“Hmm. You need a good reason, huh?” At first, I’m confused. But I quickly realize she’s playing a flirty little game with me. Her grin is coy as she bats her lashes. I decide to play along.
“How about the lavender?” I suggest.
“Yes. I love the lavender. But I’m not sure it’s worth packing up my life in Atlanta and moving to the country.”
“Peanut butter and strawberry jam?”
“Yes. Also, one of my favorites.” She sighs dramatically and lifts her brows. “But probably not a good enough reason to leave my sister. Besides, I can buy both at my local store.”
“I know. Frankie and Earl. They’re the perfect reason to move here permanently,” I laugh.
She laughs too. A part of me wants to draw this fun little game out, but the other part feels like if I don’t tell her the truth now, I’ll never have the chance again. I can’t risk her disappearing right before my eyes. I decide to be completely honest with her.
“Madison, how about this?” I lean both my forearms on the table and reach for her hands. “I’d love for your face to be the last thing I see before I shut my eyes at night and the first thing I see when I open them in the morning. Would you like that too?”
Her answer is but a whisper, her poignant gaze landing on mine.
“Yes.”
My heart hammers in my chest. I feel like I just ran too fast toward the edge of Pine Mountain and have to catch myself before I fly off the ridge. I don’t say anything as a substantial silence settles over the kitchen.
Completeness.
I bring one of her hands up to my lips and place a chaste kiss on her knuckles. I watch her for a moment, trying to remember every detail: the sweep of her lashes. The dimple in her cheek from her satiated smile.
How did I get here? How does someone like me deserve a woman like Madison?
I hold her gaze and admire her breathtaking beauty. There’s a hint of mirth in her bright eyes as she coyly smiles back at me.
Bringing her hand up to my mouth again, I kiss the center of her palm. The pulse-point of her wrist. The flawless skin ofher forearm. Her breath hitches with each area I explore with my lips.
“I really want to be different with you.” I stop my kissing trail and trace the swell of her cheek with my thumb.
“Be yourself, George. That’s all I ask.”
I pull her forward and capture her mouth in a deep kiss, warmth spreading through my core. I trace my nose across her neck, breathing her in like one of my favorite flowers.
“Did that really just happen?” I question, images of twisted sheets surrounding her naked body coming to mind.
“Yes.”
She stands and wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me close. I’m shirtless, and the feel of her warmth pressed against my bare shoulders tilts my axis. I wipe my fingertips under my eyes and try to control my breathing.
“You’re trembling,” she whispers.
“No, I’m not.”
She totally calls me out, but I’m too afraid to admit it. The tension in my body mounts, heat gathering like a summer storm. I want to bottle up this moment with her, too afraid to let go.
But I know I’ll have to at some point soon. Madison has a home in Atlanta and a sister waiting for her return. What will happen to us now that we’ve crossed over from friends tolovers? I press my eyes shut and will myself to silently count to ten. I need to focus on the present. Remain unruffled. Composed. Unemotional.
At least I’ve been honest with her.
A moment later, she kisses the top of my head and takes our cups to the sink. She’s dressed in one of my old tees and gym shorts. My clothes have never looked better.
I realize it took me a long time to find her, yet she came exactly when I needed her.
“I’ll be right back. I heard the buzzer go off on the dryer. I need to check on my clothes.”
