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Gareth’s brows rose. “You don’t?”
Aria shook her head. “My mom was only fifteen when she had me. Over the years, she refused to talk about her family or my dad. Even when she was dying, all she’d say was that I was better off without them all.”
“Have you ever thought about doing one of those DNA tests to see who might show up?”
Aria finished chewing the bite she’d taken. “I did take one, actually, but then I never followed through on the results. It kind of felt like it would be disrespecting my mom, since she obviously didn’t want me to know about any relatives.”
“Yeah, I get that,” Gareth said. “Though I’m just not sure I could handle the insane curiosity I’d have to know about that side of my family.”
“I asked Mom about it a lot when I was younger, and since she never budged on her position, I eventually just let it go.” Aria took a drink of her water. “I guess I’m also afraid of discovering things that will make me have more questions for my mom, only she’s not around to answer them for me. I think that would be harder for me to deal with.”
During the times they’d spent together already, they’d only talked about her mom briefly. He hadn’t broached her death specifically, though, and Aria hoped that he didn’t that night. The last thing she wanted to do was to start crying over their dinner.
Their server interrupted them, checking to see if they needed anything, and when the woman left, Gareth didn’t continue that direction of conversation. Someday she wanted to tell him about that horrible time, but not that night.
After the server returned a short time later with their dessert, Gareth reached out and rested his hand on the table, palm up. When Aria looked up at him, his expression was serious. She set her fork on the edge of her plate and moved her hand so that she could hold his.
“Since our first meeting, I have enjoyed the time I’ve spent with you,” he said, a small smile tipping up the corners of his mouth. “Whether we’re actually together or just talking on the phone.”
“I’ve enjoyed it too,” Aria assured him. She’d actually more than enjoyed it. She’dlovedtheir times together.
“All the times we’ve talked and shared stuff about ourselves has only reinforced the feeling that I want to be with you. I’d love for us to date exclusively.”
Until he said the words, Aria wasn’t aware of how much worry she’d carried that Gareth would decide that she wasn’t worth the effort of a relationship. She knew it was stupid, since Gareth had proven over the past several weeks that he actually enjoyed being with her. And everything he’d done for her that day had reinforced that.
Still, having him put his thoughts into words went a long way to soothing her worries.
“I want that too,” Aria said, unable to keep from smiling at Gareth as happiness spiraled through her.
“We still need to keep things professional at work, of course. But I want to hold your hand outside of work hours. I want to hug you when I see you. I want people to know that we’re together.”
Emotion welled up inside Aria. Gareth could have had any woman, and yet, he wanted to be with her. She didn’t know how to put her feelings into words. How to share the overwhelming love she had in her heart for him.
Of all the things she’d hoped to gain in coming to Serenity Point, a man like Gareth had never even been on her radar.
When they finished their meal, Gareth paid for it, then they left the restaurant. Aria took Gareth’s hand, enjoying his nearness as they walked through the chilly evening to his car.
The drive back to the house seemed to go by a lot faster than the one to the restaurant had. Or maybe it was just that she didn’t want the evening to end.
When he pulled up to the house, Aria looked over at Gareth. “Thank you so much for this evening. This whole day, actually. It’s been wonderful.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” he said with a smile. “That was my goal.”
“You definitely achieved it.”
She wished she could see him more clearly, but they weren’t sitting close enough to the streetlamps to have the interior of the car illuminated.
Gareth reached out, running his fingers along her cheek. Aria couldn’t keep from pressing into his touch. When Gareth shifted closer, leaning across the console between them, her heart began to pound.
But then he paused, and Aria realized he was waiting for her to make the final move. To be the one to initiate their first kiss. This close, she could see him a bit better. The strong outline of his features. She let her fingers drift along the firm edge of his jaw.
She wanted this physical connection with him to go along with the emotional connection they were already building. This man was everything she’d never known she wanted in a man.
Leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his. Lightly at first, then with a little more pressure. She slid her hand around the back of his neck as he returned her kiss.
Though she’d obviously kissed a man before, this felt different. Momentous. Precious. The start of something more than she’d ever experienced before.
When their kiss ended, Aria moved back from him slightly. Words hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she held them back. The feelings were too new, and she wasn’t sure about giving voice to them yet. About setting them free into the world.
