“I’m ready,” I blurt because I’m honestly afraid that if I stand here and think about it too long, I’ll chicken out.
He stops in his tracks and stares at me.“For what?”
My heart begins to pound, and I close the distance between us, tilting my face up to look at him.I’m so close, I can see the bronze flakes in his otherwise dark eyes.“To find out what this is.”
Garrison’s lips twitch at the corners, but I still see hesitation in his gorgeous gaze.“Are you sure?—”
I stretch up and press my lips to his.
The connection is instant.
A rush of electricity.
Garrison stills for a moment, and I pull away, panicked.Did I cross a line?Heat creeps up the back of my neck as I open my eyes.But the moment my gaze locks with his, I know—he feels it, too.
He snakes a hand around the back of my neck and pulls me in, slamming his mouth to mine.It’s rough and tender at the same time.Patient yet frenzied.He devours every single fear I had, demolishes every barrier I’d put between us with the mere contact of his lips on mine.
It’s not until my back presses against the wall that I realize he’s moved us clear across the room.His chest is hard against me, his touch tender, though I can feel the barely leashed hunger simmering beneath the surface.
Love.
Is that what this is?
Did I stumble into friendship only to fall head over heels in love with the Navy SEAL next door?
Garrison pulls away, then kisses me again, this time a quick meeting of the lips.
Breathless, he rests his forehead against mine and releases me to plant both hands against the wall of my living room.“I had no idea what I was missing,” he says.“Until you.”
I smile at him, then reach up to run the tips of my fingers along his stubbled jaw.“I feel the same.”Please be gentle with me,I want to say.Please don’t break me.
“You and me?”he says.“It’s all I want.And I will do whatever I can to prove to you that I willneverhurt you, Katelyn.You’re safe with me.You both are.”
The kiss is still on my mind first thing this morning.
Even as I roll out of bed, I have a smile on my face.My cell rings, so I reach for it.Thomas’ picture flashes across the screen, only increasing my good mood.“Hey, baby!”I greet when I answer the FaceTime call.
“Morning, Mom!”His beaming smile lifts my mood even more.Sweat already beads on his forehead, and his t-shirt is smeared with red dirt.
“How is your day so far?”I ask as I settle back down onto the bed.
“Good.We ran laps and practiced our slides.I slid into home three times!”
His joy permeates the air around me.“That is wonderful, baby.”
“How about you?”
“Not too much to report here.I worked last night.Oh!We should have our apartment back by the time you get home!I imagine you’re ready to be home.”
His smile falters just a bit.“I kinda like hanging with Mr.Holt.Think he’ll still want to when we move out?”
The kiss flashes back into my mind.“Oh, I think so,” I reply with a beaming smile of my own.
Someone calls Thomas’ name, and he glances off toward the right.“Oh, sorry, Mom!I have to go.I’ll call you later.Love you so much!”
“I love you, too, baby!”The call ends way too soon, leaving me with a slight emptiness.Man, I miss my kid.Four nights and three days to go.
Even though I know it’ll be a while before I hear from him again, I still take my phone with me as I leave the room.After brushing my teeth and untangling my unruly hair, I step into the kitchen.