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I don't say a word before hopping into my car, but to my surprise, Deacon jumps into my passenger seat, shuts the door, and shakes himself off. My hair is sticking to my forehead, and a strand is caught against the wet skin of my cheek. He reaches out to swipe it aside.
"Well, that was unexpected, wasn't it?"
All I can do is nod because my mind is blank. He's so close, and he smells so good. It's as if all my senses are heightened. The rain runs down the window panes in thick rivulets, and the world outside seems frozen, stopped in time, slowing my brain, givingme a moment. I try to make my thoughts come back, but they're fragmented, broken pieces that just skim the surface without connecting.
Without my permission, my gaze trails across his skin, the curve of his ear, the line of his jaw, moving with wet trails from the rain that slicked the back of his neck. Drips roll down his shoulders, and I stare intently at one that is trickling along the fabric of his white shirt. I'm distracted, watching it travel until suddenly, he reaches up and swipes away the droplets of water trailing down his chin.
My attention lingers on his mouth, a slight upturn in the corner, hinting at a ghost of a smile. His lips glisten from the moisture, and a single, long line of water traces over the fullness of the bottom one. I know what he tastes like. How good he is at kissing, the way his touch feels, and I want to feel it again.
Without thinking, I lean forward and press my mouth to his. He's soft, instantly responding to my kiss and fitting his mouth against mine. It starts slow. Soft kisses grow in intensity as our mouths get acquainted again, deep and heady.
Molding into me, sparks fly through my body, spurring me to shift closer so we’re pressed together. I thread my fingers through the short dark strands of his hair, holding him tight against me.
And then I realize what I'm doing and I jerk back. I stare at him in a mixture of horror and shock. What the heck just happened? Why did I do that? My thoughts are too wild, making me crazy.
He looks shaken, swallowing hard and leaning his head back against the seat. He keeps his eyes fixed on the water smearing down the window, not facing me.
For my part, I sit back and collect myself, brushing water away from my face and tucking stray strands of hair behind my ear. The silence is deafening, and my stomach is tight with anxiety.
"Shouldn't have done that," I mumble, chewing my lip. "I'm sorry."
He shakes his head but remains quiet for so long that I start to get nervous. Just when I think I can't take it, he clears his throat and sits up. "I'm glad you did, Harper. One of us had to."
It sends me reeling, and I frown in confusion. "What? I... I don't understand."
He shrugs, looking as puzzled as I am, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, I guess what I mean is, I didn't have the guts to do it, but I've been wanting to kiss you again for days. I haven't been able to get my head on straight since the first time. This last week has felt like torture, Harper, because you've only gotten more enticing.”
His gaze locks in on me. “Everything I learn about you is only more compelling, like the depth I keep seeing in your eyes. No one has ever challenged me like you do. And if I’m honest with myself, I like it. It’s exciting and keeps pulling me in."
The sincerity, the raw emotion on his face is genuine. He reaches out to touch my cheek, the pad of his thumb trailing over my skin, and I swallow at the intensity in his eyes.
"I didn't know what to do. I mean, I like you. I like your confidence and how great you are with Sasha. But I've had this fear holding me back. Fear that if we get too close, if I feel too much, everything will fall apart like it did with Kathy. If Sasha gets attached to you and we didn't work out, it would hurt her so much. Plus, I'm your boss, it didn't seem right to take advantage."
"Take advantage? I assure you, I only do what I want to do." I say with a grin.
"Now that is one thing I know to be true." He leans his head against mine, tracing my jawline with his fingers. I shiver at his touch. He continues around to my back, his hands traveling upand down until he find the slightest amount of exposed skin where my shirt clings to me from the rain.
He spends the next few minutes there, caressing gently but not pushing any further. With each moment, I feel my body relax more against his. I want to stay here forever but don't want the temptation to get to be too much because the longer he lingers, the more I melt inside.
I pull away slowly.
He cups my chin, "The only thing I can think to do is take this slowly so we can make sure we're really going in the right direction. Take our time, get to know each other so there's no guessing. That's what I want," he breathes. "Do you?"
"Yes," I say without a moment's hesitation. "Yes, that's what I want, too. We can keep things between us until we know this is really happening." I smile, my whole body warming as his face lights up. "Do you have to get back to Sasha right now?" I reach out, trailing a finger down his arm and delighting in the goosebumps that rise to meet my touch.
He catches my hand in his, and as he presses a kiss to my palm, his eyes roll up to look at me. "She's staying the night at my parents' house. What do you say we go on a proper date? Maybe a movie or something? Could I take you to dinner?"
The idea gives me chills, and I'm nodding before I can even think. "Sure. I'd like that very much. Let's get out of here. I can bring you back for your car later."
"Do we need to change first?" he asks as I start the engine. I look him over again.
"No, we'll dry. I know the perfect place to go. You will not be disappointed."
***
I choose the best diner in town, the only retro-fifties-themed cafe with green and red leather booths and black and white checkered floors in the entire state of Georgia. Red, glittery heart-shaped lanterns hang from the ceiling, and all the waitresses are dressed up in poodle skirts and old-fashioned blouses. They roll around on skates carrying trays of hamburgers and milkshakes. This was the place to be when we were kids, and still is today. It's one of my favorites. I can't think of a better spot to take him.
"This place hasn't changed a bit," Deacon says once we're seated. He glances down at the menu, taking everything in. "And neither has their menu, from the looks of it."
