I scratch the back of my neck. “In Kayla’s suitcase, I think. Angelo picked the lock for us and I saw her toss them in there.”

“So you forfeited the money?” she squawks.

“We couldn’t find the money,” I say. “So we decided to give up on the scavenger hunt.”

“Just like that?” She looks upset. “Why? Why would you give up so easily?”

I shake my head. “It’s a long story.”

She narrows her gaze at me. “Daren Ackwood. Did you sleep with her?”

“Wha—no!” I say sternly. “No, I did not sleep with her.” I pause. “Well, actually I did sleep with her—but I didn’t have sex with her.”

She pins me with her eyes. “What did you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she says, jutting her chin, “how did you fuck things up with Kayla?” She nods at Kayla, who’s still in deep conversation with Ellen. “You keep looking at her like she’s your long-lost puppy, and she keeps glancing at you like she’s afraid you’re going to take off at any moment. So what happened?”

I play with my glass. “Nothing. She just… She can do better than me.”

Amber swats me with her bar towel. Hard.

“Ow—dammit. What?”

She points at me and lowers her voice. “I let you throw a pity party for yourself for seven years, but you’re a man now. You’re a good man who’s worthy of a good woman. So suck up your insecurities and go fix things with Kayla.”

I glare at her, but I know she’s right.

“You like her, don’t you?” Amber says.

I stare at the bruise on my wrist and nod. “I like her. A lot.”

Amber scans my face for a moment and a smile tugs at her lips. “Oh my. Has Daren Ackwood fallen in love?” She sucks in a breath when I don’t respond. “I knew it. I knew the moment I saw your face when she wouldn’t shake your hand the other night. You’re totally smitten with her.” She giggles. “God, this makes me so happy.”

“Okay, enough with the mushiness.”

Her face turns serious. “You need to make things right with her. Tonight. And then you need to keep her by your side. Forever. Understand?”

Our food comes and saves me from replying to that, but as the three of us eat I can’t help but flick my eyes to Kayla. It’s easy to keep someone by your side when you’re handcuffed to them, but asking someone to be with you—hoping without any guarantee—that sounds hard as hell.

Awkward conversation carries us through the meal and when we’re through, we say good-bye to Amber and head back to the parking lot where Ellen parked. My eyes catch on the painted wall of the courtyard, taking me back to the feeling of Kayla in my arms as I pressed her up against that wall and kissed her hungrily. That painted wall was the last thing I saw before Kayla Turner changed me completely.

I walked into Latecomers that night with all my baggage and blues, and walked out with a racing heart and a chest filled with hope.

“Thanks for walking me out, guys. Are you guys sure I can’t drop you off anywhere else?” Ellen asks, pulling her keys from her purse. “I know Amber said she can give you ride, Daren, but it’s really no problem for me to take you.”

“No, you go,” I say with a smile. “I’m good. Thanks, though.”

Kayla smiles. “Thank you so much for dinner. And for the ride.”

“Of course.” Ellen smiles and says to Kayla, “And I’m serious about my offer. The job and room are yours if you want them. You have my number, right?”

“I do.” Kayla nods.

Ellen inhales. “I really hope you say yes and I get to spend more time with you.” She wraps her arms around Kayla in a hug.

I watch them as my mind spins. Ellen offered Kayla a job and a place to stay? That would mean Kayla would stay in Arizona and live at the inn, where I work, and I would see her all the time.

“And you.” Ellen turns to me. “I’ll see you at eight a.m. sharp on Monday. Bring your kitchen face. I’m going to try my hardest to talk you into being my new cook.”

I grin. “Yes, ma’am.” The idea of working as a cook at the inn makes me feel alive. And if I could live there for free too… well, I can’t imagine a better scenario for my life. I glance at Kayla.

Well, maybe one better scenario.

With a quick wave, Ellen gets in her truck and drives off, leaving Kayla and me standing in the parking lot. Alone.

Awkward silence.

More silence.

Now super awkward silence.

“So…” I say, swallowing.

“Yeah…” She looks around. “Okay, well. I need to get going. Later.” She turns and starts to walk to where the tow truck left her car. My chest grows tight.

“Kayla,” I say.

She stops and turns around.

“Will you…” I clear my throat. “Would you maybe like to stay at my place tonight? You know, so you don’t have to pay for a room?”

She takes a breath. “Oh. Uh… nah. I’m okay. Thanks.”

The rejection is expected and I almost let her get away with it. But then I think about Kayla sleeping in the porn bedroom alone and I easily swallow my pride.

I take a step toward her and blurt out, “What I meant to say, was that I really hate the idea of you sleeping in that shithole for even one minute and I’d feel much better if you stayed at my place with me even though it’s sort of its own kind of shithole because at least then I’ll know you’re safe and I realize I have no right to care about where you sleep but I can’t help myself and I know you probably hate my guts right now but I swear I’ll sleep outside in the dirt or something if it will make you feel better and you’ll agree to sleep at my place.” I suck in a breath at the end of my crazy rambling and then hold that breath as I wait for her response.

Kayla searches my face and her features soften. I don’t know what she sees in my eyes, but I sure as hell hope it’s the regret I feel about the other day and the desperation I feel about her now. My stomach knots together with every beat that passes until a slow smile lifts the corners of her mouth.

“Well, how can I say no to another chance to sleep on your virgin mattress?” Her eyes dance and my heart leaps—it fucking leaps.

Because I need this girl. Tonight. Tomorrow. Always. And I have no idea how to make that happen, but her not hating my guts is a good place to start.

“It is rather cozy,” I say with an embarrassing amount of glee.

“It really is.” She nods.

I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. I didn’t mean a single word. I’m an asshole and you are more than welcome to smack me.”

She shakes her head. “No, I’m sorry. I was mean. I don’t know what my deal was. I just freaked out and thought you just wanted to get away from me—”

“What?”

She looks up at me from under her long eyelashes and lifts a shoulder. “You were stuck with me.”

I pull her close and tip her chin up so I can see more fully into her big blue eyes. “Being stuck with you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And the moment we took those handcuffs off I felt like I was missing something.” I cup her face and quietly say, “I want to be stuck with you.”

She leans in and brings her mouth close to mine, softly saying, “I want to be stuck with you too.”

I smile against her lips. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

She smiles back. “You better.”

Tilting her face in my hands, I press my lips against hers and hold her mouth to mine as she parts her lips and lets my tongue inside the sweet flesh of her mouth. Her tongue dances with mine, sliding into my mouth. I trail my hands over her shoulders and down her back, clutching her hips to mine. She runs her hand to the back of my head, tugging at my hair as her mouth asks for more. As I deepen our kiss, my erection rubs against her belly and she arches her back, pushing her large soft breasts into my chest.

In between kisses, Kayla breathlessly says, “Maybe we should go… back to your place…”