BooksBarbecue
Back Only With You
Chapters (68)
  1. Copyright Page
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Five
  13. Chapter Six
  14. Chapter Six
  15. Chapter Seven
  16. Chapter Seven
  17. Chapter Eight
  18. Chapter Eight
  19. Chapter Nine
  20. Chapter Nine
  21. Chapter Ten
  22. Chapter Ten
  23. Chapter Eleven
  24. Chapter Eleven
  25. Chapter Twelve
  26. Chapter Twelve
  27. Chapter Thirteen
  28. Chapter Thirteen
  29. Chapter Fourteen
  30. Chapter Fourteen
  31. Chapter Fifteen
  32. Chapter Fifteen
  33. Chapter Sixteen
  34. Chapter Sixteen
  35. Chapter Seventeen
  36. Chapter Seventeen
  37. Chapter Eighteen
  38. Chapter Eighteen
  39. Chapter Nineteen
  40. Chapter Nineteen
  41. Chapter Twenty
  42. Chapter Twenty
  43. Chapter Twenty-One
  44. Chapter Twenty-One
  45. Chapter Twenty-Two
  46. Chapter Twenty-Two
  47. Chapter Twenty-Three
  48. Chapter Twenty-Three
  49. Chapter Twenty-Four
  50. Chapter Twenty-Four
  51. Chapter Twenty-Five
  52. Chapter Twenty-Five
  53. Chapter Twenty-Six
  54. Chapter Twenty-Six
  55. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  56. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  57. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  58. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  59. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  60. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  61. Chapter Thirty
  62. Chapter Thirty
  63. Chapter Thirty-One
  64. Chapter Thirty-One
  65. Chapter Thirty-Two
  66. Chapter Thirty-Two
  67. Epilogue
  68. Epilogue

We weren’t alone again for the rest of the evening, but I kept close. Whenever our gazes crossed, she smiled before looking away quickly. Whenever I put my hand on the small of her back, or on her arm, she leaned into my touch for a few seconds before straightening up and sucking in a breath. Watching her inner battle was delicious.

By the end of the night, I knew I wouldn’t rest until Val was mine.

Chapter Ten

image
image
image

Chapter Ten

image

Val

On Monday morning, I barely found a place to sit at Walter’s. I sat on one of the chairs at a small, round table in one corner of the room, sipping my cappuccino and people-watching. My neck was oddly stiff, because I’d foregone my morning yoga session for some extra sleep, but hey, cheating was good for the soul now and again. I hadn’t bought a pancake though. Nature punished too much cheating by bestowing extra pounds.

I was midway through my coffee when I smelled the familiar whiff of mint and ocean. At first I thought I was imagining it, because Carter had been on my mind almost constantly since Saturday. But then his voice reached me too.

That sexy voice that went with the rest of the package, exactly like caramel completed my cappuccino.

“See you found a seat.” He was holding a to-go cup.

“Early bird gets the worm,” I said on a wink. “Or in this case, the table. It’s crazy here on Mondays, so I always come earlier.”

He was carrying the jacket of his suit over his arm, and his shirt stretched over his taut skin and muscles, almost as if daring every woman around to look at him... which they did.

“You’re not eating a pancake.”

“Nope. Not this morning.”

“I see. So Mondays are for denying yourself things you want?” His tone was playful, and I wondered if he included himself in those things.

“It’s healthy to exercise self-restraint now and then.”

“Might be healthy, but it’s no fun.”

He looked around for a free chair, but there wasn’t one in sight.

“Looks like you’re out of luck today,” I said. He returned his attention to me, resting his gaze on my shoulders and neck for a beat longer than polite. I lit up everywhere he looked.

“You seem amused by my shit luck.”

“Not at all.” So why was I teasing him? Erm... well, because he looked teasable, with that impeccable suit and ruffled hair. Also, I didn’t know what else to do. I could still feel his lips on mine. Even his taste was fresh in my mind. But my latest dating fiasco was still looming over my head, and I wasn’t ready to take the step from flirty messages to anything else.