Page 72 of Switching Skates

“I remember.”

Her cheeks flush. “Well, thank you.” She smirks, and a playful gleam flashes in her eyes. “But I think I hate flowers now.”

This earns her a laugh from deep in my chest.

“Oh, do you?”

She smiles. “Yeah, I do.” Turning around, she sets them down on the entryway table. “Maybe Maeve will like them. I’d hate to see them go to waste.”

“Are you going to be this stubborn all night?” I chuckle, offering her my hand.

Glancing down at it, she flicks her gaze back up to mine and walks past me without taking my hand. “Sure am.”

I bite down on my bottom lip as my dick twitches in my pants. There is something about her being such a little brat that makes me want to kiss her fucking senseless until that mouth of hers can only beg me for more.

“After you.” I close the door behind her and follow her.

She holds her hand out and stops me when I try to get the truck door for her. “No need for that. I can get it myself.”

I let her win this round, walking around to the driver’s side and getting in.

Sassy Daphne means comfortable Daphne, and that is a win in and of itself. I want nothing more than for her sassy mouth to keep telling me off. It makes me happy,andit turns me on.

I start the truck, and the CD begins playing the playlist I made years ago, full of her favorite old songs.

“Oh my God, is this ‘Beautiful Soul’?” She reaches for the stereo and turns it up, immediately singing along to every word as I back out of the driveway.

Good. She thinks it’s the radio.

I can’t hold back my smile as I roll down my window and stick my hand out, feeling the rush of air.

I look over at her, and she catches me staring and flips me off without skipping a beat.

God, I love this girl.

My heart slams against my rib cage. The thought might have come out of nowhere, but I can’t deny that I do … love her.

Fuck, I’ve loved her for as long as I can remember. I’ve been in denial for the last couple of years, but the truth is, I’ve just been scared, scared of anchoring myself to a place in this world, to a person.

But I’m tired of denying myself the pleasure of loving her.

I’m also tired of trying to convince myself that the tattoo on my back isn’t for her. But it is; it always has been.

I turn into the gravel parking lot, and attendees direct me through the lot, waving and pointing to where I’m supposed to park.

Daphne has become increasingly quiet over the last couple of minutes, and as I kill the engine and grab my phone from the cupholder, I find her staring at me.

“What are your intentions tonight, Mason?” she asks me softly.

Unbuckling her seat belt for her, I reach over and tuck a loose strand back behind her ear. “To spend it with you. Nothing more, nothing less.”

She squints, glaring at me. “Hmm.”

Tucking my tongue to the side between my teeth, I huff out a breath. “Are you coming or not?”

Without giving her a chance to get another remark out, I hop out of the truck and shut the door behind me. Walking around the bed, I lean against the side, waiting for her.

The door opens a second later, and she slides out. “Since we’re already here.”