as I reach the door. I wipe my hands on my apron and take in the sight before me.
Major holds a bouquet of peach-colored roses and a jug of milk, and he’s wearing a bright smile. The sky is still blue, the sun hasn’t set quite yet, and he brings with him a wave of heat that reaches from my toes to my core.
I’m breathless and suddenly overcome with emotion. Maybe it’s the throwback music, the sentimental meal, or maybe it’s him. Major Owens. A man I just met today but feel like I’ve known for a long, long time. He is familiar in a way I’ve been missing all my life.
“Can I come in?” he asks, handing me the flowers, “Don’t worry, my grandma got her roses earlier today, I grabbed these when I bought the milk.”
I smile, appreciating the clarification. “Come in.” I let my shoulders fall and let go of the breath I’ve been holding since I left Georgia. “You can stay as long as you like.”
Chapter Three
Major
She is cooking up a storm when I walk into her modest cottage. She’s got her hair in a pile on top of her head, a little red handkerchief holding it in place, and an apron is cinched around her waist. I want to tug on the stings, pull it off, but I know now is not the time for that. Right now, I have to win this girl’s heart because the moment I locked eyes with her in the garden center, she already had mine.
“What are you smiling about?” she asks, reaching for a vase in a cupboard. She’s on her tiptoes, and I get a good view of her backside.
“I’m just happy you let me come over. I wasn’t sure you would after you so easily rejected me earlier today.”
She turns, the glass vase in hand, and she leans against the counter. “About that… the moment you left the garden shop, I had instant regret.”
“Yeah?” I ask, stepping toward her. “And what did you find yourself regretting, Myra?”
She licks her lips. “Saying no when I really wanted to say yes.”
“Want to tell me why your first instinct is to deny yourself the good things in life?”
She lifts an eyebrow at me and sidesteps me to go to the sink, filling the vase with water. “And you’re the good thing in life I was missing?”
“I think so, sweetie.” I step behind her at the sink, taking a chance and finding an in. I set my hands on her hips. She stills. But I feel that fire inside of her. The desire rising up. She turns off the water, sets the vase on the counter, turns to me. We’re inches apart. I keep my hands on her waist, taking her in.
She lowers her chin, lifts her eyes, and I know she wants this as bad as I do. I pull her close, kissing her sweet lips and drawing her to my chest. She is a small, curvy thing in my arms and I won’t let go.
She whimpers ever so slightly beneath me, and I kiss her harder. Her lips part and our tongues collide, and fuck me now, this woman has me hard as rock.
“I want you… bad.”
She moans for more, and I lift her cute ass onto the counter, standing square between her knees, and I kiss Myra like my life depends on it. And I swear, in this moment, I think maybe it does. Kissing her is the new beginning I need, the fresh start. the new chapter — all that shit. It’s her. Us. And God, she kisses like an angel.
Then as quickly as it started, she pushes me away. “Oh no!” she shouts, leaping from my arms and off the counter. “Help!”
Myra
I can do a few things real well — one of them is kiss and another one is cook. The kissing, well, I know I made myself clear when Major made his move — but the cooking is up for debate as the oil in the fryer starts smoking.
“Open the door!” I shout to Major, reaching for the chicken in the fryer, and setting it on a plate to cool. I grab the biscuits from the oven, exhaling with relief as I find them still golden brown. “I thought I ruined supper.”
“Well, hell, sweetheart, I thought we were in real trouble,” Major chuckles.
I widen my eyes. “And you thinking burning biscuits isn’t real trouble?” I shake my head. “Major, you’ve got a few things to