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“It was just a story growing up,” he finally muttered.

“The Rougarou showed up for you, too,” I stated, staring at him with hopefulness filling my heart.

“You know we’re not supposed to say its name out loud, or we’ll end up with the curse, right?” he replied a little more lighthearted.

“Yeah, well, I said its name while looking directly at it, and it…freed me. Maybe it’s protecting our home. Its home.”

Ford slowly nodded. “Cher, are you okay?”

“Am I—” I paused as his eyelids fluttered closed, taking with it any indication of whatever he was feeling. I couldn’t believe how good he’d become at masking his body language. It was as if I stared at some unfinished statue, something stone and cold that lacked any emotion. But Iknew better. Because, yes, he wasn’t that kid anymore, but he was still Ford. “I’m okay. Though he did steal the knives you made me,” I muttered.

“Actually, that reminds me. I have something for you, but it’s in my duffel at home,” he answered and shimmied awkwardly to try and face me better.

A giggle burst from my throat, and I slapped a hand over my lips. “I’m sorry,” I said, muffled behind my palm.

“What’s so funny? This isn’t exactly a silly situation.”

“I know, but you look crammed in this back seat, and watching you try to shift is a bit funny.” I giggled again and dropped my hand from my mouth. “Guess car sex is out of the question.”

And my palm slapped over my lips again. Heat rose to my cheeks as I stared forward, refusing to look at Ford. I could only imagine that look on his face, and I was terrified to find out if it was desire or disgust.

“Cher, you realize that just because I can’t lie down on the back seat, doesn’t make car sex out of the question. Pretty sure some of the best sex we had was in my old truck,” he said, almost too casually for my liking.

I chanced a glance his way to find a smirk on his face and his head tipped back. He wasn’t looking at me or facing me; he was simply smiling to himself.

“Explain to me how it would work now? Have you not recently looked in the mirror? Or maybe stepped on a scale? You aren’t as skinny as you were,” I countered.

“Hmmmm. There’s the front passenger seat that I can lay down, and you’re small. So, you can climb right on. Even back here, Cher. There’s plenty of room on this lap of mine.”

My cheeks burned warmer with the sparkle in his eyes. Yet, he continued to stare forward.

“You know what, I don’t even know why we’re talking about this when we should be discussing how O’Connor might escalate and why he singled out Azelie,” I quickly replied.

Ford flopped his head to the side and brought his eyes to meet mine. “I’ve got security cameras ordered and coming for, yes, both your restaurant and my family’s. So, the next time he tries something, there will be irrefutable evidence.”

His gaze remained locked with mine, and his words seemed a far distance from my thoughts. My veins burned with heat, and a magnetic pull tugged me toward him. He wasn’t wrong; I could easily straddle his lap. I could give in to the desire that inched me a smidge closer to him.

A momentary distraction from the doom that lingered around us couldn’t hurt. Azelie was safe with her cross-country coaches at their meeting right now, my parents were in the restaurant getting ready for the day, so there was no way O’Connor would do anything right now.

It was just Ford and me.

I could ask him how he could afford security cameras later.

I could get after him for everything else later.

Right now, I wanted him. I’d wanted him since the moment he’d arrived back in town. It was time to grow the fuck up and be an adult. An adult who did adult things.

Even if in secret with the one person where the history between us was something we hadn’t quite hashed out.

Even if it was probably going to start something wrong.

I needed him.

Just one more time.

As his eyes remained fixed on mine, self-control fled the vehicle.

I launched myself across the car, threw my legs around his waist, and slammed my lips against his.