" Heated seats or talk radio? Or music? I can do all of them at once if you want.” He starts flipping switches, making the corresponding sound effects. Leave it to Dan to turn his super fancy Range Rover into the USS Enterprise.

My body betrays me and I snuggle deeper into the warming leather seats. “Where are we going anyway?”

“Why, the happiest place in Natchitoches, of course.” He waves his hands in a broad gesture to encompass the whole town.

I panic for a second when he doesn’t immediately put his hands back on the wheel. “Oh my God, will you be careful!”

He smiles at me then glances down at his knee, which can apparently steer just fine. “I’d never endanger your life, fair lady.”

I roll my eyes and take a relieved breath. Something walks into my thoughts and takes a seat. Is he…flirting?

“Looks like no matter how hard you try, you can’t stop talking like you’re in the middle of a LARP game.” I find myself scratching at my nail polish again, so I tuck my hands under my thighs.

“I didn’t know I should be trying to not talk that way. In fact, I try to find every opportunity to practice my verbal skills. I can’t seem out of practice when Craytor returns again.” He holds a fist up in the air. “Heads shall roll, maidens shall be rescued, and elves shall be insulted!”

I make sure he sees my blank stare followed by a slow blink before saying, “Right. You never said where we’re going.”

“The Phoenix, of course. We don’t exactly have Disney World Natchitoches.” He puts on an über-cheesy smile, which is way more endearing than the fake mischievous one he tried back at school.That smile turns on the heated seats around my heart. Oh God, did I just think that? Gross.

He nudges my arm. “Get it? Because I said the happiest place in Natchitoches. And that’s a well-known advertisement slogan for—”

I hold my hands up. “I get it. Really, I get it "

― Leah Rae Miller , Romancing the Nerd (Nerd, #2)