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I dressed quietly, not wanting to wake her, and headed to the kitchen to start coffee and make breakfast. I never made women who stayed over breakfast. I usually went out to grab something, or we’d go out to brunch. But Riley felt different from the start.
I wanted her in my space. Maybe it was because we knew each other. Or maybe it was something else.
I made pancakes while the coffee brewed and had a few stacked on a plate before Riley padded into the kitchen. I let out a breath when I noticed she wore my T-shirt from last night and nothing else.
Seeing her nipples through the soft cotton, I cleared my throat and asked, “Are you hungry?”
She brushed her hair out of her face. “You didn’t have to make me breakfast.”
I set a plate in front of her on the island. “I wanted to.”
I wanted to spoil her.
She slid onto the seat, and I wondered if she wore any panties. Fuck. I needed to get myself under control.
Riley’s life wasn’t her own. She probably needed to get home and take care of her daughter. There’d be no more sex or all-night marathons.
I understood she had responsibilities, so why did I suddenly feel so empty? I’d always prided myself on not having any commitments other than work. I didn’t want to be tied down, so why was I longing for something she had— family, a life, meaning beyond her work?
“I don’t even know what you do,” I murmured as I poured syrup over my stack of pancakes.
“I’m a realtor.”
I raised a brow. I knew that was tough with kids.
Apparently, she got my meaning because she continued, “It’s doable with a kid. Sometimes I have to work at night, but I have my brother and his wife to help out.”
She was a business owner like me. We had that in common. We worked when we had to, and the rest of our life fit into the openings. The only difference was her life was there, and mine was in Annapolis. I wasn’t sure why I was thinking about a future when we hadn’t even discussed it as a possibility. In the light of the day, I didn’t regret anything, and I didn’t want to say goodbye.
“What are your plans for today?”I asked, knowing realtors tended to work on the weekends.
She smiled softly. “There’s a harvest festival in town.”
Chestertown was just across the river, a short car ride over the bridge.
I nodded outside. “It looks like it’s going to clear up.”
It was still partially cloudy, the current strong with remnants of the storm system that came through last night.
“Do you think—” I wanted to ask if I could join her, but that would be inappropriate.
She cut a small bite of pancake and ate it thoughtfully. “I’m picking up my daughter this morning. My brother and his wife will join us.”
“That sounds nice.” I couldn’t remember ever attending a festival in town. I participated in Annapolis events purely as a business owner.
She tipped her head to the side. “Are you planning on checking it out?”
“I didn’t even know something was going on. I usually just hang around here and fish. I’ll probably get takeout later.” The plans that had me excited to come for the weekend suddenly felt stale.
“That sounds lonely.”
I sighed. “I never thought so before.”
Riley smiled. “Am I making you rethink your life decisions?”
“Maybe a little.” I didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t happy. I probably hadn’t been in a long time. I did what was expected of me. I went to the Shops on Main meetings, the group for local business owners, and grabbed a beer after. But I wasn’t overly friendly. I didn’t seek people out.
“You should come.” Her eyes filled with excitement, and I knew it wasn’t an empty invitation.
