. “You’re toying with me,” I said and kind of laughed again, then dipped my gaze because it didn’t feel funny. He’d done this before, until I couldn’t resist him anymore and finally spent the night with him, but giving in again now would be a seriously bad idea, wouldn’t it?
His finger brushed my chin then he tilted my head back. “Not toying with you, baby. I don’t play games. I want you so badly I can barely fucking think straight. You don’t want me, I’ll respect that. But I can’t pretend that I’m not desperate for another taste of you, Addison.”
“You can’t…you can’t say things like that to me.”
“Why?”
The sound of someone coming up the stairs reached us, and Manic unlocked the door. I walked in, but he grabbed my hand and stopped me from crossing the room, then shut the door and pressed me against it. “Why?” he asked again.
“This can’t happen,” I whispered.