Page 81 of Tempting the Heart

She chuckled and pushed some hair behind her ear. “I’ve noticed everything I could about you, Tyler Grant.” Mae laughed. “But as long as it’s not me making you antsy, I’m fine.”

“Never.” I glanced at the clock on the wall behind her and frowned. “I should probably get going so I don’t miss the ferry.”

Mae nodded, smiling as her eyes fell to my lips.

And in that moment, I wanted to push all my worries away. None of it mattered if I had Mae.

Right?

Just having Mae was enough.

Mae leaned over the counter at the same time I did. Our lips met tenderly as I kissed her, and she kissed me back. I could feel her mouth smile as it pressed against mine.

I just couldn’t believe how she could make me feel so alive and cherished.

My hope was that I could do the same for her, but I wasn’t sure that was possible.

Her lips broke from mine, and she opened her eyes, looking as dopey as I felt.

“You’re a good kisser,” she said, smiling. “I just can’t get enough.”

She touched her earrings and sucked on her bottom lip for a brief second.

“You nervous about something?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I tap my fingers, and you touch your earrings.”

She chuckled. “Aren’t we a pair?”

I nodded silently and turned around to leave. “I hope so. I really do.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Mae

Tyler had returned from Seattle and was already at the hotel. I flipped off the lights in my coffee shop and wandered to the antique store where Audrey rubbed Dottie’s belly.

“Thanks again for dog-sitting,” I told her.

“I prefer to think of myself as Dottie’s nanny.”

“Oh, my bad.” I chuckled, bending over to give a scratch behind Dottie’s ears. “Mom is missing her so badly. I get like ten messages from her before noon wanting updates.”

“Ten bucks say they’ll be home early from their trip.”

“That’s a losing bet,” I teased, glancing at an item that must have just come into the store. Only the top stuck out of the bag, but it looked like a baseball bat. “What’s this?”

Audrey lifted her shoulders. “Don’t know.”

I reached over and pulled out the piece of wood, which was actually a polished Louisville Slugger. “Nice bat.”

“I guess? I wouldn’t know much about bats,” Audrey said, smiling.

I twirled it around when something caught my eye. Bringing the bat closer, I shook my head in disbelief.

“Wow. It has the nameTylerburned into the wood.”

---