“You know I don’t mind you touching me.”

“Still?”

I could only nod, wishing she would do it again. I held my hand out, and finally took a breath when she grabbed it, inspecting the tattoo closer.

As if she could hear my thoughts, she looked up at me. “Do you regret it?”

“No,” I said, surprised at myself. I was about to lie, to tell her I did, but the truth slipped out. “There’s nothing about you that I regret. Besides leaving.”

Her eyes met mine, and I wanted to stick a knife in my chest at the pain I saw there. I knew she had to hate me to some extent, but there was only hurt there now.

“Can we go back?” she asked, her eyes not leaving mine. “To the crew, I mean.”

“Yeah, of course.” She hadn’t dropped my hand, but I set it back on the shifter. Hers lingered on mine for a few more seconds before she pulled it off.

I parked back at the garage area and spent the rest of the day trying to ignore the burning in my chest. We raced and hung out, eating nearly everything Carly brought, until night fell and we headed over to watch the movie. Scout was ecstatic as we sat back, and I tried again to ignore my own problems.

Then Daisy sat down in the chair next to mine, Bailey on her lap as they snuggled back under a blanket with a smile.

I looked around. The rest of the crew piled up with their person. Ash and Fox with Liam sprawled out next to them on his own little chair. Jax and Carly with Lily, and Ransom and Quinn wrapped up together next to them.

I looked back at Daisy and Bailey. I guessed I could be thankful that Mark wasn’t there to make me witness whatever sickeningly cute shit they did together, but it barely eased the tension.

That could be me. I could be sitting over there with Daisy, Bailey on top of us. If I wouldn’t have left, that could have been my life.

There was never anyone else for me. She was it, and I realized I needed to do anything I could to make her see that I was it for her.

She looked over, her eyes catching mine, and I didn’t hide the fact that I had been looking at them. I could see her cheeks turn red, and I smiled, making her turn back to the movie.

That was the life I wanted, but I didn’t think there was a chance left for me to have it.

THIRTY-SEVENDAISY

I was halfway through another day of work, and I was already exhausted. I had stayed up too late, lying awake thinking about Kye. The way he looked so happy driving, the way he smiled at me during the movie, the way he held his hand out for me to touch him more.

I spent most of the night thinking about him a little too much. My cheeks flamed at the thought, but I reached the counter and tried to calm my thoughts down. I needed to take orders, not worry about how good Kye still looked without a shirt on. I also needed to stop concerning myself with what he would look like without shorts on, too.

Somehow, I grew up and my thoughts only grew dirtier.

I reached the counter and nearly tripped over my own feet as Kye walked in. If he noticed me flustered, he didn’t react. He only smiled and turned back to the line, waiting to order like this was a normal, everyday occurrence.

“Daisy!” Mark yelled as he opened the to-go box. “The fries are everywhere now. My burger fell apart.”

“Oh dammit. I’m sorry.”

He huffed, heading to the counter and fixing the food. He glanced at me over his shoulder with a tight smile. “You know what? It’s okay, just be more careful, please.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. I have to get back…The line,” I mumbled, walking back up as Kye waited.

“Hey,” he said, looking me over. His eyes raked along my body, and I tried not to shudder. I didn’t know how he could still look at me like he was currently fucking me, but he was doing a great job of it.

“Hey, are you here to order?”

“Yes, I’m starving. I unfortunately can’t expect Carly’s cooking when she’s pregnant, and being dragged to every wedding prep event possible, so I’m resorting to this.”

“No, I guess not, and I’m sorry in advance, while this is her restaurant, I swear somehow it’s not even close to her food still.”

He groaned. “I assumed, but I am running out of energy, so please, a burger and fries.”

Mark had stepped up behind him, not seeming to notice who it was yet, as he clicked at his phone.

I took a second to look Kye over, from his t-shirt, to his backwards hat, his tattoos to his smiling face, and the dimples that came out when he really smiled. The look of him made me melt. He looked so good that it was ruining my focus.

“And a strawberry milkshake?”

His face lit up more. “Yes, actually. Thank you for remembering.”

“Hard to forget when you’ve been covered in it.”

He let out a bark of laughter. “The most fun I’ve ever had cleaning my car.”

He looked at my chest, seeming to remember every part of me he licked that day just as well as I was, and I hated that it made me turned on just standing there.

Mark gave a scowl at Kye’s laugh. “Hey, I’m in a hurry. Could we get this rung up?”

As fast as Kye’s face had turned happy before it twisted into a frown now. “You should be nicer to people who prepare and serve your food,” he said gently, only turning his head slightly, and then looking back at me. “Thanks, Daze.”

He walked to a table, his legs kicking out as he sat back, his eyes still focused on me. I knew he saw Mark, and I knew he was following his every move, but his eyes didn’t leave mine.

“Kye?”

“Hey, Mark.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Getting food? Obviously.”

“I meant in town.”

“Aside from living here? I’m in town for a wedding.”

“Right, of course, the one she’s in.”

“She?”

“Daisy,” he said, getting more and more angry at Kye’s presence.

“Oh, I wasn’t sure if you knew her name.”