Page 95 of Dreaming of Dawson

“Yeah. You said you wanted this to be a surprise, so someone’s gonna have to pack a few things for the bride and groom, and I don’t see how you can do that… unless you’re planning to break into their house.”

“Good point,” I say with a smile, and she smiles back.

“And now… I have to go.”

“Shit. Really?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s eight-thirty already?”

“No. It’s eight-twenty-five,” she says, getting to her feet and walking around the table until she’s standing right beside me. “But I thought it might take a while to say goodbye.”

I grab her, pulling her onto my lap again, and she holds my shoulders, leaning up as I dip my head and kiss her. I hate that this is ‘goodbye’, but it’s only for a few hours, and I focus on our lips and our tongues, holding her close for as long as I can, until she pulls back, both of us breathless.

“When will you be back?” I ask as she gets to her feet.

“I’m not sure. This isn’t like a usual day for me. Ordinarily, I work until one, although that can drift a little, and I’ve even been known to stay on and have lunch with Peony from time to time… not that I’ll be doing that from now on.”

“Good,” I say, smiling down at her.

“Today’s gonna be weird, though. I could be there for two hours, or five. It depends how long we take to deal with these seating plans.”

“Okay.”

I stand and she steps closer, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning against me, her forehead resting on my chest. “I’m gonna miss you,” she says as I skim my hands over her back, letting them rest on her ass.

“Me too, babe. Send me a text to let me know you got to Peony’s safely, will you?”

“I will, if you give me your number.”

I chuckle as she pulls her phone from her back pocket, reciting my number.

“I’m gonna go,” she says. “I’ve still gotta grab the rest of my things from my locker and if I don’t make a move, I’m gonna want to kiss you again, and then I’ll never leave.”

“I won’t mind.”

“Maybe not, but I really have to go.”

“I know. I’ll see you later.”

She lets out a slight moan, with a very sexual hint behind it, and shakes her head as she makes her way to the door, turning on the threshold and looking back at me.

“Thank you,” she says.

“What for?”

“Everything we’ve done since last night.”

“I think it should be me thanking you for that.”

She smiles, then tips her head to one side. That’s enough to tell me she’s having doubts about something and I walk over, standing right in front of her, and take her hands in mine.

“What’s wrong?”

She blinks a few times and then licks her lips, sucking in a breath before she says, “I was just wondering… was it okay?”

I shake my head, and she pulls back, or tries to… although I don’t let her, moving one hand to her waist and holding her close. “Where do you think you’re going?”