Page 19 of Next Time We'll Fall

“What do you mean, we’ll come and get it in the morning?”

“I’m not having your cousins drive it tonight. They’ve been drinking. Luke and Mia will drive them home, and then I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning, and we’ll come and get your car before work.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I care and I want to make sure you’re safe.”

“I didn’t ask you to do this.”

“I know you didn’t ask me, but I feel like it’s my duty. It’s my obligation. Get in,” I say as I open the door.

“Wow. I guess chivalry isn’t dead.” She glances at me and then offers me a small smile. “Thank you.”

“You’re still shivering.” I frown. “You need to get out of those clothes. I don’t want you catching a cold or pneumonia or bronchitis.”

“It’ll be fine. I don’t live that far away.”

“No.” I unbutton my shirt and hand it to her. “Put this on.”

“I still have my wet clothes on, so it’s not like that’s going to do anything.”

“Take them off and then put this on.”

“But I don’t want you staring at me.”

“I’ll turn my back. Juniper, trust me, I’m not trying to ogle your bare breasts.”

“Oh, yeah? Are you sure about that?”

“What do you mean, am I sure about that?”

“Well, just two seconds ago, you pulled me into you, and you were touching me and gazing at me like you kind of wanted to have a lick or a bite or something.”

“Really? Is that what you were thinking when I was getting … you off … the stage?” I pause as she starts laughing. “What is so funny?”

“You. You’re stumbling over your words. Are you really going to pretend that you didn’t just pull me close to you and you weren’t just staring at my boobs?”

“I wasn’t pretending anything, Juniper.” I grin at her. “I don’t know what you want me to say. Do you want me to say that you’re a very beautiful young woman? Do you want me to say that I’m attracted to you? Do you want me to say that watching you onstage was as sexy as it was naughty? Do you want me to say?—”

“I don’t want you to say anything. I want you to turn around so I can take these wet clothes off and put on your shirt,” she says, wrinkling her nose.

I turn my back and listen as she pulls off her clothes.

“Are you nearly done yet?”

“Give me a second,” she says. “There are so many buttons on this shirt. I’m ready.”

I turn around and stare at her in my red-and-white shirt. It’s very baggy on her, but she looks super cute. Her hair is damp, and she pulls it into a ponytail at the top of her head.

Her wide brown eyes stare at me innocently.

“Are you going to take me home now, or are you going to attempt to have your wicked way with me again?”

“My wicked way with you?”

“That’s something I definitely don’t want,” she says quickly. “Just in case you have any ideas.”

“I didn’t say I had any ideas.” I shrug. “Why would you think that?”