Page 30 of Secret Southern Promises

I let out a soft sigh as I leaned into him, and my hands gripped the fabric of his shirt as if to ground myself. His mouth moved against mine with a familiar rhythm that stirred up every forgotten feeling I had buried deep inside. The years melted away with every press of his lips, and all I could think about was how right this felt—how being in Boone’s arms was the place I had always belonged.

His hands slid down my back, pulling me even closer, and I could feel the tension between us and the magnetic pull that had always existed. It was stronger now, more urgent, like the years apart had only intensified the connection we shared.

Boone pulled back slightly, just enough to catch his breath, his forehead resting against mine. His breath came in soft, ragged puffs, and I could feel his heart pounding just as hard as mine.

“I missed you,” he murmured against my lips, his voice thick with emotion.

“I missed you too,” I whispered back, my voice shaky.

Without another word, he kissed me again, this time with more urgency, more need. His hands roamed down to my waist, gripping me tight as if he was afraid I might slip away again. I didn’t push him away. I didn’t want to. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in him, to remember every part of what we used to be together.

Our kisses grew hotter and more intense, and my back pressed harder against the wall as Boone’s body leaned into mine. The small space felt even smaller now, filled with the heat of our bodies, the desperate way we clung to each other like we were making up for all the time we’d lost.

I could feel his desire in every kiss, every touch, and it sent a thrill through me that I hadn’t felt in years. Boone was all-consuming, and the way he kissed me made me forget everything else—the store, the compactor, the years of wondering what could have been. Nash. It all faded away until there was only him.

When he finally pulled back, both of us breathless, he looked down at me, his eyes dark with the same want I felt coursing through my veins.

“Slow, huh?” he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

I laughed softly, shaking my head as I tried to catch my breath. “I guess slow’s relative.”

Boone grinned, brushing his thumb against my bottom lip. “I like this kind of slow. We can go this slow for however long you like. We’ll figure it out, Dolly. I’m not going anywhere this time.”

And as I stood there, my heart racing, my lips still tingling from his kiss, I believed him.

Chapter Seventeen

Boone

I sent the text before I even thought about it.

What are you doing?

I leaned back in the chair on the deck, watching the sunset dip below the horizon that cast a golden glow over the river. The water moved lazily like it had all the time in the world. Unlike me, who was sitting here wishing I was somewhere else.

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I opened Dolly’s message.

Helping Nash with his English paper.

I winced. I had dodged that bullet—no kids, no homework help.Start drinking. That might help, I typed back.

Her response came quick.LMAO. It might come to that.

I smiled, but it wasn’t what I was hoping for. I’d been hoping she’d say she wasn’t doing much, maybe give me an excuse to swing by. It had been a long day, and I wanted to see her. I wanted to do more than just text back and forth, but I couldn’t interrupt her when she was helping Nash. She was a mom first—that much was clear to me.

I stared at the screen, wondering what else to say. Finally, I typed out:When’s the last time you had a bagel?

There was a pause before her reply.I think I’m due for one.

That made me grin. I could picture her face, probably smiling, her fingers flying across the keys.Meet me there at 8:30 tomorrow morning?I asked.

My phone buzzed with her response a second later.It’s a date.

I tossed my phone on the patio table and leaned back in my chair as I took a swig of my beer. The cool bitterness slid down my throat, but it didn’t quite settle the restlessness I felt. I wanted to see her now, not tomorrow morning. But I knew I hadto be patient. Dolly had a lot on her plate, and if I was going to be a part of her life again, I had to respect that.

Her kid came first.

I’d always known that if I ever came back into her life, things wouldn’t be like they were when we were teenagers. Didn’t mean it was easy, though. I wasn’t used to waiting, especially not when it came to her. Hell, fifteen years was already more waiting than I ever thought I could handle. I was ready to be in her life now, but I also knew that if I wanted this to work, I couldn’t push too hard. I took another drink, letting the beer settle me down. Tomorrow morning couldn’t come fast enough. I’d take whatever time I could get with her—breakfast, lunch, late-night visits. It didn’t matter.

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