“Did I know that?”
“No.” His eyes bore into mine. “I like to think I showed you in other ways.” He rakes his eyes over my body.
I’m curvier now than I used to be. The curves he sees now I gained from carrying our daughter. Our daughter. We met her father on the same day, for the first time, yet this man in front of me, he’s not a stranger. I may not have the memories, but the feelings he evokes are real, and they’re not just something that happens overnight. We have a past I can’t remember and a future I never want to forget.
“Can you show me again?” I ask, my voice not sounding at all like my own. I wait with bated breath for his reply.
“Yeah, baby, I can show you.”
“Does that mean…?” My words trail off as I let the unspoken words linger between us.
“Yes, Laney. That means I still love you. I never stopped loving you.” With that, he leans in and captures my lips, and my heart.
This kiss is different than anything we’ve shared, at least the ones I can remember. It’s more than just a firm press of his lips to mine. It’s all-consuming as he traces my lips with his tongue, seeking entrance that I gladly grant him. Strong hands grip the backs of my thighs as he pulls me in closer, yet not close enough. Lifting one leg and then the other, I straddle him on the mattress. His hands move to my ass as he rocks me against him, all the while still kissing me. His mouth devours mine, and it’s more than anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s as if he’s consuming me—mind, body, soul, and heart.
I rock my hips, seeking more from him. More of something I didn’t realize I was missing. I don’t remember sex, which means all my sexual encounters were after high school and locked away somewhere in my mind. I can’t remember ever experiencing this kind of passion. My life has revolved around my daughter. I’ve been too afraid to venture out into the world of dating for fear of the unknown. I mean, I couldn’t remember my daughter’s father. My mother had me believing he was this horrible man who didn’t want us. I didn’t exactly have the best track record, so I steered clear. But now… now I wonder if I was subconsciously waiting for him. Waiting for my Kenton.
Kent drags his lips from mine, and I rest my forehead against his. Our chests are heaving from the exhilaration of our kiss.
“When can we tell her?”
“When do you want to tell her?”
“Now. We can leave now and go to my place. Can the two of you stay with me tonight? I need to hold you, Laney. I need my girls with me. Please.” His voice is a whispered plea, and it’s unnecessary. I can’t explain it, but our souls are tethered together, and I want nothing more than to spend more time with him.
“Okay.”
“Yeah?” He pulls back, his dark eyes filled with so much… love. Love for me and our daughter, and it’s a look I never want to miss out on. Never again.
“Yes. We have to figure out where we go from here.”
“You tell me, babe. I go where you go. If that’s back to California, then that’s where we’ll be. If it’s here in Tennessee, if you and Kendrix settle here in Jackson, we need to start looking for a bigger place. I want my little girl to have a nice big yard to play in.”
“Um, is this yard not big enough?”
“I thought you wanted to sell this place?”
“No, that was all my mother. She insisted I sell it. She didn’t want me coming here at all.”
“What do you want, Delaney?”
“You and our daughter. The rest will work itself out.”
“All right then, let’s go get our girl. Pack a bag.” He smacks me lightly on the ass, making me giggle as I climb off his lap.
Hand in hand, we go to my room, and he sits on the bed and watches me as I toss some things into an overnight bag. “I think I have what I need,” I say, looking around. He doesn’t speak. He grabs the bag that’s still open in one hand and laces our fingers together with the other as we head to the room that Kendrix is using. I grab her what she needs, making sure I have her teddy bear, and then zip up the bag.
Without a word, he offers me his hand again, and I take it. We make our way down the steps, slowly as he’s refusing to let go of me, and into the kitchen. Kendrix is sitting on the kitchen counter, with Mark standing next to her while Ridge, Seth, and Tyler are all hammering nails into what appears to be a piece of scrap wood.