My bag drops to the floor, and I hug her tight, going straight for her mouth. Her tongue dances with mine, meeting me stroke for stroke until I have to pull away, kissing along her jawline.
As much as I want to keep her like this all night long, holding her close and tasting every inch of her skin, I place her on her feet and step back. Linking our hands together, I run my lips across her knuckles.
“The promise of a whole night with you has made me a very happy man.”
“What you did today was extraordinary. Thank you for being so kind and thoughtful. Winnie couldn’t quit talking about you. My dad and Johnny were pretty impressed, too.”
“That’s good, but I didn’t do it to impress them.”
She steps back into me and places our joined hands on her hips. “Whatever the reason, I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life. So thank you.”
We stand staring at each other as the energy in the room builds. There’s no doubt she can feel the outline of my hard-on against her stomach, but she doesn’t back away. Instead, she presses in closer and kisses the underside of my jaw.
“I made us dinner.”
“Sounds good to me,” I mutter, not wanting her to move. “But as far as I’m concerned, we can stay like this all night. Not sure I want to let you go.”
She looks back to me, and her eyes are a swirling mix of deep green and gold. I get lost in them until she moves, leading me to the kitchen.
The table is already set with a large salad bowl in the middle. She points for me to sit and takes a pan out of the oven. The scent of lemon and garlic fills the room, and I groan, my mouth watering.
“What is that?”
“Lemon chicken.”
I offer to help, but she only allows me to get our drinks and serves us both.
I’m a pretty good cook, but what she has served is a gourmet meal. The first bite melts in my mouth, and I moan in appreciation, silently marking off another reason she’s perfect.
“I do like to cook, but it’s a waste with only me most of the time.” She gives me a small smile.
“Safe to say, you now have another mouth to feed.”
She fills me in on the rest of her afternoon with her family and Winnie’s overflowing excitement of having the best birthday ever.
Her next statement shocks me to the point of choking as my fork clangs down on the plate. “Excuse me?” I swallow a whole glass of water, trying to stop the burn in my throat.
“Dad received a package yesterday from Winnie’s mom, Elisa. We gave it to her together in case she had questions.”
I stay quiet, my mind racing with my own questions as I finish eating.
She notices my unease and takes our plates to the sink before holding her hands out to me and guiding me to the sofa. I take her down with me, hooking her legs over mine.
“I know exactly what you’re thinki
ng,” she says faintly.
My arm hooks around her waist, and I shift her position, so she’s mostly facing me. “What am I thinking?”
“I saw the look on your face. It’s a look I’ve seen before, and I’ve seen often. It’s a mixture between confusion and disgust. Johnny had the same look a few hours ago.”
“I guess I’m confused. Honestly, it’s none of my business.”
“Maybe I want it to be your business. If you’re going to be in my life—”
“There’s no if,” I cut her off. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She leans into me, her head landing in the crook of my neck.