Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Tripp bit down hard on his fist as he walked around the back of the truck.
He really should just head toward the party and leave the vixen to find her own way there.
But he couldn’t. Tonight, he’d fully planned on putting her in her place—a plan that was guaranteed when Serenity came to him with her own ideas.
She’d insisted Wendy was going to back out.
Tripp wouldn’t have believed if he hadn’t seen Wendy with his own eyes clad in the most adorable pair of kitten pajamas.
He’d been contemplating if he could go through with humiliating her when she’d shown up in that dress.
A groan slipped past his throat as he turned on his heel and went back toward the passenger side of the truck.
That dress was enough to make an angel himself sell his soul to a devil.
Tripp yanked open the passenger door with a little too much force.
It wasn’t hard to miss the way Wendy stiffened at his arrival.
She even made that cute gasping sound. Her eyes found his in the dark, full of suspicion like she just knew he wasn’t going to let her get away with what she’d done at the bridal shop.
She would have been right, too. But he’d absolutely lost his mind.
How could he look at her in that dress and not want to win her over? It was impossible.
Maybe his soul was already gone, because he offered the crook of his arm to her. “Shall we?”
Her eyes narrowed further as she glanced down at it.
Then she sighed as if she finally understood she didn’t have a chance at slipping past him.
Her gentle fingers wrapped around his arm like a caress.
They were warm and soft, and they sent sparks of electricity humming along every nerve in his body.
Tripp reached over her head and shut the door behind her. The movement brought them closer together and her sharp intake of breath brought him more pleasure than it really should have. He didn’t even bother hiding his grin.
Together they walked around the side of the main house.
In the back the Reese family had strung up lights on poles surrounding the property.
In the middle there was a white gazebo lit up with similar twinkling lights but also white flowers.
Tables, chairs, and a banquet waited for them.
Music played and several people were already dancing.
“This is the bachelor party?” Wendy murmured, clear awe in her voice. “What happened to Vegas and getting wild?”
Tripp chuckled. “Seeing as Serenity has been married before and she’s on the more reserved side, she just wanted everything to be more… upscale.”
“Apparently,” Wendy mused.
“There are some games over on that side of the yard, though. You ever play cornhole?”
Her eyes followed where he gestured to where the inclined wooden boards had been set up. Bean bags were scattered around the contraptions already. The bean bag toss game had become popular with Serenity’s kids, but the adults got quite competitive as well.
“I’ve heard of it, but I haven’t played.”
“Shame. I’d wager you’d be pretty good.”
Wendy tilted her face toward him and yet again, he was struck by just how beautiful she was. Flashes of their shared kiss in that hallway had his thoughts going fuzzy all over again. Her whispered, “Oh, yeah? Why’s that?” barely registered.
“What?” he murmured, blinking.
“Why do you think I’d be good at the game?”
“Oh, I don’t think you’d be good at the game specifically. Based on the glances you’ve been getting from the single men here, I think you’d make a good distraction and win by default.”
She stared at him like he’d sprouted horns. Then her cheeks flooded with color and she looked away. He couldn’t tell if she was seeking out proof of what he’d said or not. It wasn’t hard to tell. He’d clocked at least half-a-dozen who’d gotten one look at her and they’d stopped mid conversation.
Tripp leaned in closer to her, his lips barely grazing the shell of her ear. “How about I take you over to that bar and get you a drink?”
The goosebumps that rose on her arms. The way her breath shuddered.
He was affecting her just as much as she was affecting him tonight.
There had been a shift in the air. Maybe they were due for a full moon.
Whatever the reason, he needed to capitalize on this.
It had been getting exhausting, all this squabbling between them.
“Truce?” he whispered. “Only for tonight?”
She glanced up at him warily. Like she didn’t believe him.
And why would she? There was no good reason for her to. Likewise, there was no good reason for him to trust her if she agreed.
But boy, did he want to.
Without waiting for an answer, he left her side.
His steps were long and sure. He made it to where the drinks were being served and he poured her a glass of sweet iced tea.
Then he returned to her side. Holding it out like the peace offering it was, he wasn’t all that surprised to find her wrinkling her nose at the drink.
“What is it?”
“Don’t you trust me?”
She shot him a flat look, one full of that temper he was so used to seeing.
Tripp chuckled and held the glass out to her again. “I’m fully aware of the caliber of sweet tea someone like you would be accustomed to.”
That caught her attention and her eyes darted to his face once again. “What’s that supposed to mean? And how do I know if you did something to it?”
With a roll of his eyes, Tripp brought the glass to his lips. He took a sip then held it out to her again. “It’s good. Trust me.”
She scoffed, but this time she accepted the drink.
He twisted around so he could stand beside her as they took in the party.
He’d been surprised that she hadn’t immediately darted off to spend time with Serenity, but seeing as the bride-to-be was currently dancing with Reese, that outcome would have been difficult.
Tripp took another sip of his own drink before glancing over to Wendy again.
She hadn’t tasted the beverage in her hands yet and a small part of him was tempted to just tell her that he’d been the one to make it.
He wanted to know what she thought. He was all too aware of the unspoken rules surrounding sweet, iced tea in the south.
Living there for a few years had taught him well.
He nudged her, his elbow bumping hers. “Come on, sweetness. Don’t leave me hanging.”
Wendy cut a look at him then glanced to her drink. “No offense, but sweet tea is… special to me.”
Biting back a smile, Tripp did his best to control his features so he appeared completely oblivious to her. “Oh? I figured you’d like it so that’s why I brought you some.”
She nodded, her finger tracing the rim. “Back home only the best tea makers are allowed to bring it to a gathering like this. Thanks for the thought, but…” her cheeks filled with color again. “It hits a little close to home. I’d rather not—”
“Oh, I get it,” he mused. “Sweet tea has to be approved by someone higher up in order for it to be served. And you don’t think the caterers know what they’re doing, right?”
Wendy grimaced. “That sounds a little stuck up, doesn’t it?”
He inched closer, slanting his head so he could whisper to her. “Lucky for you, this tea is authentic. Someone who’s spent time in Georgia knows their stuff.”
She turned so suddenly, her nose nearly collided with his own. Surprise was all over the two of them, but Wendy collected herself first. “Really? Was it Sammie? I heard she grew up there.”
Slowly, Tripp shook his head. “Well Sammie is from Alabama and Caleb went to school in Alabama and I’ll have to give them props. Alabama folks do love their sweet tea and they do a good job with it. But someone else perfected the beverage.”
Her brows pulled together and she turned her attention to the guests as if she’d find the answer. Then she brought the glass to her nose and sniffed before taking a sip.
It was like watching a masterpiece, the way she closed her eyes and hummed her appreciation for something so simple. A faint smile graced her beautiful lips and he found himself wanting to trace the full, pink cupid’s bow there.
Wendy’s eyes fluttered open and she stared at him with what could only be considered wonder. “This is actually very good.”
At that, he beamed. “I thought you might like it.”
Once again, she searched the crowd. “So who’s recipe is it?”
He took another pull from his drink. “Yours truly.”
Wendy stiffened, then slowly, she turned to face him. “Liar.”
Tripp couldn’t help it. He tossed his head back and let out a loud laugh.
“You?” she demanded, a smile forming on her lips as well. “Come on, Tripp. Tell me really.”
“I’m being honest. I went to school in Georgia. Lived off campus in a cute little neighborhood and my neighbor was the queen of sweet, iced tea. I learned everything from her.”
Wendy’s mouth fell open and the way she was looking at him now? It was otherworldly. Who knew that learning how to make the perfect sweet tea when he’d been in college would be the thing to knock this girl off balance?
He shook his head, another rumble of laughter tumbling from his lips. Then he reached for her glass and placed it along with his on a nearby table. “Dance with me,” he murmured, taking her hand.
She resisted but only for a moment. Then she allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor.
They didn’t need to talk about the war that had been brewing between the two of them. He didn’t even want to ruin this moment by discussing how she knew more about him than he realized—the fact that he’d never truly had a serious girlfriend.
Right now, all he wanted was to hold her close and pretend.
Pretend that they’d just met and neither one of them hated the other.
Pretend that the way his blood practically sizzled beneath his skin when she touched him was a sign of even better things to come.
Tripp slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her against his body. They swayed back and forth. Every so often she’d look up at him. Just when he thought she’d remain tight-lipped, she spoke.
“You’re full of surprises, Tripp Gilley.”
“Oh?”
“Full of secrets, too. Perfect s’mores. Perfect sweet tea that would knock the socks off Elizabeth Maury.”
He cocked a brow. “Elizabeth Maury? Do I know this woman?”
She let out a laugh and the sound was absolute music to his ears. “No,” she shook her head, “she’s my mother’s best friend. And she’s the one who decides whose tea is good enough to bring to the barbecue.”
“Ah, Elizabeth Maury. I’ve met one or two of her in my day.”
Wendy laughed again. This side of her was intoxicating and he was quickly becoming addicted. He craved it so much he feared one wrong word would have her scrambling behind the wall she’d built between them.
“Talents. Secrets. That’s me,” he mused. “But you’re full of them too.”
She stiffened and for a second he thought he’d messed up. But then she gazed at him with question, keeping the dialogue open between them.
“How’s that book coming?”
Wendy flushed but she didn’t pull away and she didn’t bite back with her words. Instead, she sighed. “I feel like I’ve hit a roadblock.”
He could have been knocked on his backside by her confession if he wasn’t so focused on holding her close. Was Wendy actually opening up to him?
“I’m still stuck.”
“Well, it’s only been a few days since we first talked. What do you think would help you get past that roadblock?”
Wendy sighed and her eyes lifted to the darkened sky.
If he wasn’t mistaken, it looked as though she might start to tear up.
“Honestly, I have no clue. I feel like there’s something missing.
I know some people go on a retreat so they can get in the right mindset.
Others listen to music. But it doesn’t matter what I do.
The second I sit down in front of my computer, I can’t think past the first line. ”
He gnawed on the inside of his cheek. “Well, you can get one line out, right?”
She snorted. “If you count the words ‘chapter one’ as the first line.” Then she tossed him a sheepish smile. “Like you said last time. I’ll figure it out. Trial and error, right?”
“Right.”
They continued dancing into the next song. He couldn’t tell if she was the one who didn’t want to let go or if it was him. Maybe it was a little bit of both.
“I want to go into equine dentistry.”
Wendy nearly tripped at his confession. Then her eyes found his.
He half-expected her to laugh. When she’d asked him about his own dreams at the bonfire, he’d brushed her off.
He wasn’t creative. He didn’t have dreams like most people.
But he did have an interest in something that no one seemed to take him seriously for.
“What kind of work does that entail?” she asked quietly.
He laughed. “I would wager you can answer that question all on your own. Tell me, Wendy, when you pay a visit to a dentist, what do they do for you?”
That pretty blush he was growing attached to flooded her cheeks. “Right. Well, why don’t you?”
It was a reasonable question. He had the foundation for the job, but he hadn’t gone so far as to get certified and finish his education. He wasn’t sure Bo would be interested in a specialist when he had great vets at his beck and call.
Tripp shrugged. “I suppose I have a couple roadblocks of my own.”