Page 76 of When Morning Comes Around

Dom met Taryn’s gaze and held it as he said, “Okay, thank you.”

“Yes, thank you,” added Sadie. “And would you…?”

From the way she broke off so abruptly, Dom guessed that she’d been about to invite them out for a drink but hadn’t wanted to overstep with him.

He slung his arm around her shoulders. “I think that what my lady wants to ask is if the two of you will come out for a drink with us at some point soon.”

When Dalton grinned at him, Taryn nodded enthusiastically, and Sadie leaned a little closer to him, he knew that he’d guessed right, and that he’d done the right thing in finishing her question for her.

~ ~ ~

When they got back to Dom’s SUV, he walked her to the passenger door. Instead of opening it, she grasped the front of his jacket and rolled up onto her tiptoes so that she could kiss him.

She’d only meant to peck his lips, but when his arm curled around her waist, and she found herself pressed up against his chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck and took it deeper.

She loved the way he kissed her. It was demanding, and yet gentle – which was kind of fitting, considering that’s how she would describe him. When he sank his fingers into her hair, a shudder wracked her whole body, and she pressed closer.

She felt like a teenager, making out in the parking lot. The thrill ran through her veins – his kisses were toe-curling, and she wanted so much more. Sex hadn’t been much of a factor in her life for years; she’d thought that her body had shut down. Now, with her breasts crushed against Dom’s hard chest, and with heat pooling between her legs, her body was letting her know in no uncertain terms that it had awakened from its slumber.

By the time Dom lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. The intensity in his gaze as he looked down into her eyes made her shiver.

“Are you okay?”

She gripped the lapels of his jacket and pulled him down into another shorter, but no less passionate, kiss. “No,” she said breathlessly when their lips finally parted.

He frowned. “No?”

She chuckled. “No, because you’re making promises that you can’t keep.”

His frown deepened. “I don’t understand.”

She closed her eyes as his fingers caressed the nape of her neck. “You’re going to need to stop doing that if you want me to explain. I can’t focus.”

He chuckled. “What if I don’t want to stop?”

“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying. It’s not that I’m not okay – it’s just that you’re making me want…” She pressed her lips together. Was she really about to come out and tell him? Yes. She was. “You’re making me want more than kisses.”

“And that’s not okay?”

“It would be, except that there’s not a damn thing we can do about it.”

His shoulders sagged when he clicked what she meant. “Shit! You’re right. I can’t take you home because Jake will be back. You can’t invite me back with you – well, you can, and I’ll go. But I can hardly say goodnight to your dad and Savannah and take you upstairs, can I?”

Her heart was pounding at the thought of him taking her upstairs. She shook her head sadly. “No. I knew that I should have done something about renting a house before now.”

He chuckled. “Me too. I’ve been dragging my feet about buying a place, but I’ll be at the realtor’s office first thing on Monday morning.”

He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers. “It’s probably better that we take our time.”

Her heart sank. “Do you really think so?”

He laughed. “Hell no! But since there’s nothing that I can do about it right now, I’m trying to console myself that it makes sense.” He glanced up at the lodge, making her smile.

“Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?” she asked.

“I am. But not yet – not tonight. We don’t need to rush into anything, and that wouldn’t seem right.”

“It wouldn’t tonight, but I like that we have the option.”

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