Page 88 of Sin With Me

He turns and kisses my palm. “Maybe one day I’ll feel that way.”

I grab one of the shots and shoot it down.

"You take the other one..." I hold it up for him, but instead of grabbing it, he opens his mouth and tilts his head back slightly.

Wilder holds my gaze intently while I pour it between his lips and then watch him swallow.

"Thanks, wifey."

I shoot him with a death glare. "Stop that."

"Why? It sounds good on you. Get you knocked up and then you’ll be the sexiest MILF I’ve ever laid eyes on."

Laughing, I shake my head. “Now I know you’re a goner.”

“For you.”

I roll my eyes at his corny one-liner. "I just met a girl in the bathroom who got dumped by her fiancé—of seven years—at the altar, so if that wasn't a sign, I dunno what is."

"A sign for what?"

"That marriage is a bad idea."

"No, he's just a coward, especially for makin' her wait so long. It took me seven seconds to realize I was into you."

I snort because he cannot be serious. "That's unrealistic."

"Nope. The moment I saw you and heard your voice, not only did I recognize you from the crisis hotline, but meetin' you also validated my feelings. You were the first person I met who knew about my past and still didn't treat me any differently. Waylon told you I was a mess—or somethin’ along those lines—and still, you didn't smile at me with pity. You looked at me like I was just a person who needed someone to understand their pain."

My heart swells at his thoughtful words. After knowing him all these years, I've never heard such sweet things come out of his mouth until we became more than friends.

And I'm not gonna lie, I'm enjoying it—a lot.

Who knew Wilder had this tender side to him? He’s always been so focused on pretending everything was fine when it wasn't that he never allowed himself to be okay when things were.

Cupping his cheek, I softly brush my lips against his—ones I still can't believe I get to kiss. "And in case you didn't know or need to hear it again, I'm proud of how far you've come. Especially durin' that time when it was really bad. Not everyone makes it out of the darkness and you fight like hell every day to stay out of it."

He rubs his nose against mine and it makes me laugh. "I don't think anyone's ever said somethin' so heartfelt to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome," I say as a woman approaches our table.

"Howdy." She smiles wide at Wilder's cowboy hat. "Would you or your wife like a dance?"

Wilder stares at me, his grin meeting his eyes. "No, thank you. But we'll take two more Tequila shots."

Before we left the arena, Waylon double checked with me that I was good to keep an eye on Wilder tonight. Not wanting to give anything away, I reassured him it was fine, but that he still owed me from New Year’s Eve when he asked me to watch him.

I fear I might have overpromised my ability to keep an eye on his brother because after the strip club, we found a cowboy-themed bar with a mechanical bull, and Wilder's determined to make it the full eight seconds without falling off.

After each ride, successful or not, you get a free shot and Wilder's currently on his fifth attempt. Each time he got one, he bought me one too.

"Okay, this is the one. I can feel it!" he shouts over the music, holding me close to his side.

I shake my head and immediately regret it. It’s already throbbing. "It better be because I can't drink anymore and neither should you."

"What, why? I'm sober as a goat."

"Huh?" When I stand on my tiptoes to hear him better, I stumble over my boots, and Wilder quickly catches me. "That doesn't even make sense."