Page 25 of Unhurried Hearts

I sigh, the sound swallowed up by the noise of the Jeep tired. “Just take me home, please.”

“Anna, I didn’t mean to judge you. My sister and mom had a tricky relationship growing up--”

“Maybe you should try to look at it from her perspective.”

I’m projecting. Hard. At least Caro was welcomed home with a nice supper and a glass of wine. What would my family's reaction be if I walked in unannounced? Worse. Way worse.

“I’ve supported my sister. I’ve sent her money.”

“Money isn’t the same as support.”

Chris drums his fingers on the steering wheel.

“My house. Please.”

“Okay, Annie.” His voice is soft, apologetic.

We pull up out front a few minutes later.

“Can I walk you in?” Chris asks.

“No, thanks. I’m tired. I’m going to try to sleep in and then I have some paperwork to get done in the afternoon.”

“I get it.” he says, hands fisted in his lap. “Actually, Idon’tget it, but I want to. And it’s important to me that you get the rest and space that you need.”

His words leave me speechless. Even if he can’t relate to my relationship with my family, he’s heard what I’ve said and respects it.

I reach out to stroke my hand along the back of his neck. The hairs I’d shaved smooth already regrowing. His shoulders fall away from his ears, and he draws a deep breath. My mom’s message sits unanswered in my phone and I’m not sure if the interactions between Chris’s sister and Mom make me want to call her less or more. His understanding is a relief. I’m not ready for whatever is starting between Chris and me to be derailed by a bit of tension.

“Can I take you out next week?”

I nod, biting my bottom lip.

“Perfect.”

He combs his hand through the side of my hair and plants a warm kiss on my lips. It’s not lost on me that for the second time today, he’s calmed me with a kiss. When I relax and begin exploring the seam of his mouth with my tongue he groans and pulls away, so our foreheads are pressed together.

“Slow, Annie. Remember?”

My head bobs up and down. “Right. Slow.”

His voice is a low whisper. “Go upstairs before we change our minds.”

I press my thighs together at the thought. What if he marched me up to my place and we got naked? Shaking my head to come back to reality, I leave the Jeep on wobbly legs and wonder how the hell I had the willpower to say goodnight.

***

The heavy velvet curtain that separates my little office and storage room from the customer areas of the salon swooshes behind me.

“Has my 2 o’clock checked in yet?” I ask, not looking away from my laptop screen where I’m rushing to finish an order between clients.

“Beats me.”

I gasp at the unexpected and absolutely non-feminine voice, twisting toward the entrance and nearly falling off my wobbly rolling desk chair. Chris leans against the frame, the velvet behind him like a backdrop. He’s looking delicious in a long-sleeved tee with the cuffs pushed up around his forearms and athletic shorts that are, quite honestly, shorter than I knew I was into.

“Whoa, careful. Don’t fall off that chair, too.”

I shake my head at him.

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