Rough Ride (Chaos #5)(30)

“I didn’t expect them to do the housewarming party thing, honey. But I’m thinking it’s not a bad idea,” he remarked.

“Mom loves parties and with Dad gone, she doesn’t get to socialize as much as she used to.”

“Okay.”

“She probably could use getting hammered as well,” I continued.

“Probably.”

“Did you meet her?” I asked.

“Yeah, she’s as pretty as you,” he answered.

I hated that I’d missed that.

And I was scared about how much I hated missing it.

I sniffled some more, realizing I was curled into his arms but not holding him. Both my arms were cocked in front of me, my knuckles under my ducked chin, all of this tucked tight to his chest.

It felt nice.

“You painted,” I murmured.

“Yeah.”

“Bought me a new bed.”

He didn’t reply to that.

I lifted my head only slightly, keeping my cheek pressed to his chest.

“Snap, you bought me a beautiful new bed.”

“I like room to move.”

That got my head lifted off his chest.

I looked into his eyes.

The snow was melty.

Very nice.

“We still haven’t had our conversation,” I pointed out.

“We’ll have it over dinner tomorrow. Tonight, we’re partying.”

I could make this deal so I nodded.

“Are you done crying?” he asked.

“I think so,” I answered.

“Wanna tell me why High and you were out here alone?” he asked.

“He wanted to claim responsibility for Bounty being assholes. I refused to let him. Tack remembered what kind of beer I drank. Then I lost it,” I answered.

His lips curled up. “Seems a plausible route to a crying jag.”

My back straightened. “It’s thoughtful to remember the kind of beer someone drinks.”

“Babe, I hate to shatter the image you got of Tack but a man remembers the kind of alcohol a woman likes for reasons that are really not thoughtful.”

“He’s got a woman. He’s got no need to liquor another one up.”

“Now he does that shit outta pure instinct.”

All of a sudden, I started giggling and I did it watching Snapper’s lips form a big smile.

God, he was handsome.

Being stupid, stupid Rosalie in the arms of handsome Snapper, I uncurled my fingers so I could press them to his chest, pressing myself there with them so I fit more perfectly in his arms.

And just to say, I fit pretty perfectly in his arms already.

Those arms closed snugger around me.

“The house is really amazing, Snap,” I told him.

“Minute I saw it, thought you’d like it.”

I blinked.

Then I stared.

After that, I started freaking again.

“When did you buy it?” I asked.

“Little over a year ago.”

“Snap,” I whispered.

“Babe, tomorrow night we can get into the heavy. Now we’re either gonna make out or go in and get drunk.”

I one hundred percent wanted to make out, and in that instant I didn’t think that made me stupid, stupid Rosalie at all.

I looked to his lips.

He started chuckling.

I looked to his eyes. “What’s funny?”

He dipped his face closer. “Baby, I like that, what you’re sayin’, but I was joking. I get my mouth on you I’ll want it all over you, and the housewarming party will last approximately two more minutes before I throw all their asses out.”

“That won’t help Mom have a night where she can let her hair down,” I noted.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“But I wasn’t sure I was saying anything.”

“Man tells you he’s thinking of making out with you, you look at his mouth, means you want his tongue in your mouth.”

“My eyes were wandering,” I lied.

“Rosie, even before shit started changing with us, you’d stare at my mouth and it wasn’t about your eyes wandering.”

This I did not find surprising he’d noticed.

He had a crazy-fabulous mouth.

“I’m currently experiencing significant amounts of emotional turmoil,” I explained.

“That isn’t lost on me.”

“And kinda have been for a while.”

“And that hasn’t been lost on me for a while.”

“In fact, I think I need about three months of mellow times before I make any more big life decisions.”

“That I can give you.”

I found that disappointing.

I also found my mouth asking, “Really?” before I could stop it.

“Trust me, you’re gonna find it impossible to be anything but mellow after I’m through with that body, and once I get it, I intend to spend as much time working it as I can.”

Oh man.

I shivered and in Snap’s arms it had nothing to do with standing outside in fifty-degree weather in February.

His brows rode low over his eyes. “You gonna stand here turning me on so I gotta hang out here to get my shit sorted or go in with you and have to adjust my crotch so they don’t see my cock is stiff?”