Page 104 of Fighting Chance

His compliment has my cheeks heating, the flush making its way down my neck and turning my skin the same shade as the hair cascading in curls down my back. Peering at him out of the corner of my eye I bite the inside of my cheek to try and stop the large grin that wants to be set free. “Thank you.”

Kieran winks. “Anytime, sunshine.”

He flicks his blinker on and the next thing I know, we’re pulling into the parking lot of an outdoor shopping center.

Frowning, I turn to him, expecting to see him confused or lost, but he’s the exact opposite. He seems giddy, his smile holding a secret. “Ready for the best date you’ve ever had?”

My brows furrow. He’s taking this life list very seriously. Kieran’s looking at me so intently I don’t have the heart to tell him that I’ve been on dates before. He knows this isn’t my first date, right?

Seeing something in my gaze, he chuckles. “Relax, I’m just saying this is going to top all the other losers who were blessed by the heavens to take you out.”

“Superpower,” I murmur to myself as I turn to get out of the truck.

His hand whips out and clutches mine. “Wait.” Sliding out of the truck, he jogs with a pep in his step around the passenger side and opens my door for me, holding out his hand with a smirk. “After you.”

“Laying the charm on thick tonight, are we?”

He winks. “Always with you.”

After closing the truck door, he holds out his hand and I don’t know why but I falter at the offer.

He moves closer to me, brushing his lips ever so slowly past the shell of my ear. “I know your list is long and explicit so if you want to be a good girl and tick them off, you need to at least take this baby step and hold my hand.”

The deep timbre of his voice, the words pouring from his lips, all I can think about is the way his drawl is a borderline growl, the sound making liquid heat pool in my belly.

I’m really doing this with him.

If I told myself a year and a half ago that I’d be standing here with Kieran, the healthiest I’ve ever been in ten years with him offering his hand as he teases that he’s going to take my virginity…I’d simply pass out.

What has become my life?

I know I made a promise to myself to live when I came back, to soak up every day that I woke up without aches and pain, my body not weighing me down by its horrendous immune system but this goes beyond the limitations of normal everyday life and lands squarely in the astounding category.

My breathing grows labored, my eyes firmly locked on his shirt in front of me. I can feel his lips tug up into a smile against the side of my face.

He’s patient, so incredibly patient.

And something tells me he’s been waiting for something far greater than to hold my hand.

Sliding mine in his, savoring the warmth and hardness of his calluses, I suck in a hiss of air as he gives my hand a squeeze and drawls, “Good girl.”

Dear god, this man is going to have me in the palm of his hand before I even hand over my list.

Kieran leads me along the sidewalk of the outdoor shopping center, tugging me out of my frozen stupor. I take in my surroundings, noting that most of the shops are closed, but that doesn’t surprise me since it’s nearing late evening.

The farther we walk, the deeper my frown grows.

Where is he taking us?

Kieran peers down at me, his gaze flicking between taking in every inch of my face and in the direction we’re heading toward. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the slight fidget in his free hand is because he’s nervous.

But that can’t be. Kieran Ashford doesn’t get nervous.

He’s cocky, he’s arrogant, and my god is he beautiful.

I catch the moment he lifts his head, his gaze snagging on something that turns the nervous tilt of a grin into a full-blown smile, one that’s so contagious I suddenly find my lips wanting to mimic his.

I can’t look away from him when he’s like this.