Chapter Ten
ROWAN
Mae had residual tremors running through her, and I could feel the soft gust of her breath against my neck.
I breathed her in, absorbing the feel of her all soft in my arms. I was startled at how fast this had spiraled.
I just meant to kiss her, but I’d felt her need digging into me like claws, and I wanted to give her that release.
I was almost in awe at how raw and unguarded she'd been with me.
After a moment, I felt her lift her head. Although my lids were heavy, I dragged my eyes open. She blinked, her gaze as stunned as mine probably was.
“Oh,” she said.
“That's one way to put it.” Reluctantly, I drew my fingers out of the very heart of her and pulled her cotton underwear back in place. With my other hand, I brushed her mussed hair away from her forehead.
“I didn't mean…” I stopped when she shook her head.
“I don't know what you didn't mean, but I wanted that.” A wash of pink crested high on her cheeks, and my heart contracted in a sweet, aching twist.
We stared at each other in that quiet moment, and something bloomed in the air between us. I didn't know what it was. It felt ephemeral, intense, almost as if I couldn't grab onto it, yet its power shimmered around us.
The doorbell rang, the sound abrupt and snapping through the moment. Mae’s eyes flew wide, her palm flying to her chest.
“They can't see us, Mae. The door’s closed, and we're in the kitchen.” My lips tugged into a smile.
She pressed her lips together and rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. It just startled me. Can you hand me my sweater?”
I reluctantly stepped away from her and fetched her sweater off the floor. Although I was disappointed to see her sweet curves disappear behind her fluffy sweater, she was so freaking cute in it, and I loved that too.
“I'll get the door,” I offered as she shimmied off the counter.
I strode to the sink and washed my hands quickly, snagging a paper towel as I crossed toward the living room. I gave the pizza driver a generous tip because it was snowing like crazy outside. Although I’d plowed Mae’s drive just over an hour ago, several more inches had already collected.
“Road’s okay?” I asked the driver over the swirling wind.
“Of course, man, I'm getting tips like mad,” the guy replied with a lopsided grin.
“Be safe!” I called as he dashed back to his car.
When I returned to the kitchen, Mae announced, “I'll get our dinner when we go out.”
My palm was warm where it rested on the bottom of the box of pizza. “Oh, so that means we're getting dinner together?”
“Yes.” Her lips twitched in barely a smile, and I savored the tinge of pink on her cheeks.
While she got plates out, my memory spun back to our three kisses in college.
Only three, and they'd been that memorable.
Those memories felt different and distant now.
Everything I was feeling now was something I hadn't felt before.
I wanted to take care of her, to wipe away those lingering worries that flitted through her eyes again and again.
We had pizza and watched another episode of Schitt’s Creek. After we finished eating, she opened the front door and peered out. Turning back, she announced, “You can't drive home.”
“I can drive home,” I insisted even though I wanted to stay the night. “Mae, it's not a big deal. I'm three driveways down. I can handle it.”
The thing was, if I stayed here, I wouldn't be able to stop kissing her. I didn't know how I knew, but I knew I couldn't rush it with her.
She fussed and even told me to zip my jacket. I remote started my SUV and then looked down at her. “So when are we having dinner?”
“Friday or Saturday?” she returned. Before I could answer, she added, “Saturday. I might be tired Friday because I have to go into Anchorage every Friday.”
“Well, we don't want you tired,” I teased. She rolled her eyes. “Saturday it is. Give me your number.”
She looked at me for a long moment. “It's the same number I had before. Do you have the same number?”
It had been years, but I did have the same phone number. I slid my phone out of my pocket and pulled up my contacts, scrolling through. My lips curled into a slow smile when I saw her name. Mae T. was all it said.
“It's Townsend,” she said.
I eyed her. “I know that. Do you still have my number on your phone?”
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she turned, snatching her phone off the coffee table. She walked back to me and then looked up with a sheepish smile. “I don’t. I probably deleted it.”
“Ah, something like that,” I said lightly, ignoring the sting on my heart. “Here, I'll text you.”
As soon as the text went through, she tapped it open and added my number to her contacts.
“One more thing,” I said.
“What?” Her lashes lifted, and her eyes met mine.
“Another kiss,” I murmured as I bent low and slid my hand into her hair.
I meant for it to be brief, but apparently, I couldn't kiss Mae without it getting hot, fast. The next thing I knew, we were breathless, and I was about to spin her against the door when I caught myself. I lifted my head with a low laugh.