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“I guess that’s something else to add to the list for when we sit down with the therapist.”
Kyle’s lips twitched. “At this rate we’re going to keep her busy for years.”
* * *
The next morning, Melody showed up at his house a little after ten in the morning with coffee and bagels. Kyle was feeling groggy as he let her in. He hadn’t gotten out of Club T’s until nearly five. There’d been some plumbing issues in the men’s bathroom that he’d stuck around to oversee.
Melody handed him a coffee. “You look tired. Rough night?”
“I don’t get how Trent can do this day in and day out. I don’t think I’m cut out to oversee a nightclub.”
“Just party in one?”
“That’s different. When I get tired I get to go home.”
She laughed at him. It was good to see her infectious smile light up her eyes. Kyle resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and steal a kiss. Day six they got to have sex. He wasn’t sure how Melody was feeling about it, but after not being with her for three months, he was fairly certain the anticipation was going to kill him.
But first he had to get through day five’s connection exercise: forehead-to-forehead breathing for five to twenty minutes. Kyle had no idea what was supposed to happen.
“You don’t look ready to do this.” She headed into the kitchen and pulled his favorite cinnamon-and-sugar bagel out of the bag and began preparing it for him with slathers of honey cream cheese. “Good thing I brought sustenance.”
“I’ll be fine after a dose of caffeine and sugar.” He noted a certain edge to his voice put there by sexual frustration. She gave him an odd glance.
“We can postpone until later.”
“No.” He took the plate she offered him and sat down at the breakfast bar. The moan that came out of him after his first bite made her chuckle. “I haven’t had one of these in months.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s something you and I do together and it’s no fun without you.”
His words surprised her. “You only eat bagels with me?”
“These particular bagels, yes. We found them together that morning we went for a run and you twisted your ankle.”
“You carried me to the bagel place.”
“We ate these.” He held up the bagel, remembering how he’d kissed the loose sugar and cinnamon off her lips. “I don’t think anything has ever tasted so good.”
It was that moment he’d known she was the one. He’d never told her that. Nor did he speak up now. It wasn’t the right time. They were starting to find each other again, but the journey was far from over.
They sat in silence eating, each lost in their own thoughts. A few minutes later he noticed her fidgeting. Did she have somewhere to go? Someone to meet? Kyle ruthlessly banished the thought.
“I think I’m awake enough to begin,” he said, sliding off the barstool and holding his hand out to her. “Shall we get started?”
“The instructions said we’re supposed to do this exercise for anywhere from five to twenty minutes. What do you think?”
“Being that it’s our first time, I think we should try for ten minutes. Five doesn’t seem to be enough and twenty seems way too long.”
“You don’t think you could sit still with me for twenty minutes?” She shot a mischievous glance at him from beneath her lashes.
“I’m pretty sure neither one of us is good at sitting still.”
She gave up with a sigh. “You may be right.”
They decided to try the exercise while sitting on the couch. Melody kicked off her shoes and took a few seconds to get comfortable. Once they were facing each other, the awkwardness kicked in. Kyle made no attempt to secure her gaze and noted that Melody was making eye contact with his shoulder.
“We’re supposed to set a timer, aren’t we?” she asked, pulling out her phone. “Something soothing.”
