Baptism by Fire: Reverse-Harem Series (The Stillwind Series Book 2) by Mia Smantz

Author:Mia Smantz [Smantz, Mia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Under other circumstances, I might have been nervous about my first date in years. In reality, I had a higher chance of falling asleep before dinner than growing all aflutter with energy, so at least there was something sort of useful with my inability to snooze in peace.

The midafternoon sun beat down on the yellow bug idling in the alley, making it look like an overexuberant sunflower amidst the dirt and grime of the ugly utility end of Stillwind’s finest businesses.

And yet, when I opened the door and bent over to glimpse the driver, the smile beaming at me made the cheery paint job wilt a fraction in comparison.

I fought off the matching beam that tried to pop out unbidden. “So, I have to open my own door, eh?”

His grin morphed into a smirk. “You’ve got two hands. Besides, you’re a successful business owner under thirty. I didn’t want to step on any feministic land mines.”

“Feminism is not something that should be an explosive topic.”

He shuddered. “Psh. I bet you’ve never been chewed up and spit out by a femi—sorry, independent woman for offering to let her go first.” His hands clenched and unclenched on the steering wheel. “I had to switch grocery stores.”

I frowned. “There’s only one grocery store in Stillwind.”

“Nah, before Stillwind. The people I’ve met here are more laid back than the high-strung assholes I left behind in Reno.”

“You aren’t a big fan of the city?” I surmised as I buckled in.

He winced. “Is it that obvious?”

“Not at all,” I joked, getting a smile for my effort. “Still, you said we’re more relaxed here and yet you suspected I’d jump on your case if you held my door open for me?”

A small, guilty little grin tickled his face. “Okay, you got me. I wanted the chance to check you out when you rounded the car.”

“And maybe that’s why you got chewed out for wanting a stranger to walk in front of you.”

He took a breath to argue, but then he paused before looking like a sheepish, childish kid being scolded. “Well, when you put it like that…”

Despite myself, his candid answer had me relaxing. It felt like all I dealt with were riddles and half-truths these days. His honesty was a tall glass of water in the shade of a palm with nothing but miles and miles of desert. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Did my ass pass inspection?”

I thought I’d shocked him in return, because his jaw slackened the minutest amount before his head whipped in my direction. When the front tires of his teeny bug nearly slid into the ditch, I had to remind him to focus. If I hadn’t had so many terrifying near-death experiences lately, I might have been more scared. Instead, I was amused and maybe even a little, tiny, microscopic bit flattered that I could throw the smooth operator off his game.

Kara’s story had me craving to see more of the flustered, honest man beneath the suave Casanova shell.

Our lighthearted banter soothed my flayed soul the more we talked and joked around.

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