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“You think so?” Emma looked down at her shoes again, still unsure about them.
“Yes, now come on. I left him in the front room.” Jess linked her arm through Emma’s, and they walked into the front room together.
Ted had sat down on the couch, and he sprang to his feet, the bouquet of flowers in his hand obviously picked from somewhere out on the ranch, and his smile just as brilliant as before. “Hey.”
“Here she is,” Jess said. “You two have fun.” She made a hasty exit, and Emma had never been more grateful for Jess.
“Hey,” she said, accepting the flowers from him. “Thank you, Teddy. These are beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice catching on the last syllable. He cleared his throat. “And I guess I’m going to have three people who call me Teddy, because I kinda like it when you say it.”
Emma leaned down and inhaled the flowers. “If it’s okay with you,” she said.
“It is.”
“Do you want to wait while I put these in water, or should we go?”
“Oh, I just picked them from along the river,” he said. “You don’t need to put them in water.”
“You looked like you had a great time with your mom.” Emma looked at him, a new level of vulnerability entering her system. She was sure he’d be able to see it in her eyes, and sure enough, he paused.
“It was a great day,” he said, letting his hand come close to hers. His fingers trailed over hers. “Do you see your family a lot?”
“Hardly ever,” Emma said. “I’m going to put these in some water.” She turned to go into the kitchen, but Jess appeared in the doorway, and she held a vase. Emma handed her the flowers with a murmured, “Thank you,” and turned back to Ted. She reached for his hand, and he secured hers in his.
She enjoyed the warmth of his skin, the strength in his fingers, and the thrilling zing that went up her arm and across her shoulders. “Ready?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He reached up with his free hand and slid it along the side of her face and around the back of her neck. “Well, almost.” He leaned down, hesitating.
She met his eyes, and she found fear in his. It pounded in her veins too. “I haven’t dated anyone in a decade,” she blurted.
“Neither have I,” he whispered. “But I really want to kiss you.”
Emma let her gaze drop to his mouth, and oh, she wondered what that beard would feel like against her face. What his lips would feel like against hers. She let go of his hand and slid it up his arm.
“Kiss me, then,” she said, and she smiled at him.
His lips curved up too, and he pulled in a long breath. Then he kissed her, matching his mouth to hers perfectly, as if he’d done it countless times before.
Emma had never been kissed with the level of care and tenderness with which Ted kissed her, and she felt herself being reborn.
