Page 11 of Infatuated as They Come (Sinful Trilogy #2)

The drive was silent as Sawyer drove me back to Highland Park, one of his hands on my thighs the whole time.

Part of me wanted to tell him to just turn around and take us back to that motel room, but before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of my home, and like always, he walked me to the front door.

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him just yet.

My hands quickly settled on his shoulders as my eyes found his, and I hated that the light that had been there during the day looked like it was gone.

“You know, I really like it when we do stuff like today,” I said, but I quickly realized how bad that sounded.

“I mean… Not like in the afternoon, when your dad showed up. That wasn’t fun.

I mean after and before that. When it’s just us spending time together.

I just like being with you no matter where we go. ”

One of Sawyer’s big hands found the small of my back, drawing me closer to him. “You like staying in crummy motels watching old Looney Tunes episodes?”

The word almost made me flinch. “I didn’t think it was crummy. I had a lot of fun just being with you. I also liked watching you hit the side of that TV until the picture stopped being all fuzzy. I didn’t know you were so innovative.”

“That’s an old skill I have.”

“Well, you’re very good at it. I’ve never seen Woody Woodpecker so crystal clear.”

“He’s a menace to society.”

“Like someone else…” I let my fingers graze over the back of his neck.

“But I mean it. I have so much fun when we’re just…

together. Those kinds of moments are really special to me.

Like all those times we made dinner together, or when you took me to all those pretty places and you painted and I tried to paint and we talked until the sun set, or when we went to those nice lookouts so we could go stargazing.

That’s the kind of stuff I won’t ever forget, ‘cause it’s the stuff I love doing with you. ”

A tiny, little smile graced his lips. “Me too.”

“You don’t have to take me to some fancy restaurant or event or anything like that.

I just want to be with you. Just being with you is special, and I’m so excited for New York, because we’ll get to have more moments like we had here.

” My fingers kept playing with his hair, hoping he was internalizing everything I was saying.

“You’re being quiet. Are you okay? What did your dad say to you when I was in your truck? ”

His eyes closed for a brief moment. “Nothing.”

“I love you. I love all of you, every part. I’m not going anywhere, I promise you that.

And whatever he said when I left… I don’t know what he said exactly, but please don’t take it to heart.

He has no idea how special you are to me.

How much you mean to me. How much I love you. And I love you so, so much.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. And I’m okay. Just… wasn’t expecting to see him today,” he said, eyes on the ground before he cleared his throat. “But I loved doing all that stuff with you as well. This was a really great summer. Every day was special.”

“I agree. And you made it really lovely. Thank you.” Standing on the tips of my toes, I gave his lips a soft kiss.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to take you out for dinner. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll take you somewhere real nice.”

“It’s not your fault. And honestly, that pizza was better than anything you could get at a fancy restaurant. You really spoiled me today.” I sighed, knowing we were getting closer and closer to eleven. “I’d let you stay the night. You and Brodie. Mom wouldn’t mind, but…”

“Daddy still doesn’t like me,” he said. “Yeah, I know.”

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine as his hands grasped my waist. I was very much aware of where we were: right in front of my house, my father not that far away and probably waiting to throw the front door open and drag me back inside the house.

But Sawyer kissed me like he didn’t mind, like he didn’t want to be anywhere else but right there with me, his tongue pushing in between my lips deeply and softly and slowly.

I almost whined when the kiss came to an end.

“Goodnight, Holly,” he murmured.

“Goodnight.” I pushed open one of the heavy double doors with one hand, our eyes locked as I moved inside.

Why couldn’t the day go on an hour or two longer?

I blew him a kiss and watched him smile before I finally shut the door, only for my eyes to roll the second I turned around, because there stood my dad, right in the foyer.

“Your mother wants us in the theatre room in ten minutes,” he said. “She wants us all to watch a movie together before you leave. No phones allowed.”

“Okay.” I moved past him, hearing his footsteps behind me as I put some distance between us, my blasé attitude clearly not deterring him.

“What did you do today?” he asked.

“Me and Sawyer went out.”

“Where?”

“Granbury.”

“That’s quite a drive.”

“Sawyer’s a very careful driver.”

“Are you hungry? You’ve been gone all day.”

“Sawyer got me lunch and dinner.”

“What did you eat?”

“I know you think he can’t take care of me, but he can and he does.”

A sharp breath left him, but I still couldn’t bring myself to turn around. “Holly.”

“What?”

“Look, you’re leaving in a few days, and I don’t want things to be bad between us when you go.”

“Well, you only have yourself to blame for that.”

“Your mother told me about what you said to her earlier. Before you left.”

Finally, I spun around to meet his eyes, and I couldn’t believe it, but there seemed to be the tiniest bit of guilt looking back at me. “And?”

“I’m not going to say sorry for wanting the best for you. You seem to be forgetting that I’m your father and that I want you to have a good life,” he said. “A perfect life. The kind you have now.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “That’s nice.”

“But,” he said, his voice suddenly a little louder, “I will say sorry for earlier.”

“And why are you saying sorry exactly?”

“You know why.”

“Please elaborate.”

“I’m sorry I upset you, okay?” he said, a hand on his chest. “For ruining breakfast, about making you feel whatever I made you feel.”

I wrapped my arms around myself. “Until Sawyer came along, you never acted so weird about money. I know you work really hard to let me and Mom have a good life, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and the life you’ve let me have—”

“And I want you to keep having that life,” he said, cutting me off. “Don’t you get that? He’s not the boy who’s gonna give that to you.”

“I don’t need him to. And the kind of life we have doesn’t make us better than anybody. Do you think we shouldn’t be allowed to interact with people who have less money than us or something?”

Holding up a hand, he shook his head. “I never said that. I don’t believe that at all.”

“You act like you do. It’s stupid. I don’t want to date some country club lacrosse player,” I said. “I want to be with the person I’m with now, because I love him and he makes me so happy and that’s all that should matter to you.”

“I just don’t think he’s good enough for you,” he whispered. “I know you don’t want to hear that, but I don’t think he’s the right guy for my daughter.”

My eyes closed at those words. “You know, Sawyer’s dad came back after just disappearing on him for months, but Sawyer’s managed to survive on his own this whole time.

And it’s not even the first time his dad has done that to him.

He’s been doing that Sawyer’s whole life.

You think he’s not good enough for me, but he’s so much stronger than you realize.

He’s stronger than me and you put together. ”

“I just want you to be happy,” he said, taking the smallest of steps forward .

“He makes me happy. I keep telling you that, but you don’t listen,” I said, voice turning into a pained murmur, but I swallowed the lump in my throat just as quickly as it showed up.

“And while you can be really, really mean sometimes, I know you’d never treat me or Mom the way Sawyer’s dad treated his family.

His dad isn’t a good person. His dad is terrible and I only met him for—”

“You met his dad?” he asked, eyes big as he stepped forward.

I shrugged. “He showed up out of nowhere.”

He took more steps towards me. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Sawyer made sure I was okay. In fact, his first priority seemed to be making sure that I was okay and safe. He put me first,” I said, jabbing a finger into my chest. “You probably think he’s not capable of that, but he is.”

“Are you alright?”

“You should be asking Sawyer that. Instead, he’s off at a motel because staying at his own home wasn’t safe.

It’s never been safe with his dad there, but he’s had to stick it out until now.

His own dad thinks he’s not good enough for me,” I said, voice wavering as the afternoon’s memories put a sharp knot right there in my stomach, “so could you please, at the very least, keep whatever awful things you have to say about him to yourself so that he doesn’t have everyone in his life trying to put him down? ”

“What do you want me to say, Holly?” he asked.

“I just want you to treat him with some respect. I don’t care how much money Sawyer has, and I definitely don’t need him to buy me some fancy ring,” I said.

None of that mattered. Cheap silver or genuine Tiffany.

Expensive, sparkling, ever so bright diamond or no diamond at all.

“And if it doesn’t bother me, then why does it bother you? ”

“I know you think I am the way I am because I’m some…

overbearing classist,” he said, taking a few more steps over to me.

Slow, cautious ones. “But I just want good things for you. You’re my daughter.

My only daughter and my only child, and I never want anything bad to happen to you.

I’m not saying sorry for wanting you to have a good life, Holly. ”

“Your version of a good life and my version of a good life seem to be two very different things.”

“I’m allowed to worry about you and… I’m allowed to not like him,” he said hesitantly. “That’s not going to stop.”

“What was the point of this conversation?” I threw my hands up. “Do you want me to be happy or not?”

“That’s all I want.”

Gripping the little pendant resting against my chest, I gave it a soft squeeze.

“I don’t want anyone else but Sawyer and there’s nothing you can do to change that, so you need to accept it already.

Just get over this idea that I’m meant to be with some rich guy that you think is right for me.

You and Sawyer don’t have to be best friends or anything.

You don’t have to go out on golf trips at the club or whatever… ”

He laughed softly. “I don’t think me and Sawyer and a bunch of golf clubs would end well.”

“I don’t expect a miracle, but can you just please stop and think about what you’re saying? You’re so hurtful and mean when it comes to him. It’s like you turn into a totally different person. You need to stop. Please? For me?”

“For you… yes.” He placed what seemed like a wary hand my way, inching towards me like he was testing the waters. “I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

The words had me frowning, just about to step away from him. “Wait, are you sorry for upsetting me or sorry for saying something so awful about Sawyer?”

“Oh, you two made up! Good!” Mom suddenly piped up from the doorway. Hands clasped together, she sent us a big grin. “No more fights please, especially since Holly is leaving very soon. Can we just have some family time before our daughter moves to the other side of the country?”

My father gently held my shoulder as he guided me closer to him. “Of course. Only a few days left now. Let’s enjoy them.”

“Exactly. Now can we please enjoy this night together as a family?” Mom said.

Lips pressed firmly together, I let my brain repeat that conversation I had just had with my dad in slow motion. He had said sorry, but that sorry had been directed at me and me only. It was a hollow apology.

There was a terrible, heavy feeling in my stomach, my dad’s words from the morning and every other day since I had fallen in love with Sawyer haunting me.

Time, Mom had said. All my father needed was time. I wasn’t sure how much longer I was willing to wait.