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That was when he kissed her again. Cut off what she was saying and kissed her. Deep and hard and long. Everything she had ever wanted.

Because he was everything she had ever wanted. All the things she had never known she’d wanted. All the dreams she had been afraid to have. “Take me home,” she whispered.

“Gladly.”

He took her by the hand and led her back through the trees, around the outskirts of the party. Nobody noticed them as they picked along the outskirts of the revelry.

They got into the truck, and she put her brick in her lap, vibrating with need as they took the slow drive down the dirt road back to the ranch.

“We could do it in your truck,” she said, impatience making her giddy.

“No,” he said. “I’ll have you in a bed. With all the space, and all the time that I want.”

She had told him that he got to choose. And what he was promising sounded good. Very good.

When he pulled the truck up to the front of the house, he got out, and for some reason, she stayed where shewas. He came around to her side and opened the door, taking her out and into his arms, brick and all.

“Daughtry,” she whispered.

“This is a show of trust on my part,” he said. “You are holding a weapon.”

She grinned. “I am.”

“I’m trusting you not to use it on me.”

She tightened her fingers on her brick.Herbrick. It had her name on it and everything. “I promise.”

“You did once tell me that death was always unexpected,” he said, carrying her up the steps, and there was something extremely comforting about the fact that he was still himself, even though there were aspects of him that felt new. This was still Daughtry, and she was still Bix. Even while he made wildly sexy promises to her, and told her he relished her virginity.

“Ididsay that,” she said. “But I promise you, I won’t kill you tonight.”

“You won’t?”

“No. Most likely in the morning.”

“Good to know,” he said.

“I think so.”

He pushed open the door to the house, and set her down. She was reminded of that moment of fear she felt last week when she thought that maybe he brought that other woman home. But also of the fantasy she’d had of him in the shower.

She was glad that they agreed this wouldn’t be just one night. That it would be for while she was here. Because that was truly the most realistic way that this could pan out.

Of course, she wondered if that meant she needed to think a little bit more clearly about how long this would be. Because what she’d said to him was true. She couldn’t get used to this.

But she also knew she wanted to live in it. For just a while. A little while.

A little while was better than Bix had ever had. Dreaming of forever was a foolishness that she wouldn’t allow herself.

That much she knew. She might’ve changed a little bit, but she would never change that much.

It was impossible.

She prayed it wasn’t.

Because she really needed to keep her wits about her. And it was hard when he was standing there looking like that.

When she already knew how he looked without his shirt on.