As I sit back in the passenger seat, he glances over at me with the softest of smiles. “What was that for?”
I shrug. “Just because I could.”
The cab of his truck is still quiet as I pick up his phone to choose some music, but the screen is dark, and when I turn it on, it asks for a passcode.
“Crap. Could you…?” I offer it to him.
“It’s 4-5-7-2-0-0,” he answers without batting an eye.
“Your passcode?”
“Yeah.”
“You just told me your passcode,” I point out, stating the obvious.
He glances over at me. “So?”
“So, no one’s ever done that before.”
“Given you their passcode?”
“Nope.”
His brows peek up above the rim of his sunglasses. “Not even you and Ian?”
I scoff. “Definitely not me and Ian. Trust was not a component to our relationship.”
“That’s…” His knuckles turn white around the steering wheel. “Rough.”
“Not when you don’t know any better.”
The cab stays quiet for a minute as I stare out the windshield, trying to push aside all the crappy memories with my ex. There were so many signs. How did I miss them all?
River’s low voice cuts through my self-deprecation like a hot knife through butter. “I want this relationship to have trust, Reese.”
“So do I.”
“If you ever think I’m keeping anything from you, just ask me. I promise I’ll tell you the truth.”
“Same. I have nothing to hide.”
Except, you know, our entire relationship.
The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but I ignore it and punch River’s passcode into his phone before choosing the first playlist I can find in his Spotify app.
But I don’t hear a thing because my guilt drowns it out. We need to tell Milo. I just don’t know how.
“Sooo…are you planning on killing and burying me out here?” My sarcasm is thick, but my excitement is overwhelming.
Where the hell is he taking me?
The area is pitch black except for our headlights as the truck climbs the dirt hill with ease. We turned off the main road about twenty minutes ago and have been weaving through dirt paths and rolling hills ever since.
“Damn it, I forgot my shovel,” River returns just as quickly.
“Rookie.”
“I believe you mean Sex God/Master of Orgasms,” he corrects me with a wink. “Besides, why dig a hole when the coyotes can do the work for me?”
“River!” I shriek, smacking his arm.
“I’m kidding!” He laughs. “We’re almost there. It’s just around that bend in the road.”
“You call this a road?”
Chuckling, he squeezes my knee, then turns the corner and pulls off to the side.
“Wait here,” he orders. Hopping out of the truck, River rounds the front of it, then opens my door like a gentleman and helps me out until my feet are on firm, albeit rocky ground.
“Where the hell are we?” I ask while scanning the darkness for clues. It’s official. I’m lost. And if I didn’t trust him completely, I’d be terrified out of my mind. There’s no way I’d get cell service out here.
Riv pecks me on the forehead then tangles our fingers together. “Trust, remember?”
Digging my teeth into my lip, I peek up at him and breathe, “I do trust you. It’s the coyotes I’m worried about.”
“That’s my girl.” He bends closer to me and closes the gap between our mouths like mine is a homing beacon. Sliding his tongue along the seam of my lips, I open up to him and smile when a hint of peppermint teases my tastebuds.
I’m falling.
Hard.
“Come on,” he orders after standing to his full height.
There’s a set of camping chairs surrounding a makeshift fire pit, and he guides me to it. “Take a seat, milady. I’ll be right back.”
The air is cool at this time of night, and I rub my hands along my bare arms as my skin begins to pebble. When he returns, he tosses an oversized hoodie at me then winks. “You liked my sleeping shirt so much that I figured you might appreciate my sweatshirt too.”
“Speaking of my sleepshirt––”
“Your sleepshirt?”
“I mean, obviously, I’m not giving it back since it was a gift, and it would be rude not to accept it.”
That same familiar smirk is etched into his handsome features as he waves his hand in acceptance. “Obviously. Go on.”
“So my question is, why does it have LAU’s logo on it? You never told me.”
He shrugs. “I was enrolled for a couple of years. Wanted to be a teacher, actually. Then the whole modeling gig got started, and I figured I might as well milk that career while I can, then I’ll go back and finish my degree once I get bored of it or become a washed-up model. Now, put on the hoodie. You look like you’re freezing.”
My heart melts as I lift it to my nose and breathe deep.
How the hell does he smell so freaking good?
“Thank you,” I murmur before pulling it over my head. The warmth envelops me almost instantly, making me feel like I’m wrapped in one of his warm hugs. “This is perfect.”
“This is just the beginning.”
With a duffle bag in hand, he begins to pull out roasting sticks, a small Bluetooth speaker for music, a couple of extra blankets, and hand sanitizer.
Yes, hand sanitizer. Because the guy is a genius.
Before long, a fire is blazing, and a cooler filled with hot dogs, condiments, sliced fruit, s’mores supplies, and a case of cold beer is at our feet.
It’s the most perfect date idea in the history of man, but I bite my tongue to keep from pointing it out. No need to make River’s head any bigger, right?
My belly is full with a roasted hot dog as I stick a marshmallow on the end of my roasting stick and twist it slowly over the fire to make sure I have an even toast when I catch River watching me.
“What? Do I have ketchup on my face?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
“Then why are you staring?” I laugh to cover my embarrassment while squirming in my camping chair.
Shrugging, he grabs the arm of my chair and drags it closer to him before planting a quick kiss to my forehead. “You’re just adorable when you roast marshmallows too.”
“I didn’t know someone could make roasting marshmallows adorable.”
“Neither did I, but you’ve managed to pull it off.”
“And how exactly am I doing that?”
“I dunno?” Looking me up and down, he decides, “You’re so determined not to let it catch on fire, and your eyebrows are pinched in concentration.” His thumb brushes between my furrowed brows. “You also get this little pursed-lip thing going that’s sexy as hell.” Dragging his thumb along my lips, he smiles then drops his hand. “It makes your dimple stand out more than usual.”
“That’s a lot of things going on with my face. I’m surprised you’ve caught it all.”
“A normal man wouldn’t. But I’m the Sex God/Master of Orgasms, remember?” He winks.