NYU in September, we went to this great deli on Carmine Street in the West Village,” Tara said, as she gathered plates and utensils. “Got myself a fully loaded bagel when I was there. Why did you deprive me of this delicacy? Definitely a Mom Fail.”
Jane squeezed her eyes shut and processed the reprimand. A Mom Fail. Wow. “I am chastened.”
Danny turned away and put his focus on petting the dog who hadn’t left his side since he’d walked in. She could see, based on the way his shoulders were shaking, that he was laughing. Hard. This was becoming a regular occurrence.
“I’m so glad you’re amused by this.”
He drew a breath and turned around, his face as red as a beet. Jane couldn’t even muster the tiniest bit of annoyance because, while she should be mortified that he’d dropped in with all of them in their pajamas, she wasn’t. She liked him here, in her kitchen…hell, she liked him in her life. His presence had added a little more fun to their morning, and all he’d done was show up with bagels and fixings.
And, she almost forgot, a bag from the bakery.
“What’s in there?” she asked, pointing to the Sweet Chemistry bag.
“Oh, this?” he held it up, teasing. “Nothing.”
“What’s in there?” She took a step toward him, and then another. Danny was grinning at her adorably, and Jane’s insides shook again in a way that was becoming all too familiar. Why did he have this effect on her? And how was she going to get through dinner without becoming as sloppy as a bowl of cranberry jelly?
He held out the bag, letting it dangle on one finger. He was such a tease. Jane reached out to take it and in response, he raised the bag over her head. Was that how this was going to go? “Give me the bag, please?”
He lowered it just a little, then pulled it up when she went for it a second time. “Ha,” he teased.
“Are you kidding me?” Now Jane was annoyed. “Give it.” She still couldn’t do much more than touch the bottom of the bag when she went up on her toes, so she jumped. It was just a little hop, ridiculous at that, but it didn’t stop her from trying again. If she needed proof that she wasn’t any more coordinated than she used to be, Jane stumbled when she came down from her pathetic attempt to overcome their height differences.
Michael Jordan, she was not.
If Danny’s arm hadn’t come around her at just the right moment, she would have landed on her ass. Instead, she was pulled against his solid chest, where she was able to feel his steadiness, his heat, and his delicious maleness.
“You’re twelve,” he whispered in her ear. “You do know that, right?”
He was big, just the right size to tuck her against him, and he smelled of the chilly salt air and of sweat. Clean, but musky, it was there, pressed into him that she could appreciate how well she fit. How much she didn’t want to move away.
Her body melted into his and she tried not to react to the little tremor of awareness. She wanted to cling to him, and to sink into his strength. She knew Danny was temporary in her life, but at this moment she didn’t care.
He looked down at her, amusement spreading across his face. “Nice pajamas.”
“Thank you. I like to keep things festive. You’re welcome to wear yours later.”
Narrowing his eyes, he considered her proposal, before shaking his head. “I don’t think so.”
“No? Not your style?” Her blithe tone was meant to keep him off guard, but it wasn’t working. He was still grinning at her like he could read her mind.
It was very possible he could. Jane had determined she had no guile.
He didn’t seem too keen on letting her go, but once he came to his senses and realized they weren’t alone, he released his hold and stepped back.
He passed her the bag, never losing eye contact. “I brought dessert for later. The bakery is only open until noon, so I thought I’d pick it up early and bring it by. Apple tarts, a selection of pastries, including the pumpkin pie squares, and a chocolate mousse pie.”
“Ohh. I love the chocolate mousse pie,” Jane said, folding her hands as if in prayer.
“I heard that someplace,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. When Jane looked up, a grin just barely ticked up the corner of