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“That sounds great, Mrs. Russell.”
“Maybe you should take Breck to your room, Caitie. I’ll be in and out of here as I finish getting dinner ready. I don’t want to disturb you.”
Two red spots formed on Caitie’s cheeks. The thought of taking Breck to her room made her feel like she was fifteen years old again. “Oh, yeah, okay.”
When they got there, Breck leaned on her old desk, still looking at her with those hot, dark eyes. “This room looks exactly how I remember it.”
“That’s because it hasn’t changed in years. I’ve hardly been here over the last decade. I guess Mom didn’t want to empty it out without me here to guide her.”
“I feel seventeen years old again.” Breck shifted on his feet. “Like I’m up to no good.”
“You’re always up to no good.”
His grin was so sexy it made her want to run at him. “That’s a true story.”
“I got your card this morning. Thank you.” She pointed at the windowsill, where she’d propped it up. “You must have been up late last night.”
“I got you a present, too.” He took a small rectangular package from his pocket. It was wrapped in the gaudiest, cheesiest paper she could imagine. Reindeers and Santas playing in the snow. “I hope you like it.”
Her hand shook as she took it from his grasp. His fingers lingered on hers, as though he was as reluctant as she was to break the connection. Finally, he pulled back. “Open it,” he said, his voice thick and deep.
Sh
e pulled at the clear tape, tearing it loose from the paper. Whatever it was inside, was small and light. No bigger than a cellphone. Unwrapping the paper, she watched it fall to the floor, revealing a thick white iPod. The old kind she hadn’t seen in years.
“You got me this?” she asked, feeling confused. “Where did you find it?”
“Craigslist,” he said. “It’s not exactly the same as the one you gave Daniel, but it’s close enough.”
She touched the wheel on the front, making the screen flicker to life. That’s when she saw the playlist. Song for song, it was the exact same as the one she’d made all those years ago. Starting with Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah.
Her eyes shone as she looked at him. “Should I play it?” she asked. “I’ve got some speakers here.”
Breck nodded. A moment later she plugged it in and cued up the music. The first notes rang out of the speakers, soft and melancholy. That’s when Breck touched her for the first time, taking her hands in his and pulling her flush against him. Curling the fingers of one hand around her palm and sliding the other onto her waist, he began to move her in time to the music.
Caitie closed her eyes, resting her face against his shoulder. She could feel his lips against her head, soft and gentle. Everything about him made her heart ache.
“I missed dancing with you at the wedding,” he whispered, as he pulled her closer still. “I missed doing everything with you. I can’t be without you anymore.”
“What did you do that day?”
“I paced the bungalow, a lot. Shouted at my reflection. I even thought about going for a run. But nothing helped. It didn’t mean a thing without you, Cait. Please let me in. Give me another chance. You’re all I can think about.”
They were moving in circles around her bedroom, their bodies tight against each other as they swayed. Everything about the moment felt perfect, from the painfully sweet song to the way he was touching her.
It was then Caitie knew. It wasn’t about fear, it was about overcoming it. About laughing in the face of the things that kept her awake at night. About trusting the person her heart yearned for.
“I missed you, too,” she whispered into his shirt.
Breck tipped her head up, pressing his lips to hers. His breath was soft and warm. She slid her arms around his neck, her fingers brushing against his hair. He kissed her hard, his tongue sliding against hers, his hands digging into her hips until she could feel exactly how excited she made him.
Everything in her world revolved around that kiss. As he slid his hands down further, pulling her in, her mouth dissolved into his. The sensation of him against her was making her needy. She was a moment away from dragging him onto her bed.
“Cait,” he moaned, her kisses swallowing his words. “Cait, you’re driving me crazy.”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
“If you don’t stop grinding against me, I’m gonna do something we’ll both regret.”
