“Selfish as this sounds, I meant what I said earlier,” he finally says.I try to remember what he said, but everything is kind of a blur. “Which part?” “The ‘I’m glad you came tonight’ part.” So I’m not imagining the nudging or the sparks or what I could have sworn was his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand while we walked to his car. “Mmm. Well in that case, I meant what I said, too.”He kicks a rock I’m two steps from tripping over out of my path. “You said the potholes in Leslie’s driveway suck.”

“You’ll have sweet dreams?” he asked quietly and sounding like he cared, a lot. God but I loved this man. I felt my mouth smile and I pressed even closer. “I’m a good girl, I always do what I’m told.” His hand left my hair so both his arms could wrap tight around me. “Love you, Ace,” he murmured and my stomach melted. He said it. Right out. He said it. “Love you too, Captain.”

“I’m too selfish to leave you,” I said. Noah pulled back so I could see his smile. “I’m too selfish to let you.”

“He huffed. I twisted to the left, leaned over him, and reached around his body.“What are you doing?” he asked, alarmed.“I’m hugging you goodbye,” I said. “What do you think I’m doing? I’m putting your seatbelton.”I pulled the belt across his chest and wrestled it into the buckle. Then I sat back and fastenedmine.“Seat belts save lives,” I said, annoyed.”

“We are not, not now, not ever, talking about sex,” A.J. said flatly.I had to laugh. “We’re both grown men,” I pointed out. “I don’t see what the big deal—”“Do it,” he said, “and I will walk over to the church, wake up the priest, and demand that he perform an exorcism. On the spot.”“Well, now, that won’t work,” I scoffed. “I’m not a demon. Not even close.”“Yeah, well, I’m willing to try it,” he said. “So go on. Make my day.”

“Night, Pidge,” he whispered, turning over.I fidgeted, not yet ready to sleep. “Trav?” I said, leaning up to rest my chin on his shoulder.“Yeah?”“I know I’m drunk, and we just got into a ginormous fight over this, but….”“I’m not having sex with you, so quit asking,” he said, his back still turned to me.“What? No!” I cried.Travis laughed and turned, looking at me with a soft expression. “What, Pigeon?”