But I didn’t kiss her lips. Damn, I wanted to more than anything at that moment, but I knew I had to take things slow with my little Shortcake.

So I kissed the tip of her nose.

Avery jerked back as her eyes flew open and a wide smile broke out across her face. A soft, light giggle erupted from her, and I knew I’d do a ton of terrible things to hear that sound again.

“Admit it,” I said, my voice husky. “You enjoyed that.”

Eyes dancing and cheeks flushed, she tilted her head to the side. “I did.”

It was only after I was back in my own bed that I realized that the bracelet she always wore around her left wrist had been absent.

The giggling girl from last night was nowhere to be found today. For the last hour of our trip, she had been nibbling on her fingernail for so long I wondered how any of it was left.

“Are you sure your parents are okay with this?” she asked for the hundredth time, and I nodded for the hundredth time. “And you did actually call them and ask, right?”

Casting a sideways look at her, I couldn’t stop myself from teasing her. “No.”

“Cam!” she shrieked.

I laughed. “I’m kidding. Chill out, Avery. I told them the day after you said you’d go. They know you’re coming and they’re excited to meet you.”

She glared at me as she started chewing on her thumbnail again. “That wasn’t funny.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Jerk,” she mumbled.

“Nerd.”

One side of her lips curved up. “Bitch-ass.”

“Oh.” I whistled. “Them be fighting words. Keep it up and I’ll turn this truck around.”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

“You’d be distraught and in tears.” I reached over, pulling her hand away from her mouth. “Stop doing that.”

“Sorry. It’s a bad habit.”

“It is.” I threaded my fingers through hers and brought our joined hands down to my thigh, holding it there.

To distract her, I started talking about the recital my sister was having tonight. Teresa wouldn’t be home until early tomorrow morning. The change of subject seemed to work. Truth be told, as we hit the narrow streets of my hometown, I was nervous.

I hadn’t brought a girl home since high school, and honestly, those times before really didn’t count. Not in this way.

I glanced over at Avery as we came to a red light. She was watching the WVU flag billowing in the wind, her hand still neatly tucked within mine.

“You hanging in there?” I asked, squeezing her hand.

“Yep.” She squeezed my hand back.

My throat was dry as I hit the private road leading up to the house. Out of the corner of my eyes, I watched her reaction.