Page 14 of And Then There Was Us
ON THE WAY back to her car, Brianna wore Hugh’s leather jacket, and she looked so cute that he couldn’t wipe the stupid grin from his lips. It was refreshing being out with a woman who wasn’t clamoring to be taken to fancy restaurants or to be photographed with the paparazzi. Hugh wondered if he could hide his identity a little longer.
“I had fun tonight. Thank you for inviting me for coffee.”
One look in her trusting eyes and he knew he wouldn’t lie to her. “Bree…” He didn’t know what he wanted to say, but when she stopped walking and looked at him, he had the desire to kiss her. He closed the gap between them, wrestling with the urge. He didn’t want to hurt her or her daughter. She was trying so hard to do the right thing, and Hugh knew that if he pushed, she’d give in, and then what?
“Yeah?” she said just above a whisper. She licked her lower lip.
Don’t kiss her. Don’t kiss her.“I’m glad you agreed to have coffee with me,” he answered.
Her lips curled into a half smile, and disappointment shadowed her eyes.Did you want to kiss me?He was so confused. They walked back to her car behind the bar, and a fist tightened in Hugh’s gut. He thought he understood women pretty well, but Brianna had knocked him off kilter.
“Well, thank you for a really fun night.” She took her keys from her purse.
Brianna looked beautiful under the stars. Knowing she had such a big heart that she’d put her life on hold for her daughter, Hugh found her all the more alluring. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and feel her lips against his, to taste the sweetness of the honest, selfless woman before him. He put his hand on the small of her back and felt her body stiffen beneath his touch. He put his cheek against hers and whispered, “I’m honored to be your first date in almost seven years.” He kissed her cheek, inhaling the scent of her perfume. “You smell sun-kissed, like a warm summer breeze.” He stepped back before he ended up kissing her in a way that he knew he’d never be able to stop.
Chapter Eight
BRIANNA TOUCHED HER cheek where his whiskers had just grazed and his breath had warmed her skin. She could barely breathe.Sun-kissed, like a warm summer breeze.He was handsome and romantic? How does a girl respond to being told she smells sun-kissed?Thank you? You should see how good I taste? What is happening to me?
Hugh opened her car door.
“Thank you,” she managed as she climbed in. She was so conflicted. She didn’t want the night to end, but she knew if she kissed him it would be hard to stop, and she didn’t need that kind of complication. She’d come too far to lose herself in one night of passion.Been there, done that.But as she slid the key into the ignition, she felt a loss, knowing their evening was ending and he hadn’t asked for her phone number. Oh no, maybe she’d blown the whole night and hadn’t realized. It had been a very long time since she’d had to worry about dating etiquette.
He stood beside her open door, his hip close enough for her to touch. She twisted to put on her seat belt and realized she still had his jacket on. She climbed from the car, brushing against his firm, muscular thigh.
“I forgot about your jacket.” She pulled one arm out.
He gently touched her arm. “Keep it. It’s chilly.”
“But it’s leather.” She tried to pull it off.
Hugh moved in front of her. “Keep it,” he whispered. “I’ll get it another time.”
Another time? Another time!
Without any thought, she put her palm on his chest. Even with her heels, the height difference was too great for an easy kiss. She felt his heart beating beneath her palm.
“Are you sure?” she whispered.Kiss me. Just kiss me already.
He nodded, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. He took a step back again. Could he send her any more confusing signals? She wanted to really kiss him—full-on, tongues tangled, chests mashed against each other, their heartbeats connecting, sharing a rhythm, and exchanging oxygen—so badly she could practically taste the coffee on his tongue.
She climbed back into the car and pulled his jacket tighter across her chest. Hugh shut the door, and she rolled down the window as she cranked the engine. It sputtered and died.
Hugh leaned in the window. “Trouble?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”Don’t do this to me. Come on.She turned the key again, and this time it didn’t even sputter. It made a clicking noise.
“I don’t think you’re going anywhere in this car tonight, Bree.”
She banged her forehead on the steering wheel. “This can’t be happening.”
Hugh reached through the window and lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “I can fix it tomorrow. I’ll give you a ride.”
“You can fix it? Are you a mechanic?”
“I know a lot about cars, but I actually meant that I have a friend who can fix it in the morning.”
“I have to work tomorrow.”Kill me now.She ran through her contingency plan. She couldn’t take her mother’s car without ruining the day for her and Layla, but she might be able to borrow Kat’s car. “I’ll call Kat. Maybe I can borrow her car.”
