Dan laughed, and for a while they just lay on the bed, cuddled and kissed, and swapped stories. He told her tall tales about the military that she genuinely couldn't tell if he was making up or at least exaggerating for effect, although he swore up and down they were true, like the guy who used to go out every time he could get off post to prospect for precious gemstones, and ended up filling his entire shipping allowance back to the States with what basically amounted to worthless gravel. ("Though he claimed it was uncut diamonds," Dan said.)
She talked about the diner, about serially nonpaying customers and the old guys who came in every Saturday morning and played checkers for hours at a corner table.
His presence was intoxicating, but the open door acted as a restraining influence. (Damn it, she thought, Dad was right.) They could keep track of the kids just by listening to the noise from the living room. She would have loved to rip his clothes off; just inhaling the scent of his skin made her dizzy. But there was also something special about taking it slow, learning about each other's lives as they learned each other's bodies. Between stories, they kissed, slow languid necking that sent her right back to those heady teenage days, when the world of dating was brand new and every gentle touch felt like a revelation.
It was a startling interruption when her phone buzzed. She sat up and checked it, and was astonished to see what time it was. Hours had passed as if they were nothing.
"Important?" Dan asked.
"It's Mrs. Hogan—Austin's friend's mom. She just texted to let me know that she dropped him off at my house." She took a deep breath and mustered a smile as she typed out a quick reply, then looked up. "I guess that this is my signal to head out for the evening. I'd be more comfortable if I don't leave him there alone too long."
Dan nodded. "I get it. Believe me. I could put the kids in the car and come along, if you want me to do a sweep of the neighborhood. I'm pretty sure Ben's on patrol out there later tonight."
"I don't think it'll be necessary. We'll be okay."
"Well, call then," he said. "To let me know you got home okay."
"I will," she said, deeply touched.
They kissed again, slow and lingering, until she knew she had to get on the road or she was never going to leave. She was going to be drawn down into his narrow bed, and she'd undo his jeans and he'd undo her bra and ... yeah. Right. On task, brain.
"I'd better get going," she murmured against his lips.
"Yeah," he said.
Neither of them moved. Then Paula grinned against his mouth, kissed him one more time, and rolled off the bed. She took a minute to make sure her sweater was straight and her hair was pulled back.
"What do I look like?" she asked.
"Amazing."
"I mean, do I look like I just spent hours necking with a guy?"
Dan laughed. He got up and carefully tweaked a curl behind her ear. "There. Perfectly respectable." He kissed the tip of her nose.
She looked up at him, at his laughing eyes and the quick flash of teeth as he grinned, and it hit her all at once with a force that made her knees wobble: I am falling in love with this man.
"You okay?" he asked, catching her elbow.
"Yes," she said faintly, and then a little more strongly, "Yeah, just ... a head rush." Though not from standing up. "Come on, let's go roll my rugrat into her winter gear."
Prying Lissy off the couch and away from the video game was difficult. Paula managed to get her up and moving by bribing her with a cookie, and the promise of another one once they were in the car. As soon as she was bundled into her winter gear, Lissy started yawning, so Paula suspected that they had timed it well.
"I'm glad they get along," she said, wrapped up in Dan's arms for a lingering goodbye while the car warmed up and Lissy sprawled on the floor in her unzipped coat and complained about being too hot. "They're acting almost like siblings, aren't they?"
"We had a little awkwardness in the beginning about sharing his horse with a girl, but he seemed to get over it as soon as they actually got on the same page."