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She nods. “I’m pretty sure your mom tried setting us up,” she says, echoing my thoughts.
I wish I could say I was surprised.
“Why did you stay?” If I hadn’t seen her, I would have left. I’m curious why she didn’t do the same.
She shrugs. “I figured I might as well make some new friends while I was here.”
When I get home, my mom and I’ll be having a conversation about minding her business as far as Marlow is concerned.
“I hate to break it to you, sunshine”—I take a step toward her—“but none of those men wanted to be your friend. They were far more interested in taking you home.” Just the idea of her spending the night with another man causes a burning sensation in my stomach.
Her mouth forms a perfect O at my assessment.
“It’s not surprising… considering you were the most beautiful woman in that room.”
“You can’t say things like that,” she whispers.
Maybe it’s the full moon, or the romantic glow of the town square twinkling with golden lights. Maybe I’m lonely and she’s just too tempting. Whatever the reason, I can’t stop myself from rasping out, “Why not? It’s the truth.”
Marlow takes a step back, bumping into the side of her car. I pause for a beat, debating if I should walk away.
Fuck it.
I close the distance between us, placing my hands on the roof, caging her in. The tension is thick in the air as I lift my hand and trace her lips with the pad of my thumb. Her breathing picks up, and her eyes fill with desire. She’s utterly irresistible.
“Dylan, what are you doing?” she murmurs.
“Thinking about what it would be like to kiss you,” I say softly.
It’s not the first time. I imagine she tastes like strawberries and pink lemonade, sparking my curiosity to test my theory.
She remains still as I cup her jaw, caressing her cheek. Her pupils grow wide as I lean in to brush my lips against hers in teasing strokes, refraining from outright kissing her. Her hands land on my hips, gripping me. The touch sparks a flicker of desire that ignites within me like a wildfire.
Her mouth is wickedly tempting, inviting me in for a proper taste. I’m seconds away from caving in when the sound of a door closing nearby shatters the bubble surrounding us.
“Shit, I’m sorry.” I step back.
Marlow blinks rapidly, releasing a deep breath before turning and opening her car door, in a daze.
“It was a terrible error in judgment, that’s all,” she rushes out. “I got caught up in the moment when you called me beautiful. And then you looked at me with that ridiculous smoldering gaze of yours, and I fell under your spell.” She holds her hand up to stop me when I try to get closer. “But I’m over it now, so you can stay right where you are.”
God, she’s adorable when she rambles.
More than anything, I want to tell her she’s wrong, and convince her to admit that she wanted that kiss as much as I did. But she’s already nervous, and I can’t risk losing her because of my selfish desires. Lola loves having her as a nanny, and I can’t do anything else to put that in jeopardy.
“You’re right. I got caught up in the moment, and I apologize if I made you uncomfortable,” I say as I rake my hand through my hair.
She nervously chews on her lower lip. “Like I said, it was a lapse in judgment on both our parts,” she reiterates. “Listen, it’s getting late, so I better go.” She hops into the driver’s side of her Jeep.
“Yeah, okay, see you on Monday.”
She gives me a small wave before driving off. I’m left standing alone on the curb, the scent of her strawberry lipstick lingering in the air.
Without a doubt, Marlow Taylor is a genuinely good person. She’s thoughtful, kind, generous, and always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need.
I’ve spent so long avoiding emotional connections out of fear of getting hurt, and Marlow is the first person aside from Lola who’s made me truly feel in the past six years.
She’s slowly chipping away at my resolve without even trying, which might explain my impulsive reactions tonight. My physical attraction paired with the emotional pull toward her is an explosive combination, leaving me to question what would have happened if she hadn’t stopped me from kissing her tonight.
