Faithful: Age Gap Small Town Romance (Whiskey Run Book 1), Hope Ford [e book reader .txt] 📗

She’s fidgeting, but I act like I don’t notice. We walk in silence down the block to the back of the co-op. She points to a full-size truck. “That’s mine.”

“A truck? I’m liking you more and more, little Millie.” She tenses beside me. “What? What’s wrong?”

She pulls from my arms and smiles up at me. “There’s nothing little about me.”

I put my hands on her shoulders to stop her. I can’t stop myself. I settle her against the side of the truck and lean into her. Our bodies are pressed together, and because I don’t want to have this conversation twice, I want to make sure I have her full attention.

“I thought I would need to wait to have this discussion when you knew me a little better, but I’m just going to put it out there. You wanted that cake yesterday and didn’t order it. I’m not positive, but I would guess it’s because something that little shit Mike said to you or something. But here’s the facts. I like you. I like everything about you. I like the way you fill out a pair of blue jeans. I like the feel of your curvy body pressed against mine.” I lean farther into her so she can feel exactly how my body reacts hers being so close. “And I like the way you moan and lick your lips when you eat that apple cake. So no more worrying about your diet, or skipping treats or none of that. I like you just the way you are.”

Her mouth is open in awe, and I know I surprised her. Well, it’s about to be an even bigger surprise because I can’t stop myself now. “I want to kiss you, Millie.”

She doesn’t say no. In fact, her tongue pokes out between her lips as if she can’t wait for it. I lean down and wrap my hand around the back of her neck. “Tell me yes, sugar.”

She says yes. It’s barely a whisper, but it’s a yes. I press my lips into hers, and all conscious thought leaves me. Her lips are warm and soft. The kiss goes from zero to a thousand fireworks going off in my head. When her hands slide up my chest and she grips the front of my shirt, I know without a doubt I could lose control so easily with her. Her legs part, and I move one of mine between her thighs. I lift it just a little, and when I make contact with the hot heat between her legs, she moans loudly, and I force myself to pull away with a groan. Too much more of that, and I’ll have her in the cab of her truck.

“Go out with me,” I demand. “Let me take you on a proper date.”

She blinks and stares up at me. Her mouth is glistening, wet from the kiss we shared, and I want to run my tongue across her plump lips. She shakes her head as if she’s been in a daze before finally answering me. “It’s not a good idea. You’re doing business with my dad.”

I put my hands on each side of her face. “I’m not like Mike. I wouldn’t date you to get something from your dad. And I sure as hell wouldn’t cheat on you.”

In that instant, she realizes she still has my shirt in her hands, and she lets go quickly. “Men are not always faithful, Austin. I know that.”

“If you were mine—fuck baby, even if you aren’t mine, I can’t imagine looking at another woman.”

She shakes her head. “What is it with you? Honey, sweetheart, sugar, baby, little Millie. You like nicknames or what?”

“I like watching your face light up when I call you a different name. So far, I think you like sugar and little Millie the best.”

She laughs and tries to slap me on the chest, but I grab her hand instead and hold it tight. “Go out with me.”

It’s on the tip of her tongue to say no, and I take a deep breath. I don’t think I can let her walk away if she says no. “Maybe,” she draws out. “Let me think about it.”

I kiss her quickly and pull away. “I’m not giving up on you, Millie. Now get in your truck and be safe on your way home. If I don’t let you leave now, I’m going to try to talk you into all kinds of things that I don’t think you’re ready for.”

She’s about to ask me what things, and I swear if I put a voice to the things I’ve thought about doing to her, there’s no way she’s going home alone tonight. Instead of asking, though, she climbs up into her truck. “Bye, Austin. Thank you.”

She puts the truck into gear and pulls out of the parking lot. I stand and watch until the lights are gone in the distance. It isn’t until I get into my own truck that I realize I didn’t get her number. I’ll have to call the co-op tomorrow because even though I just met her, I don’t want to miss even one day of talking to her.

4

Millie

Two days. It’s been two days since my dinner with Austin, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him. I keep waiting for him to show up or to at least call, but he doesn’t.

Alan, one of the delivery drivers for the co-op, interrupts my thoughts with a knock on my open door. “Hey, boss lady! The shipment for the Yates ranch came in. You want me to deliver it before I do the others?”

At the same time, the phone on my desk starts to ring. Making a quick decision, I tell Alan, “No. This first one I’m going to take. Load it in