help you learn exactly what it is that you like.” His voice turned deep and throaty.
“Oh my.”
“Oh yeah.”
“So, you’re going to make me happy?” She gave him a sly grin.
“I’m gonna give it my best shot, Short Stack.”
“Where do we start?”
“Where all good woodworking starts. By taking inventory.”
“Oh, so we’re working wood now?”
He angled her a sultry stare. “Did you ever doubt it?”
“What do you mean by ‘taking inventory’?”
“What kind of wood do you have? What kind of tools?” He ran the tip of his finger along her collarbone.
“That’s similar to kitemaking.” She canted her head, enjoying the way her body was heating up at his touch. “Especially when you’re a poor student and can’t afford the fancy kite cloth.”
“What’s the first thing you remember that made you truly happy?” Mike toyed with her hair.
“Honestly?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re gonna think I’m just buttering you up. But it was that moment on the beach when you helped me get my first kite in the sky. I was four or five, but what I remember most is wriggling with joy at the sight of it taking off. I laughed at that bright red kite in the sky and you were so encouraging. Clapping and laughing right along with me. You made me feel like I could do anything.”
“You can. You do.” His smile widened, and he stroked her cheek with his knuckle. “You were cute as a shiny penny.”
“What about you?” she said. “What’s the first thing that made you truly happy?”
“Puppy,” he said. “Lassie. A collie. Yes, I wasn’t very creative with names at three.”
“I do remember Lassie. You’d taught her a bunch of tricks. Aww, that’s so sweet. How come you don’t have a dog now?”
“I’ve got two in the backyard.”
“Darynda’s dogs.”
“She’s given them to me,” he said.
“What? Why?” Gia curled her legs up underneath her on the couch. “Those dogs are like her children.”
“Don’t say anything to your sisters, it’s their business to tell, but she and your grandmother want to live together. Helen plans to move into Darynda’s place and leave the Moonglow Inn to you girls.”
“And they told you this, but not us?”
“Are you feeling hurt?” he asked.
“A little.”
“C’mon, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a friend or a neighbor than family. And it just came out because I was looking after the dogs.”
Gia didn’t know how she felt about that. She’d resolved in her mind how she’d be the one to nurse her grandmother through everything.
“Don’t look so stricken.” He cupped her cheek. “It’s what they want. They’re pleasing themselves. Finally. You should do the same.”
“It’s not easy.” She played with the button on his shirt. “Letting go of a lifetime habit.”
“That’s where I come in.” One corner of his mouth quirked up and his eyes softened.
“How is that?”
“Helping you find out just what you want.”
God, he was saying all the right things. It felt so good being here with him. It felt inevitable. As if they’d been building toward this moment for years.
“In bed?” she asked.
“That’s a start.”
“What if we’re not good together like that?”
He reached out and rubbed her forehead with the pad of his thumb. “You worry too much.”
“Mike,” she said. “This is important. If things don’t work out in the bedroom, what will it do to our friendship?”
“Gia.” His thumb continued the rhythmic rubbing. “Stop worrying and just let yourself feel. Pay attention to what your body is telling you.”
Easy to say, really hard to do when her mind was spinning with all the ways this could go so wrong.
“Close your eyes,” he murmured.
Slowly, she let her eyelids flutter shut.
“Check your body. What are you feeling?”
“My heart is racing,” she admitted.
“Keep your eyes closed.” He took her hand and kissed her wrist, his mouth soft and damp against the throb of her pulse. “How about now?”
“My blood feels like liquid fire.”
“Is it uncomfortable?”
“Yes, but in the best way possible.”
“Can you sit with that feeling without analyzing it? Just feel it and accept it for what it is?”
Lust? Yeah, she could accept that, embrace it even.
“So now,” he said, tugging her into his arms again. “Talk kitemaking to me.”
She partially opened one eye and peeked at him.
He was smiling at her.
“Why?”
“Do you have any idea how sexy you are when you talk about kites?”
“Sexy? What do you mean?”
“I watched you all day from the pop-up store. Teaching those kids how to fly kites, you lit up like a Christmas morning. Your passion is exciting. Tell me about kiteflying.”