“I had a feeling, but…” She stepped back.

A bit more pressure from her and I dropped my arms.

She glanced around the now vacant parking lot. “I wasn’t sure.” Peeking up at me, she ran her hands over her face like this had turned into an ordeal. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted or even what this was.” Her eyelashes fluttered, framing champagne eyes highlighted with deep caramel inlays, perfectly lit up by the street lights.

My gaze traced every line of her eye before I snapped myself out of it and replayed what she’d said. What this was.

I shoved my hands into my pockets. That flying feeling changed to free falling. “What do you think I want?”

She shrugged.

“If you’ve been thinking about it, you obviously have some idea.”

“They’re thoughts, and I don’t even know if they make sense to me, so they’re not going to make sense to you.”

“Try talking to me and find out.” I walked past her and picked up her bike and helmet from the grass. Passing her, I popped the trunk of my car and stashed her bike inside.

“Is this our thing? You stealing my bike?” She planted a hand on her hip.

She was as frustrating as she was beautiful.

“Sometimes it’s the only way I can get you to listen.” I opened the passenger side door.

Her gaze narrowed and she exhaled long and deep before coming around to the other side of the car.

I didn’t move, taking up most of the doorway. A tempting test.

Her lips pursed, but I caught the twitch of a smile. “Am I supposed to sit on your lap? It might make it hard to drive.”

“No, but I want you to know you’re not pushing me away.” I hadn’t meant to say it. The feelings inside me were hard to contain when she was around. Brimming to the top of a cup ready to overflow and drown us both.

“Oh, how our roles have reversed.” She ducked her head and squeezed against me before climbing into the passenger seat.

“Maybe that’s our thing.” I closed the door and jogged to my side, trying not to think of how good it felt to have her sitting in my car. I pulled out of the lot.

The streets were deserted. Everyone was already in bed or at their designated parties and wouldn’t be on the road until morning. One car’s headlights flashed over us on the way to Bay’s house.

She perched her chin on her hand and stared out the window.

A question had been rolling around in my head. “Why do you think I wouldn’t want you to be at the parade?” I glanced over at her.

“Then everyone would know we’re doing whatever this is.” She gestured between us.

I didn’t try to hide my smile. “You’ve been doing a lot of thinking when it comes to me and you, but you’re not willing to share anything with me.”