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Tony smiled, took the potholders from his son, and pulled the pan from the oven.
Joe scooted around the table toward her and pressed his lips lightly to hers.
Max giggled at the sight.
“What was that giggle for?” Joe asked.
The child giggled again. “You just kissed Elizabeth,” he replied as if his dad was unaware that he’d just kissed the neighbor.
Elizabeth’s cheeks heated as the kitchen echoed with laughter.
* * * *
After dinner and homework time, Joe tucked the kids in for the evening. And then he, Elizabeth, and his dad discussed the issue at hand. They called Nick, only to find out that there was still no word on Patrick’s whereabouts, or the identity of this F. Manning. Though disappointed, Elizabeth still held hope that Nick would uncover a connection to this F. Manning person. The flight logs involving this person were just too correlated to Patrick’s disappearance to not be connected.
Shortly after 9:00 p.m., Tony rose from his chair, glancing at both her and his son. “Well, my eyelids are getting heavy. I think I’ll head home now. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Dad. I appreciate all your help this week.”
Elizabeth stood and walked the kindhearted man to the door. “Thanks, Tony.”
“You’re welcome. Take care.”
She stretched up on her toes and gave him a little peck on the cheek, and out the door he went.
She shut the door behind him, locked it, and returned to her seat on the couch.
Slowly, Joe pushed himself up from his recliner and sat next to her. He slung his arm around her shoulders.
She rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t believe this is happening to us.”
He stroked her hair. The gesture was unbelievably soothing. Within minutes, his eyes had closed, and he was snoring lightly.
Trying not to wake him, she carefully lifted her head from his shoulder, and turned to get a better look at him. She stared at his face, memorizing each bruise and worry line.
Her stomach churned; she felt terrible for bringing this whole, ugly event upon him and his family. Lifting her hand, she gently placed her fingertips on his swollen cheek, and traced the lines and bruises. Her heart raced as she thought about how much she had grown to love him.
His eyes eased open as she traced his lips with her tingling fingers. The corners of his mouth turned upward. She stopped tracing, but let her fingers rest on the center of his mouth. He reached up and placed his hand over hers and pressed her fingers tighter to his lips as he kissed them.
“I’m so sorry, Joe. You have no idea how much it pains me to know I’ve caused this to happen to you, and endanger your family,” she whispered as she let out a deep sigh, and turned her head, averting her gaze from his.
He placed his fingertips under her chin, and guided her head back in his direction. “Sweetheart, this isn’t your fault. Everything will be just fine. We’ll all be fine.”
She wanted to believe him, she really did, but since things hadn’t gone at all their way lately, the skepticism rising in her was inescapable.
––––––––
Joe slid his hand up and cupped Elizabeth’s warm cheek. With the tip of his thumb, he traced her smooth lips. They parted, and she brushed her tongue over them. He dipped the tip of his thumb into her mouth. Her eyes flashed as she suckled his thumb, sending a cresting wave of sensations crashing throughout his body, waking every tired and bruised nerve ending.
Removing his thumb from her mouth, he freed her lips for his. Her warm tongue met his. Her tantalizing flavor was such that he thought he had died and gone to heaven.
He pulled his mouth from hers and captured her emerald gaze. He wanted to tell her he loved her. The words were running through his mind, but his lips wouldn’t move, and no sound would come out of his mouth.
He thought about Amanda, and how much he loved her. A rush of guilt passed through him, making him feel as though he was cheating on Amanda.
He mentally shook his head to clear the thought. Amanda’s gone. She’s been gone for almost five years. This isn’t cheating. He swiped his sweaty palms over his thighs.
“Are you okay?” Elizabeth asked.
