“Something like that,” he grumbles with a roll of his eyes.

“Dare I ask if her warm, apple pie is as moist and delicious as she swears it to be?” I tease, imitating her voice, and I love that Gunner turns ten shades of red. “I mean, she was just offering to have sex with you.” I’m still astounded. And aghast in the oddest of ways.

“She was not,” he says but starts laughing.

“It’s the warmest, juiciest, hottest thing you’ll ever sink into,” I mimic until I burst into laughter. The kind of laughter that doesn’t stop, especially when you want it to. And every time I meet Gunner’s eyes, I start laughing even harder, to the point where the humor renews itself all over again.

“Oh. My. God,” I say in between laughter.

“Full stop,” Gunner pipes in.

I double over again, my sides hurting and my cheeks aching. I hold on to him to steady myself. But when I look up, I find his mouth inches from mine—right back to where we were before Heloisa interrupted us.

Except this time, there’s no Heloisa. There is just Gunner, his big brown eyes, tempting lips, and his fingers reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear.

He leans forward and brushes his lips against mine. The kiss is soft and tender and makes my insides feel like I’ve just grabbed a live wire.

I want more . . . so much more that it’s almost embarrassing.

And with his hand on the side of my neck and his thumb brushing over the line of my jaw, Gunner delivers a little bit more.

He kisses me again, but this time his tongue slips between my lips and meets mine briefly in a kiss that hints at things to come, but doesn’t make a gross public display of affection to the people still present in the middle-of-town event.

“I’ve wanted to do that all night,” he murmurs, the heat of his breath against my lips. My body hums with the desire that has been building since I first saw him tonight.

“Well, I know a place you can go if you want pie,” I offer, to which we both erupt into laughter again.

Sex with Gunner is definitely on my list of items to cross off while in Destiny Falls, and while I have no problem having a one-night stand occasionally, this is a small town. People talk in small towns, and the last thing I need is a bad reputation when I might need some of the locals’ help to find Ryan.

Yes, the same Ryan I haven’t even mentioned to Gunner yet when he’s a bartender and knows more people than most in town.