Here Comes Trouble Page 0,115

laugh.” He pulled her up into his arms so her feet barely touched the ground, and kissed her mouth, then the tip of her nose, and as he let her slide back down his body—making them both suck in a quick, shuddering gasp—he kissed her forehead, too. It should have felt patronizing, or…something. But it was endearing and sweet and made her feel a little…cherished. Which might have been silly, but there it was anyway.

“Amazed at…?” she led, knowing she shouldn’t fish like that, so blatantly, but she’d been giving a lot of thought to what he’d said before, about staying, about finding something that had sparked his interest—beyond just a fling with the local innkeeper.

And she’d dared, on occasion, when she couldn’t shore up her defenses well enough, to think about what it would be like. If he stayed. And the picture that painted was too good, too perfect, too…exactly what she wanted most, to allow herself to wallow around in it. Staying in the moment, and enjoying it, were one thing. Planning a future with a guy who had no mapped-out future…not so smart.

“What’s amazing is this. You. Us.”

There’s an us? she wanted to ask. Which sounded obtuse, for, as far as she knew, there wasn’t anyone else and they clearly were voluntarily staying connected to one another.

“I won’t lie to you, Kirby. I’ve never felt this before. That kind of instant connection. And time is going on, and it feels so new and fantastic, but also like I’ve been right here, in this place, with you, forever. It’s that comfortable. And comforting.” He laughed again, but it was with a definite self-deprecating edge. “You’re probably wondering how in the hell to tell me that it’s just a fling for you. And tell me, Kirby, if that’s what this is. Or all it can be, for you.” He tipped her chin back up, lowered his mouth again. “And tell me soon. Because I’m falling here. And I really, really like where I’m landing.”

Her heart started pounding so hard she didn’t know if she’d survive it and another passionate kiss from him. She felt like it was going to pound right out of her chest. “I—” She broke off, and his mouth hovered just above hers. In that split second, she wanted to pour out all the confusing and wonderful and terrifying feelings she was developing for him. After all, hadn’t he just handed her the perfect opening, backed up with his own admission? What more did she want? A guarantee her heart wasn’t going to be decimated a week from now? A month? A year?

Half her head was telling her to backpedal, to buy more time, to see where things were going when they weren’t all caught up like this. Problem was, they were always caught up like this. Even when they were two floors, or half a town, apart. This…connection, between them, existed all the time. Which was why half of her heart was telling her to jump, take the risk, what the hell.

“There isn’t a thing I’d trade, or change, about this.” Except maybe being more certain about where it was going. And that it was going. But she didn’t say that part.

His smile stayed, but his gaze took on a more probing look as he used his powers of people reading to look deep into hers. It should have unnerved her, used to. Not so much anymore, she realized. She liked that he got her, that he didn’t have to ask a million questions, or just guess. He looked at her. And he knew. It was a little daunting. But it was also a huge relief. Because then she didn’t have to find the words.

“You’re not sure of me, are you,” he said, not making it a question. “I understand that. I do. But if that’s all you’re worried about, come with me. Up into those hills. I have something I want to show you, something I want to ask you. And maybe then you’ll see that I’m not a man of flowery speeches and given to jumping on a whim. But know this, Kirby Farrell. I am a man who takes his time figuring things out when the hand’s not clear…but when he knows that what he has is a winner, he totally goes for broke.” Then he grinned again, and that light was fully back in his eyes. “And when I play like that, I pretty much always win.”

He leaned down and took