CHAPTER TWELVE
“I had a good time tonight,” Lennox said as they drove past the security shack at the entrance of the Rybak property, slowing for a moment as the guard there waved through his familiar vehicle.
“I did too,” Talia said. “In fact, I think it was amazing, especially considering how far off the rails it went there for a while.”
Lennox chuckled softly, moving even slower as they turned down the narrow tree-lined drive toward the back of the property where Talia’s cottage was tucked away. “We recovered there at the end though. That’s all that matters.”
Talia breathed out a soft sigh, relieved she hadn’t ruined everything. Even with all the time they’d spent together, tonight had been their first official date and it had rattled her. Looking back, she knew that was why she’d been so blunt when Lennox had so perceptively annunciated her exact issue about not wanting to get involved with him because he was always going to be away from home like her father. He’d said what she’d been thinking and admitting he was right had almost blown everything to pieces before she even realized she genuinely wanted to try and make them work.
She wasn’t sure when she’d finally decided to take a chance on Lennox, but at some point during dinner, Katrina’s words about not every whirlwind relationship ended up like her mom and dad’s and that sometimes, magic happens popped into her head. It had been the same words that had made her go on the date in the first place, and now they were convincing her to see him. It was that leap of faith Katrina had described, and from that moment on, everything else had fallen into place.
She was still terrified, but she was going to do it anyway.
“You want to come in for a few minutes?” she asked as Lennox stopped the pickup in front of the cottage. “I can make some coffee.”
“Coffee sounds good.” Lennox turned off the engine, then came around to open her door. “Are you sure you have time though? When do you have to be up at the main house to put Maria to bed?”
Talia grabbed the take-out bag from the backseat of the truck before slipping out of the vehicle, glancing at her phone at the same time and doing some quick math in her head. “I don’t need to be up to the house until eight, so we’re good.”
“You know, when you said you lived in a cottage, this wasn’t what I was envisioning,” Lennox said as she led the way inside.
Talia laughed, knowing exactly what he meant. It probably was a little disingenuous to label a three-bedroom bungalow with an immense kitchen and a living room bigger than Lennox’s apartment as a cottage. But that’s how the Rybaks described it, so she did too. Then again, considering they lived in a ten-thousand-square-foot home, most places were quaint little cottages to them.
Lennox followed her into the kitchen, and she saw him take in the granite countertops, stainless steel, and expensive appliances in appreciation. She put the leftovers away, then moved to make coffee.
“What is that ?” he asked, staring at the complex looking machine in awe.
She glanced at him, then back at the fancy stainless steel machine with all its levers and buttons. “This is a coffee maker. It gently heats up three different types of coffee beans to the perfect temperature for grinding, giving you exactly how much you need for a perfect cup. You can even program in specific blends of beans, and it’ll remember up to twenty different combinations of special orders.”
Lennox chuckled and shook his head. “Apparently, my idea of what constitutes a coffee maker is extremely outdated.”
Laughing, she pushed a few buttons on the machine, then took out two mugs along with cream and sweetener.
He leaned back against the counter. “While this place is beautiful, it must suck having security know every time you bring anyone home.”
Talia started to tell him that she rarely brought anyone to the cottage—other than her fellow au pairs when she realized what he was interested in knowing.
“If you wanted to know if I’ve ever brought any guys here, you could have simply asked,” she said with a grin.
“I wasn’t…” he stammered. “I was just…making conversation.”
“Uh-huh,” she murmured as she carried the coffee over to the island. “To answer your question, no, it doesn’t bother me that the guards keep track of all my visitors, since I don’t get very many. And as far as the unasked question, no, I never brought any guys here.”
“Why not?” he asked, sipping his coffee—to hide the guilty expression that crossed his face. “If you don’t mind me asking. I mean, not that it’s any of my business.”
She laughed. “No, it isn’t. But because you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you anyway. Especially since I don’t want you getting the idea that I don’t date or spend time with guys now and then. I simply haven’t met one I liked enough to allow them into my personal space.”
Lennox seemed to consider that as he sipped his coffee again.
“And yes, if you’re wondering,” she added with a smile. “You’re in a different category than the other men I dated.”
It was true. Not that her previous boyfriends hadn’t been nice but there was something different… something special—about Lennox.
“I’ll take that.” He grinned. “So, do you read Maria a story every night before bed?”
She slowly sipped her coffee. “Vera reads to her when she can in between her late-night business calls to Europe and Asia, but most nights, I read to her.” She gave him a sheepish look. “Maria claims my voice is soothing.”
“I can see that.” Lennox gazed at her over the rim of his coffee mug. “I know I find your voice soothing.”
“Speaking of reading…” Blushing, Talia made a show of looking at her phone and the time displayed there. “I should head up to the main house soon. I wouldn’t want Maria to have to wait.”
“Yeah, of course.” Lennox quickly finished the rest of his coffee before setting the mug on the island and falling into step beside her as she slowly led the way to the door. “I’d love to go out again. Maybe dinner and a movie Friday night?”
That sounded like the perfect second date.
“I’ll check with Vera to see if she needs me, but if not, then I’d love to,” she said, turning to face him when they got to the door.
As they stood there gazing at each other, Talia waited for that awkward moment that usually happened at the end of the night after a first date—you know, to kiss or not to kiss?— but as Lennox stepped a little closer, she decided that it wasn’t awkward at all.
As she leaned forward to kiss him, he placed one hand on her hip, sliding his free hand into her long hair, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. When his mouth came down on hers, and his tongue began to tease hers, she couldn’t hold back the small moan that slipped out if she wanted to. It wasn’t her fault that he tasted so good. That perfect blend of coffee and that masculine flavor that seemed to be uniquely him.
She wasn’t sure when it happened, but the next thing she knew, she’d draped her arms around his neck, using her hold to drag herself up on tippy toes as if she intended to climb him like a jungle gym. That would probably work. He was very tall.
Lennox was the one who stepped away first—much to Talia’s disappointment—letting her slide down his body until her feet were back firmly on the floor and regarding her with a smoldering look.
“While I definitely enjoy kissing you, I think we need to stop or there’s no way you’re going to make it up to the house in time to read Maria that book,” he said, his voice a little husky.
Crap, she’d forgotten all about reading a bedtime story to Maria. But in her defense, she never remembered being kissed like that. So maybe her momentary bout of forgetfulness could be overlooked.
They lightly kissed a few more times before Lennox finally moved back and opened the door.
“I’ll call tomorrow and let you know if Friday night works,” Talia said as she walked with him to his truck. “Thanks again for dinner…and for putting up with my commitment issues.”
Lennox didn’t say anything but simply kissed her again before climbing into his pickup. As he drove away, Talia hoped once again that she wasn’t setting herself up for heartache. Because after one date with the guy, she was already hooked.