Chapter Twenty-One
MARC
The last of the admin work had been sitting in my inbox for the past two days, which Jane had pointed out with increasing urgency each time I saw her until I’d run out of reasons to defer it.
I worked through it methodically—approvals, sign-offs, the particular tedium of paperwork that I couldn’t escape.
My phone rang as I shut my laptop, happy to finally be done.
Delaney.
The name on the screen warmed me all over. It was a little later than I’d planned to leave for the shelter, but after the way things had ended yesterday—and the steady stream of texts between us all day—I was more than ready to see her again.
I answered immediately. “Hey.”
“Hi. Have you left yet?” Her voice was strained. Off.
Every muscle in my body tightened at the thought something was wrong. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. No. My stupid car won’t start.”
Relief and concern hit at the same time. Not hurt, then. Just life being annoying. “I’ll meet you at your place in ten minutes,” I said, already standing. “I’ll call my cousin Adam on the way. Either he or one of his guys can send the tow truck. Are you parked behind the building?”
“Yeah.” She paused, exhaling. “Thank you. I know it’s small, but today was one problem after another, and I really didn’t want to have to deal with one more thing alone.”
Being able to solve something for her—even something small—felt disproportionately satisfying. “I’ll always be there for you, Delaney. ” I grabbed my coat. “Leave the key under the driver’s side mat if you can.”
“I’ll do it right now. I have to run up to my apartment anyway. Meet me there?”
“Okay. See you in a few.”
I hung up, locked the office, and headed out into the cooling evening spring air. On the walk to my SUV, I called my cousin.
He answered on the second ring. “Ruby River Repair.”
“Just the guy I needed to talk to.”
“Hey, Marc. What’s up?”
“Delaney’s car won’t start. It’s parked behind Sacred Serenity. Can you tow it to your shop and take a look?”
Adam didn’t answer right away. Instead, he started singing, “Another one bites the dust …”
“You’re an idiot.”
He laughed. “Do you realize both you and Drew have needed my help with your girls’ cars?”
“The situation isn’t the same.”
“It’s exactly the same. The only difference is you and Delaney have been pretending to hate each other for years.”
I backed out of the parking space and pulled onto Main Street.
“How was the date?” he asked.
I didn’t answer immediately.
“From your silence, I can’t tell if it was that good or that bad.” The shop noises hummed faintly through the speaker—tools clanging and an air compressor kicking on.
“That good,” I finally admitted.
He let out a triumphant laugh.
“She—” I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck. “Fuck. You all were right.”
“Well, now that you’ve accepted reality,” Adam said, his tone softened, “what’s the next step?”
“I don’t know.” I turned onto the narrow alley behind Sacred Serenity. “It was just one night, but things feel … different.”
“Better different or terrifying different?”
“Mostly better. Some terrifying.”
“Then don’t overthink it,” he said easily, “I know you like to define things and organize them into neat categories, but maybe let this one breathe.”
“I’ll talk to her tonight.”
“Talk, sure. But don’t push for some big relationship summit. If you want to see her again, tell her that. You don’t have to label things if neither of you is ready.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“I hate that you’re being so reasonable.”
“I contain layers.”
I laughed as I pulled into a spot behind Sacred Serenity. “I’m here. Thanks for your help.”
“No problem. Let Delaney know I’ll send someone over tonight.”
“Appreciate it.”
I hung up and headed for the stairs leading to Delaney’s apartment. The light above the door was already on. I knocked once.
The door opened right away.
“Hi,” she said. The word came out soft. Shy almost.
My brain stalled for a second.
Delaney Hart—who’d spent the majority of my life verbally sparring with me like it was an Olympic sport—looked nervous.
This version of us—without the armor, without the harsh words—had quickly become the one of us I hadn’t known I was allowed to want.
“Hi, “ I said.
My hand slid to the back of her neck, my fingers threaded through her hair, and I tugged her toward me.
Her lips eagerly met mine.
The kiss deepened instantly—open, familiar in a way that surprised me. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she moaned quietly against my mouth. A sound that sent heat straight down my spine.
I gripped her hip, then lower.
When my palm caressed the soft curve of her ass, a rough groan escaped my throat.
Her answering moans only encouraged me.
I nipped her lower lip, soothing the bite with my tongue before forcing myself to pull back.
Her eyes blinked up at me, hazy and dark with need.
I suspected mine looked the same.
Her hands slid up to rest on my chest. “That was a very nice hello.”
I grinned, even as I forced my hands to behave themselves. If I didn’t step back soon, we were absolutely not leaving this apartment tonight. “Do you need to get anything before we leave?”
She nodded. “Let me grab my coat. Come in.”
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
Delaney grabbed a lightweight, navy jacket from the couch.
Before she could put it on, I took it from her hands.
Her brows drew together. “What are you doing?”
I held it up. “Turn around.”
“I’m a big girl. I can put on my own coat.”
“I know you can.” I shook the fabric slightly.
She huffed, “Fine.” She turned, sliding one arm into the sleeve and then the other.
My hand slowly traced up her arm as I adjusted the coat, and she melted beneath the light touch. When I reached her shoulders, I lifted the curls caught beneath the collar and gathered them loosely at the back of her neck, exposing her neck.
I leaned in and brushed my lips across the sensitive spot I’d discovered yesterday that made her go wild.
“Marc,” she breathed.
I released her hair and turned her to face me.
Her eyes were soft, unfocused. She was remembering last night too.
My thumb brushed along her jaw as I studied her face. “Stay tonight.” The words came out quieter than I’d intended.
She blinked. “I … okay.”
Relief moved through me. “Pack a bag.”
She grinned. “I’m not running with you in the morning.”
“I don’t expect you to.” I couldn’t stop smiling. My cheeks actually hurt from it.
When was the last time I’d had this much fun with someone?
“Good,” she said. “Maybe I’ll make you do yoga instead.”
I shuddered. “Or God forbid, meditate.”
“God forbid.”
She turned away, and I gave her ass a light smack as she walked by.
Delaney stuck her tongue out at me.
“I have better uses for that,” I murmured.
Her eyes darkened.
“In fact,” I added casually, “why don’t you bring some of your toys tonight?”
She bit her lip. “Okay. I’ll bring my favorite.”
I leaned against the wall, expecting her to disappear down the hallway. Instead, she walked to the end of the couch, lifted a large piece of luggage onto it, and unzipped it to reveal that it was full.
I blinked. She’d lived here for months. She hadn’t unpacked?
Delaney pulled a small tote bag out from the front flap and started adding clothes to it. When she glanced up at me, her cheeks had gone pink. “You must think this is weird.”
I shook my head.
Whatever this was, the last thing I wanted was for her to feel embarrassed.
She closed the top of her suitcase and slung the smaller bag over her shoulder.
“It’s … I just … I can’t sleep in her room,” her voice cracked.
Three quick strides and I was beside her. I slipped the strap from her shoulder and pulled her into my arms.
I didn’t ask questions. Just held her.
She laid her cheek on my chest, and I felt the first warm tear soak into my shirt.
“If I do—if I move in there—then I have to admit she’s never coming back,” she whispered so low I almost didn’t hear her.
I ran my hand slowly up and down her back. “It’s okay, Delaney. Grief isn’t linear. It circles back when we least expect it.”
Her shoulders trembled and I reached for more words that I hoped would help. “And it’s always the hardest when we lose the ones we love the most.”
She nodded against me, and I just held her there until her breathing steadied.
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Why don’t we call Theo on the way to my place?” I suggested gently. “He can tell us which animals might work best for Friday.”
She sniffed. “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to mess up tonight. The class is important. For both of us.”
My instinct to hyper-plan everything eased.
She didn’t need a strategy meeting.
She needed a quiet night.
“We’ll still figure it out,” I said. “We can talk about it in the car. Did you eat dinner?”
She shook her head.
“We’ll grab pizza from Cibo’s. Eat at my place. Watch a movie.”
She wiped her eyes.
Then, to my complete surprise, she reached into the suitcase and pulled out a large purple vibrator. “I thought we had plans for this, too?”
I wiped the last tear from her cheek with my thumb. “We don’t have to,” I said quietly. “I’m perfectly happy hanging out on the couch with you.”
Her hand covered mine. “Let’s play it by ear, okay?”
I nodded.
She stepped back. “Can you call in the pizza while I grab the rest of my things? I’d like their veggie pizza with eggplant. And no—”
“Mushrooms. You got it.”
She grinned.
I placed the order and grabbed her bag when she returned.
Then I held out my hand.
She stared at it so long I started to get self-conscious.
“I don’t know what this is between us.” She threaded her fingers through mine. “But I like it.”
I lifted our joined hands and placed a kiss on the back of hers. “Me, too.”