Perfect Night (Mason Creek #4) - Terri E. Laine Page 0,40

she said, dodging an answer.

“And I accepted. I’d like to know why you were so angry with me.”

She shifted her gaze to the ground. I put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet my eyes. “Tell me.”

She sighed. “I saw you…”

I didn’t force her to finish. I had my answer. “If you’d watched a second longer, you would have seen me setting the record straight with Darcy. There is nothing there for you to be jealous about.”

The innocent way she looked at me and then bit her lip, broke me. I leaned down and captured her mouth in a kiss that was a long time in the making.

When she looped her arms around my neck, I walked her back to a wall and pressed into her softness.

My cock responded and I pulled back before she felt the evidence of my arousal. She looked as crestfallen as I felt.

“We have all the time in the world. I’m a patient man and I plan to do this right. When I have you for the first time, there will be no doubt between us as to where we stand. You will belong to me and no other man.”

I glanced down at the ring she still wore on her finger despite her claims of breaking up with him.

“I don’t belong to him. I wear the ring because it’s easier than answering a lot of questions from the busy bodies in town. Evan doesn’t want the ring back, but I will give it to him.”

I didn’t blame her about the gossip. “We can do this your way for now. Slow and steady and out of the prying eyes of the town. Agreed?” A shy smile warmed her mouth as she bobbed her head yes. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“You’re leaving?” she asked.

“If I stay, it’s going to be fast and hard and there’s nothing wrong with that,” I said. “But I promised slow and steady, which I’m neither at the moment.”

Her robe slipped, giving me a naked view of a strip of skin from between her breast down to the tie belted at her waist. It was going to be a long night.

I tipped my head with fingers on the brim of my hat and left. I couldn’t risk kissing her again. What I did know that she didn’t, was that she was mine. I dared any man, including her ex, to prove me wrong.

And damn if I wouldn’t be tested in the very near future.

Chapter 19

Emma

Had that really just happened? I kissed Aiden Faulkner. Why did I feel like a schoolgirl that needed to call her best friend and share?

“Jessie, I know it’s late, but I need to talk to you,” I said when she answered. “Promise you won’t tell anyone, not even Miles.”

“What, that you had your father’s body exhumed? When were you going to tell me?”

I sucked in a breath because for a moment, I’d forgotten. “You heard?”

“A few people are wondering. I don’t think it’s big news yet. Some think the grave is for Old Man Collins.” He was the guy that had passed a day before they’d come for my father.

“It’s my dad. I’m getting an autopsy.”

She was quiet. “I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry you had to do that.”

“Me too. But I need answers.”

“I get it. But that isn’t why you called, is it?”

“No.” I had to push the sadness back.

“Is it about Aiden?”

“I kissed him, rather he kissed me,” I blurted out, hoping to find that joyous moment I had earlier.

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah.”

“And... how was it?” she asked.

“Everything I hoped and better.” Some of the giddiness was back and I tried not to feel guilty about it. “I don’t think I’ve ever been kissed like that before.”

I wasn’t lying. Kissing Evan had been a chore after the first time. It never felt natural, and I’d assumed it was from my lack of experience. I’d only had a few serious boyfriends.

“Good for you. You deserve it, my friend, and I like Aiden. He was so cute when Janet tried hitting on him. I had to intervene because he was at a loss for words.”

“He mentioned that. Not that I blame her.”

“Who are you telling? What girl didn’t have a crush on Aiden at one point or another while we were in school?”

“Did you?”

“Maybe. A little one. I thought he was hot that’s for sure.”

We talked a little while longer and then I got off. I needed sleep.

Before I left for work the next