Page 87 of The Art Of Starting Over

“Yeah, I like that,” she said breathlessly. “But back to what you said, how everyone wants a chance with me.”

He nodded reluctantly.

“I only want a chance with you.”

Hayden’s smile spread from ear to ear. “You don’t have to say it twice.” With the music from the boat still echoing in the night air, Hayden pressed his lips to her soft, luscious, still-tasting-like-sangria lips. He pulled away and smiled again, and before he could even muster another move, she leaped into his arms and smashed her lips against his.

Devorah moaned, and Hayden pulled away from her. This wasn’t the time nor the place for a serious make-out session. Unfortunately for both of them, they lived with their parents and had kids at home.There wasn’t anywhere they could go, and something about the camper he’d parked on his property didn’t scream romance.

He also wasn’t ready to drop her off at home.

“What’s wrong?”

“Absolutely nothing,” he told her as they started walking toward the parking lot.

“How’s the house coming?”

“We finished the framing on the first floor already,” he told her.

“Can I see it?”

“Uh, sure.”

They walked in relative silence until they reached his property. He used the flashlight on his phone to give them a bit of light until he could reach the switch for the construction lights. He pressed the button for the lights and lit up his property.

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” he said, sighing. “It’s a work in progress, but I’m happy with how it’s coming along.”

They walked up the temporary stairs and looked inside. He reacquainted her with the layout, pointing to the living room, dining room, and kitchen. “And back there, I think I’m definitely adding the three-season room off the kitchen.”

“This is going to be such an amazing home.”

Hayden agreed as he looked around and imagined what the space would look like once the construction was complete. He was proud of the house and the work he’d put into it, and he was learning a lot from Link.

“Hayden?”

“Mm-hmm,” he hummed as he looked at Devorah.

“I think you should show me your camper.”

He looked at the camper and frowned, and then he glanced at Dev. It took him a second for what she meant to set in, and when it did, he wondered if he had left a mess in there. Hayden wasn’t going to tell her no.

Hayden held her hand as they went down the rickety steps and made their way across the yard. He unlocked the door, turned the light on, and then motioned for her to go ahead of him.

“It’s not much,” he said as he stepped in behind her. “Someplace for me to escape to.”

“It’s perfect,” she said as she pulled him toward the bed.

Hayden inhaled her scent; it had been wafting off her all night and did something to him. Now he could smell the slightest bit of the coast combined with her perfume, and he stepped closer before nuzzling into her neck. Dev inhaled sharply and gripped his biceps as she leaned into him.

Hayden wrapped his fingers around her hips, squeezing as he trailed kisses down her neck to her shoulder. He felt her shudder but was sure she enjoyed his touch. “Do you want to stay awhile?” he asked, not sure what else to say. The moment could go a lot of different ways, and Hayden didn’t want to scare her off just when things were moving in the right direction.

“Well, you arranged the sitter,” she said jokingly. “Do I have time to stay for a while?” Her fingertips were trailing up and down along his triceps, making it hard to think.

Hayden chuckled and replied, “You definitely have time to ... get comfortable.” He glanced at the queen-size bed they were still standing next to and inhaled deeply, waiting for Dev to make the next move.

Dev pulled him closer and backed up until the back of her legs hit the bed. “Then let’s get comfortable,” she whispered, pulling him down with her gently.

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