The sound of their laughter echoed around her,easy and unguarded, and for a moment, she let herself enjoy it.
While she was grateful KC was teaching her how to defend herself, she was also thankful to be exhausted by the end of each day. The past two nights, she’d slept seven straight hours without a single nightmare. Waking up rested and clearheaded had surprised her more than anything.
As busy as their days were, the evenings moved at an easy pace. They took turns cooking and cleaning, talking long after dinner about nothing and everything. Somehow, she’d grown used to having him there. Comfortable. Almost as if they were a couple.
A couple who had never kissed… or even touched.
Not that she would mind.
No matter how much she tried to ignore it, the pull toward him was impossible to deny. More than once, she wondered what it would be like if he closed the distance between them—if he pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she forgot everything else. The thought alone made her pulse quicken.
But it didn’t matter.
The attraction felt one-sided. He hadn’t made amove or even hinted that he saw her that way. Other women might have taken that as a challenge, but Moriah had never been like that. She’d always been shy when it came to men. Even in her past relationships, she’d never been the one to take the lead.
And those relationships hadn’t lasted.
More than once, she’d been told she was too hesitant, too unsure of herself. One bad breakup, in particular, still lingered in her memory, leaving behind a sting she hadn’t quite shaken.
The truth was, she didn’t know how to take that first step, to read the moment, or act on it without second-guessing herself. The uncertainty kept her from trying at all.
She let out a quiet breath and stared into the distance.
KC was confident, capable… the kind of man who seemed to move through the world without hesitation. Someone like him would expect the same in return.
And she had no idea how to be that woman, even for a brief moment in time.
Thursday evening was warmer than it had been all week. Dinner was a delicious linguine primavera KC had made from scratch. When Moriah complimented him on it, she was surprised to see the tough-looking man blush. He might have been a little self-conscious, but she found it unexpectedly endearing.
Clearing his throat, he shifted the conversation. “It’s a beautiful night. Are you up for a walk on the beach after dinner? I always need to move around after eating pasta for some reason. The carbs, I guess.”
Not wanting the evening to end, she nodded, swallowing her bite and dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “Sure. That sounds nice.”
After dinner, he cleared the table while she handled the pots and dishes. As she worked, she couldn’t help noticing how easily they’d fallen into a rhythm. She’d never lived with any of her boyfriends and hadn’t shared a home with a man since her father left when she was young. It felt strange… but also comfortable.
Too comfortable.
Living under the same roof made her aware of him in ways she tried not to think about—the strength in his build, the breadth of his shoulders,the quiet confidence he carried. More than once, she’d caught herself wondering what it would feel like to reach out and touch him—her fingers tracing along his bicep or the roughness of the scruff along his jaw.
“Are you going to scrub the Teflon off that pan?”
She jumped at the sound of his voice directly behind her. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she quickly rinsed the pan and set it on the drying rack. “Sorry, I zoned out. Must be the carbs.”
Chuckling, he dropped the sponge into the sink. “Well, now that everything is clean, are you ready for a walk?”
“I think so. Just let me grab a sweatshirt in case it gets too cool before we get back.”
A few minutes later, they walked along the shoreline, where the waves slid up over the sand with the pull of the tide. The sky had darkened, though a faint ribbon of orange and gold still lingered in the west. The moon hung high above, casting enough light to guide their steps around scattered shells and the occasional piece of driftwood. Both were barefoot, their pant legs rolled to keep them from getting soaked as the cool water lapped at their feet. The sand beneath them was firm, making the walk easier thanfarther inland.
They strolled along the shoreline, talking about nothing in particular as they passed a few others out for the evening—joggers, a couple of surf Fischermen, and people walking their dogs. Suddenly, KC stopped and caught her arm, bringing her to a halt.
“Wha—”
“Look!” he said. “A shooting star.”
Following his gesture out over the dark ocean, Moriah spotted a streak of light racing across the sky. She watched, captivated, until it disappeared beyond the horizon.
Her breath came out in a soft rush. “Oh, my God. I’ve never seen a shooting star before. It was incredible.”
