I heard voices nearby—a group of folks who’d just finished supper, lazily weaving through the lot toward their car. I zipped and buttoned Pearl’s shorts, pulled her shirt into place, and turned her on my lap like we were just sitting there kissing. A little naughty, but nothing like what we’d been up to two minutes ago. She was still trembling from that release, her head on my shoulder, her curvy little ass pressed against the raring-to-go length of my dick—sorry, buddy, not tonight—and her feet in the passenger seat, toenails painted blue as the deepest part of the gulf.

When the approaching voices broke through her awareness, she stiffened, glancing over her shoulder out the open window.

I tightened my arms around her and kissed her forehead. “No worries. We’re just two people sitting in a car having a right friendly conversation. They won’t pay us any mind.”

She relaxed, laughing softly, and tucked her head beneath my chin as if she was listening for my heartbeat, which was likely going lickety-split under her ear. “So about your gift…”

“Mmm-hmm?”

“I’ll need you Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon.” She paused.

“All right.” What in hell?

“Okay. Good.” Her fingers tickled back and forth over the forearm she’d just been hanging on to for dear life not five minutes prior, as if she was gentling me. As if any moment I might rear back and tell her no. “I’ll pick you up around eleven. Dress like you are now, and pack a change of clothes for Sunday plus whatever you’d bring for an overnight trip. You don’t need to do anything else.”

I wasn’t exactly experienced in overnight trips. Accidental overnights in somebody’s bed—yeah. Those involved condoms, re-wearing whatever I’d shucked off around two a.m., and hoping the girl had mouthwash in her medicine cabinet or at least gum in her purse. If I was planning on an overnight with Pearl, I’d bring clean clothes, a toothbrush, and condoms. Damn straight, condoms. Please God tell me I’m gonna need condoms.

“Where are we going?” I’d never been so curious in my life—and that was saying a lot, because I was born curious.

She leaned her head back on my arm, black eyes gleaming in the darkness and lips curved into a playful grin. “That’s a surprise, Boyce Wynn.” A welcome gust of wind off the gulf blew through the car, lifting one long curl across her face. It stuck on her lower lip and she reached to pull it away and I was knocked sideways by how much I loved her. She must have seen the realization cross my face, because her hand slowed. Her smile faded. “What?”

I smoothed one finger between her brows. “I have a surprise of my own is all. I’ll tell you this weekend.”

“No fair.”

I kissed her with every possessive, damn the torpedoes desire surging through me, my tongue sweeping through her mouth and caressing her shy little tongue, encouraging it to come out and play. When it darted out to tease my upper lip, I drew the tip into my mouth and gave it a soft, leisurely suck before allowing it to retreat back into her mouth. When I pulled back, she blinked up at me, winded and dazed.

“I never swore to play fair, sweetheart,” I murmured.

• • • • • • • • • •

Dr. Frank called me Friday to tell me that he, his accountant, Barney Amos, and my mother had met and reached an agreement for a cash purchase of the property and everything on it. “We’ll meet Monday afternoon to sign the papers and hand her a cashier’s check. She’s agreed that she and Riley will vacate the premises as soon as they have the check in hand.” What he thought of Mom’s boyfriend was plain, just in the way he spit that douchenozzle’s name. Like it left a rotten taste in his mouth.

I knew the feeling. “I’d feel better if she was getting the money without him, but I guess that’s her business.”

“It is. I agree that he’s a piece of work, but it’s her decision what she puts up with—unless you’ve seen his ill-treatment turn physical.”

Riley must’ve felt small, sitting there with a doctor, a lawyer, and an accountant—like he was the butt end of that joke. All it lacked was a bar and a punch line. When men like him felt small, they got meaner. He’d probably been all spit and swagger in front of them—lording over her.

“If I’d seen any evidence of that, he wouldn’t have been at that meeting because he’d be in the hospital. If he smacks her around, they’ve both hidden it damn well from me.”

“Damn shame when a woman puts up with that kind of treatment. I’ve seen it time and again in my line of work, but I’ll never understand it.” He heaved a sigh, switching gears. “So. Are you sure about purchasing Wynn’s? I’m prepared to have you work for me instead, if you’ve had second thoughts about taking on that loan. Now’s the time to speak up.”

“No, sir. Truth is, I think abiding this hardship to get that garage has been a good thing, in a way. Instead of feeling that the place was dumped on me like a ton of bricks, I not only chose this, I’m gonna earn it. Thank you for offering me the ability to do that. I want Wynn’s to be mine. I’m sure.”

“All right then. Give me a couple weeks or so to get everything filed and clear, and we’ll proceed with your loan from there.”

• • • • • • • • • •

I’d insisted that Pearl text me when she left her house so I could walk directly out the door without her coming up to knock. Half an hour ago—when I started packing—I’d realized I had no luggage. In the back of my closet, behind the box of photos I’d gleaned from Dad’s room, I unearthed my high school backpack. Luckily, I’d barely used it in high school, so it wasn’t in the nasty shape it should have been. I was a grown man—going on an overnight trip who knows where—stuffing my shit in a backpack. Jesus.