In us.

When we’re almost to the studio, I find a gas station and pull in, parking the bike before getting off and helping her. Setting our helmets down, she grabs her wallet and we head inside.

“I need to take a leak,” I say, and she rolls her eyes at me.

“Good to know. I’ll be ready once you are,” she says, a little grin on her face before she heads off. Before she can get far though, I pinch her butt, giving her a grin before heading to the bathroom. After doing my business, I go out to find her and when I do, I don’t like what I find. She’s pulling out of a hug with some guy, a grin on her face as she greets him cheerfully. It doesn’t take long for me to recognize him; it’s Patrick Franklin from the Nashville Assassins. I used to like him, thought he was a great player, but the look in his eyes as he basically eye-fucks my girl has me wanting to rip him to shreds.

“Damn, Claire, I think you’ve gotten hotter,” he says and she laughs.

“Oh please,” she says, waving him off.

“How old are you now? Tell me the truth this time.”

Still laughing, she says, “I’m nineteen now.”

“Legal and ready to mingle,” he sings, waggling his eyebrows. “What are you about to do? Let’s go get some breakfast, catch up.”

Instantly I want to rush out there and push the guy away, but only a psycho would do that. Claire can handle herself. She wouldn’t cheat on me. She loves me. So as I act as if I’m trying to decide on some M&Ms, I listen as Claire says, “Sorry, can’t. I have dance to get to.”

And you have a boyfriend, I say in my head.

“Still at Reese’s?”

Why didn’t she say she has a boyfriend?!

“Yup, I’m getting my business major so I can take over one day or maybe open a studio somewhere else. Or do Vegas shows. You never know.”

“That’s good. I’m glad. I haven’t seen you in a long time, and I’m not lying when I say you’ve gotten hotter. You’re beautiful.”

She smiles. “Thank you.”

“Why don’t I give you my number, and we can go somewhere after you get done?”

He pulls out his phone but she shakes her head. “Sorry, Patrick, but I’m with someone.”

He eyes her. “Is it serious? Can I steal you away?” he asks with a cheeky smile.

She shakes her head, a warm grin coming over her face. “No, it’s superserious. He’s pretty amazing, makes me really happy.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you’re happy, you deserve that,” he says and then he smiles. “I should have snatched you up when you turned eighteen. I still think about our time together.”

Her face burns with color as she pushes him away. “Oh, hush!”

He laughs and she giggles as she reaches for a bag of popcorn. “I gotta go. I don’t know where my man is, must have fallen in the toilet or something. I’ll see you around, Patrick,” she says, and then gives him a sideways hug.

“It was great seeing you,” he says, wrapping both his arms around her and hugging her tightly.

“You too, bye,” she says, and when she turns, she sees me, a grin coming over her face but I can’t enjoy it because fuck-a-doodle-doo is watching her ass as she walks away. I glare at him, and he meets my gaze and then grins. Chucking his chin at me, he turns and thankfully is gone as Claire wraps her arms around me. “What happened to you?”

“Nothing,” I say, and it comes out sharper than I intended. She eyes me curiously and I say, “I heard your whole conversation with that guy. Past boyfriend?”

“Nope, I almost had sex with him to drive Phillip crazy, but it was nothing and I only see him at Assassins functions,” she says, releasing me and going to the cooler for a water like it’s no big deal. I know it shouldn’t be, but it bothers me.

“So I shouldn’t be mad, right? Or let this bother me?”

She looks up at me and shakes her head. “I promise it’s not a big deal. It was the old me, the nasty one who had a bad childhood.”

“That you still haven’t shared with me, by the way.”

She nods. “You’re right. Maybe I should change that?”

As she looks up at me, I know that she’s right. I shouldn’t be mad or anything. She’s mine. Completely and utterly mine. I was pretty confident about that earlier, but now that she wants to share her past with me when before she didn’t has to mean something. Reaching out, I lace my fingers with hers, bringing her close to me before kissing her nose. “I’d like that,” I say in a whisper against her nose. “I want to know everything about you.”

“Okay, well, you have been warned. So no running, okay?”

I shake my head. “I couldn’t run away from you if I tried.”

She grins as she reaches up, cupping the back of my neck to bring me down for a long stomach-flipping kiss. When we part, I kiss her bottom lip and say, “Let’s get out of here.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna be late,” she says as we rush to get out of the gas station. It doesn’t take long to get to the studio as it’s right down the road, and thankfully, we’re not late. Hopping off the bike, she tucks her helmet under her arm and then grabs her bag. “You’ll be here around three?”

I take ahold of her shirt, bringing her to me. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”

She smiles sweetly before bending down for a quick kiss, but that isn’t enough for me. Deepening the kiss, I hold her face as my lips move against hers. Pulling back, she smiles as she kisses me one last time and whispers, “I love you.”

Matching her grin, I run my thumb along her bottom lip as my whole body tingles for this girl. “I love you more.”

“Hey, guys.”

I look away from Claire to see her aunt Reese coming toward us. She matches Claire, wearing sweats with her hair pulled up in a high ponytail.

“Hey,” we both say as Claire backs away some, but I snake my arm around her waist, pulling her back to me.

Smiling, Reese says, “So, how’s it going?”

“Good, thank you. You?” I say.

“Good, thanks,” she says and then meets Claire’s eyes. They stare at each other for what seems like ever, and as I watch them, I wonder if they are telepathically talking to each other. It’s weird, but finally, Reese looks at me and says, “How would you like to come to dinner Wednesday?”