“I believe you. I like kissing you. I just didn’t want to give you the wrong impression.”

God, this woman… “I like kissing you, too, and I like that you’re as honest as me. I could kiss you into tomorrow.”

A bashful smile curved her lips. “I have to be up for work early tomorrow. It’s one of my long days. But maybe you could kiss me for a little while longer?”

“Jesus, Roni, you get me all twisted up inside.”

She wrinkled her nose and whispered, “Is that good?”

“So good, baby, you’re redefining the word.” He lowered his mouth to hers, and all those twisted knots inside him fell away.

Chapter Three

“WOULD YOU SLOW down?” Angela said as she and Roni hurried down the block Friday afternoon.

They were picking up lunch from Jazzy Joe’s and stopping at the bookstore where Quincy worked, so Roni could say a quick hello. She and Quincy had texted a lot more often the last two days, but they’d both been busy with work, and last night he’d had a date with Kennedy and her little brother, Lincoln, which he’d said he tried to do fairly often. She loved that he made his niece and nephew a priority. But after Wednesday night, when they’d lain in his truck kissing and talking until nearly midnight—mostly kissing—she couldn’t wait to see him. And not only for those steamy kisses, although she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about them, either. She didn’t have a lot of experience with kissing, but she was quite sure Quincy’s butterfly-inducing, toe-curling kisses could win gold medals. By the time they’d finally said good night, she’d been hot and bothered. And now she missed him. She missed his face, his laugh, the way he looked at her.

“I know you’re dying to see Quincy,” Angela said as they turned the corner and the bookstore awning came into view. “But it’s not like he’s going anywhere. You said he’s working until four, then picking you up for the scavenger hunt.”

“I know. I’m just—”

“A stalker?” Angela teased.

“No. But who are you to judge? When you started dating Joey, you saw each other every day. I just want a peek.” She stopped walking and said, “Wait. Do I seem like a stalker? Is it weird that after all these months, texting isn’t enough anymore?”

Angela laughed. “No. I was kidding. The only thing you seem like is a girl who has finally let the guy she’s been dreaming about all summer into her life, and one taste was not enough. That’s a good thing, Roni. Maybe you’ll even dust off your cooch and get some action. Now, come on, let’s go see your guy; then we can go see mine.”

“Ang! I have a guy!” she said giddily, making them both laugh. Her nerves flamed as they neared the entrance to the bookstore, and she grabbed Angela’s arm and stopped walking. “Now I’m worried he’ll think I’m clingy.”