Page 51 of You Cake My Breath Away

I chuckle. “I know that.”

He kicks some pieces of wood to the side. “I figured you could use it as wall decor but forget it. I know it’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid at all. It’s amazing.”

He reaches up, hand frozen right in front of my face like he’s debating touching me or not. My chest, head, and neck throb, blood pushing through my veins faster than a freight train. In my head I know this is the moment where everything can change. The moment where the inkling of attraction becomes desire or the death of our truce.

“Is this…okay?” he rasps, hand still hovering.

Lungs desperate for air, spots dance in my vision until I release my breath and inhale another.

“Yes.” My fingers tremble as I lay his hand on my cheek. The brush of his thumb is like fire against my skin, yet it sends a shiver down my back. My tongue is gummy in my mouth, and I struggle to swallow down the emotions battering against my mental wall. I haven’t been touched—caressed—like this, in almost two years. My face burns as if I’ve sat in the sun too long, the blood boiling and rushing through my system trying to flush out whatever poison my brain associated with touch.

“Tilly.” Archer’s chest rises in time with mine, and his tongue darts out to wet his lips.

My whole body explodes when his hand skates down my arm and lands on my hip. Our eyes meet, bodies so close we’re sharing breath. Brain fizzling out, my eyes close and I tilt my head in anticipation for his lips to meet mine.

He moves first, fingers tightening on my hip as he pulls me closer. His lips brush mine in a ghostly touch just as a familiar voice yells, “Archer, you in here?”

Stunned by Nora’s appearance, I quickly move back, heart whining at the loss of Archer’s touch as I bump into a pile of wood and knock it down.

“I’m so clumsy,” I grumble, reaching down to collect the wood.

Archer is still standing, frozen in the moment. Fear hitches a ride on the wave of adrenaline pushing its way through my system. Is he already regretting what just happened? Should I be regretting it too?

“Archer?” Nora’s voice calls out again.

I punch his leg. “Earth to Archer.”

“Huh?” He blinks out of his daze. “Shit.”

“Yeah,” I retort. “Shit.”

He leaves me to clean up the closet.

Should I go out there and say hi to Nora? What will she think about me being here? Too many questions ping pong through my head, and I press my fingers into my temples and massage.

You have a perfectly good excuse for being here, and for being caught in the closet with Archer, I coach myself as I grab the sign and head out to meet Nora.

“Tilly.” She smiles, and Archer moves to take the sign out of my hands then lays it on a worktable nearby. I try to decipher the look on his face, but Nora steps into my view. “I love your new hairdo. Shantel said it was pretty, but she undersold it. It’s beautiful.”

My smile is genuine, and the love for this woman overflows into my chest and wraps around my ribs. How did I get so lucky to marry a man with such an amazing mom?

Guilt wiggles its way back into my chest. Nora said Jessie wanted me to be happy—even insinuated that Archer could be that person for me—but knowing the reality of seeing me and Archer together like this might hurt her shears my heart. Even though she seems supportive ofme moving on, the last thing I’d ever want to do is cause her pain or unintentionally disrespect her.

“Thank you, Nora.” A chill sweeps through the garage and I shiver, rubbing my arms and wishing I brought a jacket.

“I just came to bring Archer a casserole,” she says. “This old lady has to make it back home before dark.”

“We were just grabbing some signs for the bakery,” I offer, even though she didn’t ask. Heat warms my cheeks when Archer’s eyes flit to me, his brows scrunched like he’s wondering why I mentioned it. I’m a nervous babbler, he knows this.

Unfortunately, so does Nora.

“Sure,” she says with a mischievous smile. “I’ll see you both at Sunday dinner.”

I wave and Archer walks her out to her car. In the quiet moments after they leave the garage, a heaviness settles on my chest and my stomach twists. What would’ve happened if Nora hadn’t stopped us? Would we have crossed the line and ended up regretting it? Would it shatter the tenuous truce we’ve come to silently agree upon?

Anxiety and excitement coalesce inside my stomach, creating a cocktail of emotions I’m not ready to acknowledge. I run my hand along the signs, smiling at the wall decor with the pun. It’s exactly the type of fun sign I’d want in the shop, and knowing Archer made it fills my stomach with butterflies.

---