Before the Sunset (Cottonwood Cove, #4)(17)

“He’s not even here. Tone it down,” I said over my laughter.

“This is a small town. Everyone talks. I can’t have people thinking I’m a selfish lover,” he whispered before leaning back in the booth and grabbing the menu on the table.

I leaned close to him. “Speaking of selfish lovers… I think you might need to see a doctor about that situation you’ve got going on. That cannot be comfortable. Chewy Junior was poking me in the back again.”

He barked out a laugh before leaning close again and talking just above a whisper. “It’s been a while for me. The longest I’ve ever gone in my adult life without sex. So, you’re going to have to deal with it. You’re in a relationship with a horny dude now.”

I glanced around to make sure no one was listening. The place was going off as usual. There was an Elvis Presley song playing from the jukebox, and conversations were going on all around us.

“I’ve gone a year, and you don’t see me acting like a teenage horndog.”

“What can I say? My girl does it for me.” He smiled so wide that I couldn’t help but smile back.

Because Finn Reynolds really was my favorite person on the planet.





seven





Finn





Reese and I stepped outside of Cottonwood Café, and I reached for her hand when the cool breeze hit us right in the face. She stopped, her back pressed against the brick building, and rolled her eyes.

“I swear you just let Mrs. Runither round second base with that hug she gave you when she said goodbye,” she said.

I chuckled and reached for the zipper of her coat, tugging it all the way up.

“Do you even know what rounding second base means? An ass grab does not count as a base.” I saw something out of my peripheral vision, and my head turned the slightest bit before I realized who it was. On instinct, I leaned forward and covered her mouth with mine.

She gasped against me, her hands gripping my coat as my tongue slipped inside and tangled with hers.

Only Reese could taste minty after eating a Cottonwood Café burger. The girl was always prepared with mints and lip gloss and sunscreen.

I shouldn’t be surprised.

But I didn’t know she would taste so good.

I liked the way her lips felt, the way they melded with mine.

My dick was out of control, and this kiss was the equivalent of a missile launch countdown. He was ready.

I definitely needed to get laid. Between no sex for the last year, and then not even so much as a make-out session with a woman since Jessica launched this psychotic campaign against me, and now fake dating my best friend—there was no light at the end of this tunnel.

Or should I say, light at the end of this missile launch.

“Reese,” a voice growled, and I smiled against her mouth before pulling back.

She blinked up at me several times before her gaze slowly moved to find her ex-boyfriend, Carl, standing there.

He stood with his arms folded across his chest.

Christy Rae Lovell was beside him, her eyes moving between us.

“Carl,” Reese said, clearing her throat and squaring her shoulders like she was preparing for battle.

Atta girl.

“Hey,” he said awkwardly, raising a brow at me as he moved closer as if he wanted me to step back so he could hug her.

That wasn’t going to happen.

She was mine now, at least as far as everyone knew, and I wouldn’t do anything to help him out.

Reese would have to make the move if she wanted to hug him.

Of course, she shot me a look and slid away from me, giving him the world’s most awkward hug.

Well, second to my hug with old lady Runither, who goosed me on my way out the door.

She stepped back quickly and then nodded at the woman beside him, and they both said an awkward hello.

“I texted you,” he said before glancing at his girlfriend and then back to Reese. “Christy knows that we’re going to get together for some coffee and some closure. Oh, have you not told Finn that we’re meeting up? I hope I haven’t caused any trouble.”

“Are you kidding? My girl told me all about it. We don’t have secrets.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “Yep, when we were soaking in the tub last night with glasses of wine in our hands, she mentioned it. Briefly. You know, we had more important things going on at that moment.”

Reese’s foot pressed down hard on top of mine, and then she tried to play it off as if she’d slipped. “Oops. Sorry about that, Finn.”

“Can’t get close enough to your man, can you, baby?” I said, wrapping one arm around her and pulling her to me.

Carl just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

Clearly, the dude had never soaked in a tub with her because apparently, he had the libido of a corpse and a dick that required batteries.

Christy Rae Lovell’s eyes widened as she took us in. “Well, I trust my man, so it’s fine with me. I can’t keep him on a leash, can I?”

I felt Reese stiffen against me.

“If you want to pull out a leash, I wouldn’t mind if you tied me up, baby.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek, and she chuckled.

I was ridiculous when it came to Reese. I couldn’t stand the idea of this dickless wonder hurting her any more than he already had.