“Can we finish shopping? I’m starving.”

“Ugh yeah.” I give her hand a squeeze then look at Jay. “I’ll see you around.”

“Totally, babe.” He grins.

I bite my bottom lip and allow Winter to drag me away.

“Another boyfriend?” Clay asks quietly when Winter basically drops me off at his side.

Of course, I pretend I don’t hear him and instead I walk past him and then, with Winter bouncing at my side, chatting up a storm, I hustle through the rest of the store tossing things into the cart that I need, along with stuff for lasagna, hoping like heck that I don’t run into anyone else I know.

Less than fifteen minutes later Clay pushes the cart full of his groceries out of the store, and I say his groceries because as I was trying to sort through what was mine and what was his at checkout, Winter, being helpful just started tossing everything on the conveyer belt together. Then when it came time to pay Clay maneuvered me out of the way and paid for it all. And since there’s no way I’m taking anything home he paid for, I’m once again stuck without groceries.

“I think—” I stop at the back of Clay’s jeep where he’s putting all the bags in his trunk, while Winter climbs into the back seat, “I should just—”

“Follow me to my place.” He cuts me off as he looks over and meets my gaze. “I was thinking the same thing, we can sort out the groceries there.”

“That’s not what I was going to say.” I step back so he can shut the window then tail of his jeep. “I just think this is probably not a great...”

“You’re not running are you, Mouse?” He cuts me off stepping into my space, towering over me.

“Stop calling me that!” I snap.

“Get in your car and follow me or I’m putting your ass in my jeep and leaving your ride here.”

“Yo—You’re unbelievable,” I sputter. “Who do you think you are?”

“Ten.”

“What are you doing?”

“Make your choice—your ride or mine. Nine.”

“You can’t be serious, I’m—”

“Eight.”

“Stop counting down like—”

“Seven.”

“Oh my god you’re—”

“Six.”

“Stop it.”

“Five.” He crosses his arms over his chest.

“Can you please just be reasonable this is ridiculo—”

“Four.”

“You’re so annoying.” I throw my arms in the air.

“Three.” He raises a brow and I start to panic because I can tell that he’s not going to stop and if I don’t give in, I’m going to be stuck at his place without my car.

“Fine I’ll follo—” My words end on a gasp of surprise when he suddenly wraps his hand around the back of neck, jerks me forward and covers my mouth with his. The kiss completely knocks me off kilter, and just like the last time he kissed me, I’m caught off guard by the zap of electricity that zaps to life between us.

“See you at my place,” he says as soon as he rips his mouth from mine.