To Love Someone (Baytown Boys #14) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,73

swipe at her milk mustache before he kissed her.

They sipped their coffee in silence, both keeping an eye on Frodo as he adapted to his kitten-sitting duties with great dignity. Thoughts began swirling through Samantha’s mind, and she chewed on her bottom lip. Joseph stopped the motion when he reached over and gently pressed his thumb against the abraded flesh.

“What’s on your mind, Samantha?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to deny that her thoughts were as tangled as the bedsheets, but she knew if she didn’t give voice to her concerns, it would be hard to accept Joseph fully into her life. She sucked in a deep breath, let it out slowly, then lifted her gaze to his face. “I loved that you shared about your grandmother. And I loved what you’ve spent time thinking about… why you made the choices you did. And I loved what we shared last night. It just seems that you made a lot of changes in a week, and I suppose I’m… well… I’m…”

“Doubting my sincerity?”

A touch of sadness seeped through his words, and she shook her head. “I never doubt your sincerity. I guess I just wonder what happens next. “

He clasped his hands together on top of the table and sighed. “I didn’t finish telling you everything I meant to tell you when I came over yesterday. I wasn’t sure how things stood with us, and I wanted to make that right. I didn’t come over here with the intention of seducing you or spending the night, but I can’t deny that this isn’t exactly where I want to be right now.”

He stood and took her hand, drawing her out of the bench. “Let’s take our coffee and walk to the beach. Frodo can have his run, and I’ll put the kittens into their carrier to take a nap.”

She nodded, and soon, they had walked over the dune and wandered along the shore, the early morning breeze blowing tendrils of hair out of her hastily made ponytail. They wandered silently for a few minutes, then he stopped and stared out over the bay.

“I gave my notice to Jason. I can still work a couple of weekend nights per month at the tattoo shop, but I won’t be driving the tow truck anymore.”

She blinked and jerked slightly but remained silent. His gaze was still on the water.

“I stopped by the shelter after I left your office last week. Your words struck a chord with me. About the kittens and was it fair to want to keep them if I was only going to end up leaving—”

“I shouldn’t have said that, Joseph,” she said, her hands snatching out to land on his arm. “It may have been well-intended, but it came out judgmental.”

He turned and faced her, covering her hand with his own. His gaze was intense as he peered down at her. “No, it wasn’t judgmental. You’re right. Absolutely right. I sat in the tow truck outside the shelter, just thinking. For the first time, I felt like I was somewhere where I had friends. Old friends and new friends. And I thought about the kittens in my apartment, how they had looked up at me with those big eyes in those tiny little faces, I knew I didn’t want to give them up. It wasn’t just them. It was you.”

She sucked in her lips, pressing down. She wanted to pepper him with questions but stayed quiet. He glanced out toward the water and then directed his attention back to her face.

“Everything about you called to me. You are everything good in this world, Samantha. Caring, dedicated, smart, selfless. You are the antithesis of everything my parents are and what I want to be. I want more time with you. I… I want everything with you.”

Her breath rushed out, but she continued to remain silent.

“Sitting outside the shelter, thinking of you, I finally acknowledged that the desire to roam alone had left. I almost drove away but decided to go into the shelter to check it out.” He shrugged, still holding her gaze. “I know places like that run on shoestring budgets, and I wondered if they could use some help.”

“Oh, Joseph, I’m sure Betty would have appreciated it, but I just heard from Annette that she and her husband may have to move away. I have no idea what’s going to happen to the shelter now.” She watched as his lips curved slowly until a wide smile settled across his