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The bell dinged above the door and the man she’d just been fantasizing about walked in.
Sebastian Savage was in the building.
* * *
Fuck. Kennedy was a sight for sore eyes. It had only been twenty-four hours since Seb had seen Kennedy at the hospital, but he couldn’t believe how much he’d missed her in that time. Last night when he’d laid in bed to go to sleep, he’d felt an ache in his body that had nothing to do with the accident or his recovery. He was in physical discomfort because he missed Kennedy.
When he’d stayed the night at her house, falling asleep with her in his arms had been better than any pain management he’d had. Her effect on him was more potent than opioids and he feared just as addictive.
As he walked toward her, the tilted axis of his world straightened. Everything aligned when he was near her. She balanced all the darkness in his world with her bright shining light.
Today, her honey blonde hair was worn down, framing her sweetheart face. She was wearing a black V-neck Snack Shack t-shirt that revealed just a hint of cleavage and a smile that lit up the room.
As he approached the counter, she raised her hand in her trademark awkward wave.“Hi!”
“Hey, Laura asked me to drop these off.” He pulled out the paperwork she’d given him when he’d taken his mom to visit her at the hospital this morning. “She said it’s for the inventory.”
“She’s not supposed to be working.” Kennedy sighed and took the folder. “How’s she doing? How are the babies?”
“Good. Apparently, they’re both really good sleepers. The nurses were talking about how lucky they were.”
“That’s great. I wanted to go see them, but I think my allergies have turned into a sinus infection. I don’t want to sneeze on the babies.”
“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.” Seb put his hands in his pockets, not trusting himself to leave them free.
All he could think about was wanting to come over the counter and kiss Kennedy. She had the most kissable lips. He’d thought that before, but now he had proof. He knew what those soft lips felt like against his, runny nose or not.
Her phone, which was on the counter being charged, rang. She picked it up then silenced it. As she put it back down, he saw the name on the screen. Dan (Conference).
Of course, Dan (Conference) would be calling to see her again. Who wouldn’t? But Dan hadn’t spent the night with her. Dan wasn’t the one who was buried deep inside of her.
“Did you need to take that?” he asked.
“No.” She shook her head.
He wanted to tell her he knew it was Dan who had called. He wanted to tell her that she shouldn’t see him again. He wanted to tell her that even though he might not have a college degree or a job right now, they definitely had the want-to-rip-each-other’s-clothes-off chemistry working for them.
But he didn’t. He knew that wasn’t fair. They’d been clear about what the expectations were from the night that they’d spent together.
I’m not asking for forever, just for tonight.
That’s what she’d said.
The bell dinged and Seb looked over his shoulder and saw two young women walk inside. He stepped to the side so that Kennedy would be able to help them. Before she was done, a group of ten people who looked like they’d been out on the boat came in. After them, a family of five.
“Do you want me to stay and help?” he asked as she grabbed two cookies from one of the shelves in the display case.
“No, I’m good. Ricky will be here soon.”
He hated leaving her, but he wasn’t sure how much help he would have been. She seemed to have things under control. As he walked up the stairs to his apartment, he thought about his game plan for the evening.
Shower. Paint. Ice his back. Go to sleep. Don’t think about Kennedy.
The first four things were no brainers, the last one…not so much.
18
Kennedy pulledup in front of Laura’s house and saw that there were balloons and a banner over the garage welcoming her and the twins home. A tear filled her lower lids as she sniffed back emotion.
