Page 59 of The Reality of Us
Amusement traipsed across Owen’s face, all his stoic pretence gone. She slipped her fingers through his belt loop, pulling their pelvises together. The amusement disappeared, replaced with heat. He tilted his head towards her, and she could see the stubble that lined his jaw.
Before they did this—whatever this was—she had to be sure. Alice spoke slowly, weighing each word before it left her mouth. “And if I don’t want to label this?”
His fingers flexed on her hip, sliding up her back, drawing their chests together. She went willingly. “Then we don’t.”
His mouth was almost on hers when she pulled away, her hair catching on the rough bricks behind her. “And you’re still my lawyer?”
“I’m whatever you need me to be.”
She grabbed his tie—thank God he still dressed way too formally—and crushed her mouth to his. The kiss started out frenzied before Owen took charge, slowing things down, savouring her. Her bag slipped off her shoulder, catching in the crook of her elbow. Without breaking away, Owen untangled it, dropping it to the ground.
“Wait,” she cried out. Her lady parts were crying too. “There isn’t a good way to say this, so I’m just going to say it.”
Owen let her go and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“Can we keep this between us? With the divorce and everything. You being my lawyer.” She had to clench her fists to stop dragging her hands through her hair.
“Then you’d better come up with a good reason for us to spend a lot of time together because I’ve got plans for you, honey,” he said, his voice a low growl. If Owen was embarrassed about the term of endearment slipping out, he didn’t show it. He pressed a firm kiss against her lips, and Alice melted against him.
“I’d like to do things right this time. I’m sorry our first time was on your kitchen counter.”
Maybe it was remembering how their bodies had moved together. Or maybe it was the fire in his eyes, the warmth of his breath against her cheeks, but it all added up to heat pooling low in her belly.
“Guess I’d better sign up for the run thing,” she whispered against his lips. “And for the record, I had no complaints that night. Just a mild freak-out after but I’m good now. It takes me time to make decisions.” Especially the ones that involved trusting her instincts.
Owen brushed her fringe away from her eyes. The tender move made her clench her thighs together, giving her the courage to take a chance.
“Do you want to come upstairs?”
He pressed a gentle kiss behind her ear and dropped another on her neck. “I can’t tonight, but how about dinner tomorrow?”
“What about Teddy?” She gasped when he bit her gently.
“I’ll cook. At my house,” he said.
“It’s a …” She almost said ‘date’, the unspoken word hanging awkwardly in the air between them. His Owen smile was as glorious as she remembered. Small and secret and only for her.
“I’ll text you the address. We can talk about the race.”
He walked her to the bottom of the stairs and kissed her softly, his lips lingering against hers.
“Tomorrow,” she said.
“Tomorrow.”
21
Damn it. Alice glanced at the clock before getting out of her car. She was fifteen minutes late.
“Hey.” Owen walked towards her. The sun was setting, its last few golden rays framing his head in a halo. Her gaze drifted to the small cottage behind him. It was so not where she’d pictured him living.
“Hey yourself,” she replied, passing him a bottle of rosé.
“You look great.” Owen reached for her hand, laced their fingers together and gently tugged her closer until the soft cotton of his charcoal jumper brushed against her forearms.
“Are you going to kiss me?” She buried her head in his chest, hiding her face. “Oh my God,” she breathed. “Shut up, Alice.”
“That was the plan.”
