“We both know what this is about,” he said. “This feeling between you and me.”
She turned back to him, shaking her head. “Don’t flatter yourself. This is nothing.”
He laughed. “It’s exactly what you want it to be.” Then he hooked his arm behind her and pulled her to him.
She tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge. “You know nothing about me. And I’m asking you to leave.” Even as she spoke, the truth of his words haunted her. She hadn’t wanted anything deep with Dalton, and to men like him, that was a green light.
“I’d like to get to know you, Riley.” He arched his brow. “Or does Rivers have the exclusive on that?”
Another car drove past and she glanced at it, distracted.
Dalton slipped his hand around the back of her head, turning her face to him. He pressed his mouth on hers.
She shoved hard, and he stumbled back on his heels.
“Get. Out,” she said, widening the door.
He studied her, rubbing his lips with his fingers. “Can’t blame me for trying. Maybe I read your signals wrong.”
“What signals? I got out of your car and said I’d see you on Monday.”
He lowered his chin. “Not those signals.” He slowly eyed her up and down.
She straightened her shoulders. “You need to leave. Now.”
He nodded. “I’ll go.” As he brushed past her, though, he leaned close to her ear. “I’ll go slow.”
She shook her head, disgusted by his persistence.
He paused at the top of the front porch steps and turned. “You know, Rivers isn’t the saint people make him out to be.”
“And you are?”
He grinned wickedly. “Oh, honey. Nobody makes me out to be a saint.” He stepped toward her again, slowly. “I like things uncomplicated. And something tells me you do, too.”
She shifted, uncomfortable with how right he was.
“And the way the town is talking about you and a certain ex-fireman . . . Well, that has complicated written all over it.”
Her pulse faltered at his words. “Who’s talking?”
He tipped his head toward her. “Who do you think? If I were Rivers, I’d have a hard time keeping things to myself, too.”
She fought to keep her expression neutral, suspecting Dalton was lying, but then she remembered Stephanie’s words from the restaurant. He spent the night at your house. Last night. Or have you already forgotten?
Finally, Dalton backed away. “I can go slow, Riley. And with me, what you see is everything you get.”
“That’s not doing you any favors,” she said, and closed the door.
I don’t know if you heard, but there’s a ceremony at the park on the third. They’re unveiling a plaque for Jay. It has his face on it. I have to make a speech.”
Mark winced. His words sounded worse out loud. He took a deep breath, gripping the socket wrench.
“Riley,” he said, staring up at the underbelly of his truck, “there’s this ceremony for Jay on Friday. I was wondering if you’d like to come with me. There’s a ball the next week, I mean a dance—no, that’s not it.” He tried again. “I’d really like you to be there with me.”
That was better. Maybe. He had some time. Maybe.
His phone buzzed, and he scrambled to answer it, sticking the phone between his ear and his shoulder.
“Hey, what’s up, Stephanie?” He rolled out from under his truck and wiped his hands with a towel.
She sighed. “Last night I had dinner with Riley Madigan.”
He straightened up and switched ears. “What? How?”
“I wanted to—”
“You know,” he interrupted, “when you talked about taking Riley out, I thought you meant me taking Riley out.”
She was silent a few seconds. “Are you gonna let me talk or should I just hang up now?”
He rolled his eyes. “Talk.”
“Just know that I wanted you to hear it from me before Dalton starts blabbing about things that didn’t happen.”
“Dalton?” He tried not to get his hackles up. “What didn’t happen?”
“It’s what did happen.”
His brow scrunched. “What did happen?”
“Brian and I went to a celebratory dinner for the football staff, and Dalton brought Riley as his date. I swear I didn’t know.”
His jaw clenched. He knew Dalton would keep asking Riley out. He just didn’t think—
“Dalton was being all ‘Oh, look at my date, I’m going to be all handsy so you know she’s my date.’” Steph paused, then said in a rush, “And I may or may not have confronted her. About you. In the ladies’ room.”
He dropped the towel. “What? Steph—” He didn’t know which made his blood hotter, the word “handsy” or “confronted.”
“Now, before you go ballistic on me, I think we cleared some things up between us, and I like her.”
“You like her.” He rubbed his face. “Why are you telling me this?”
“In case Dalton starts talking up the date or whatever. I had the distinct impression he’d asked Riley to the dinner for my sake—or for your sake. Understand? And, in case she brings it up, I did not accost her.”
“Did Gainer accost her?” he asked, alarmed.
“I don’t think so. Except for possibly something unwelcome under the table just before I followed her to the bathroom.”
Mark blinked. “I think you’re both nuts.”
“Me and Riley?”
“You and Gainer.”
“Oh, hey, don’t throw me in with that player. I’m trying to help. Just understand that I think Riley is genuine and you shouldn’t feel threatened in this friendship or whatever you guys have.”
Whatever you guys have. Obviously, Riley hadn’t defined their relationship any clearer than that. And why would she, on a date with Dalton Gainer? If he’d felt threatened, he wouldn’t have opened up to Riley the way he had on Friday. “You know, I was feeling pretty good until you called.”
“Oh, no, now see? I need you to understand that I’m helping.”
Yeah, like a shovel to my face. “I really appreciate it.”
“I can hear your sarcasm, and I’m choosing not to be offended because I know I may have jeopardized your relationship and I feel terrible about that. Honestly, though, after
