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“No, you don’t. I was a walking disaster.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You’re great, Tucker, and not just with Chloe. You’re great with the community, and your family, and my dad. It’s embedded in your DNA.”
“You think I’m great?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I think you’re pretty okay,” I say, cupping her jaw in my hands. I brush my thumbs along her cheekbones and tilt her face to mine. “Should we talk about that kiss earlier?”
“I don’t think we need to talk about it. I just think we need to do it more often.”
“Have I ever told you that I like the way you think?”
“Tucker, shut up and kiss me.”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I lower my mouth to hers.
This feels so surreal.
I’ve dreamed of being like this with Scarlett for so long. I’ve dreamed of kissing her and holding her. I’ve dreamed of what it would be like to feel her body pressed against mine. I never believed it would happen, and now that it has—and still is—I have to convince myself that it’s real.
I wrap an arm around her back and deepen the kiss. Her mouth slides over mine with lips that are soft yet confident. She lifts onto her toes. The press of her body against mine is delicious. As she pushes her fingers into my hair, she makes the sexiest sounds—moans and whimpers and murmurs that have my body vibrating with energy—and I want and need to get as close to her as I possibly can.
With one hand on the small of her back, I curl the other around the nape of her neck. I can’t get enough of her. My dreams were nothing compared to the reality of having her in my arms. We’re a frenzy of hands and tongues, searching and exploring and—
“Oh my God!” Scarlett squeals.
One minute, we’re kissing. The next, we’re being doused by ice-cold water. Scarlett laughs and holds up her hands. “When did my dad get sprinklers?”
“I installed them last summer,” I say, laughing at the situation.
We’re both soaked to the bone, but neither of us moves. She’s absolutely gorgeous. Her big eyes blink. Water drips from her eyelashes and her nose. The old Scarlett would’ve been pissed, but the woman in front of me—the woman she is today—looks carefree and happy, and not at all bothered by the wet mop on her head or the makeup running down her face.
“You should probably kiss me again before I have to go inside.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I close the small distance and kiss her. This time, our lips move in lazy, unhurried movements, slow and deep. After several long seconds, I feel her mouth smile against mine. We separate, and I lower my forehead to hers.
She touches her lips as though they’re still buzzing from our kiss and takes a step back. “We’re doing that again tomorrow, right?”
“Oh, yeah.” She pulls away and grins as she walks backward toward the front door of her father’s house.
“Good. That’s good.” Scarlett hops up the steps of her porch and stops with her hand on the front door knob. “Goodnight, Tucker.”
“Night, Scarlett.”
Her beautiful smile is the last thing I see before she slips through the front door. It’s impossible to keep from smiling as I turn and head back across our yards.
“Tucker?”
I turn around to find Alexis shutting the front door. She pulls the strap of her purse farther onto her shoulder and steps off the porch.
“Hey, Lexi. It was really nice of you to let Scarlett have the night off.”
“She deserved it. I didn’t realize you two were going to spend the evening together.”
“Neither did I. It was sort of last-minute.”
She nods and looks away for a beat before her eyes pull back to mine. “So, the two of you are a thing now?”
“You know…” I scratch my head. “I don’t really know what we are.”
“Well, judging by the lip-lock a second ago, you’re something.”
“You saw that, huh?”
“Couldn’t miss it. You two were practically humping in the front yard.”
I laugh. “That’s a little dramatic.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but I don’t want to see you get hurt, so I’m going to say it anyway. You need to be careful with her. Don’t get too comfortable.”
Her words leave a sour taste in my mouth for many different reasons. “She’s not going to hurt me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. This is temporary, Tucker. She’s here until Dad gets better. Her friends aren’t here, her home isn’t here, her life isn’t here.”
I know that she’s right, but I’ll be damned if Scarlett’s actions don’t speak differently. “I appreciate the concern, but I can take care of myself.”
“Of course, you can. I wasn’t trying to imply that you couldn’t, It’s just—you know what? Never mind.”
Lexi pulls her keys from her purse and unlocks her car.
