“Diesel—”

He leaned in close, and her eyes brightened, her sweet scent wreaking havoc with him. “Don’t waste your breath, baby girl. Let’s go.”

“Remember the whole bees and honey thing?” She pushed her feet into black Converse sneakers.

He smirked, because obviously she didn’t remember the details of that conversation, while he never forgot a damn thing.

Her brows knitted, and her memory must have returned, because she said, “Shoot,” under her breath. “Never mind.” She grabbed her purse and walked outside, moving easier than she had last night.

He pulled the door closed behind her, checked the lock, and followed her down the walk. “How’s your pain?”

“Trailing about two feet behind me.”

He snickered, loving her sass. It was good to hear her getting back to being herself. The time with the girls must have helped. He went around the truck to open the passenger door and helped her in.

“You know it’s customary to ask a person if they want to go out to eat.” She reached for her seat belt. “Not force them against their will.”

He closed the door without responding and went around to the driver’s seat.

As he settled in behind the wheel, she made her voice deeper and said, “Why, yes, Tracey. I do know that. I was just…” She threw her hands up, eyes rolling. “I can’t even think of a reason for you to act that way.”

He glanced at her as he started the truck, getting a kick out of her efforts to figure him out. Good luck, baby girl. I can’t even figure out my own fucking self. “You don’t want to go eat?”

“I didn’t say that. I said there are nicer ways to ask if I want to go.”

“So you do want to go?”

“I guess. Yes.”

He pulled away from the curb. “A’right, then. Save your breath.”

She groaned. “You are so frustrating.”

If that wasn’t the kettle calling the pot black, he didn’t know what was. She sat there too fucking gorgeous for her own good, taunting him with those toned legs and that kissable mouth. He had dirty fantasies about that mouth of hers, and if he kept thinking about it, he’d get them both in trouble. He did his best to push those thoughts away as he drove past the marina and the heavily commercialized, wealthier parts of town, to where fancy strip malls and high-end restaurants gave way to roadside barbecues and warehouse-style shops.