Page 71 of Smooth Sailing
He moved behind her and draped the jacket over her shoulders. She put her arms in the sleeves, her hands lost in its large size, and she heated from his scent of cedar.
After saying goodbye to her brother and Abigail, he asked, “Should I call for an Uber?”
“I don’t mind walking, but you might want a ride since I’ve confiscated your coat,” she joked.
“I’m fine. Let’s walk.”
“It is a beautiful night,” she mused, looking at the stars peeking through the city’s glow.
Max hummed as if in agreement. They moved down the street, and with each block they passed, she became hyperaware of every point of contact, from the brush of his shoulder against hers to the warmth of the back of his hand, close enough for her to hold.
“I still can’t believe how well today went,” Max said, breaking the comfortable silence.
She grinned. “I know. When Mrs. Sterling hugged me, I thought I was dreaming.” The perfumed embrace was still fresh—the way the perfectly made-up woman’s eyes welled as she’d stepped from the conservatory into the living room. “It’s exactly what I imagined, but better,” Linda had said, her voice thick with emotion. Even now, hours later, the pure joy in her client’s face made Paloma’s chest tight with pride.
They rounded a corner, and the condo came into view, and a flutter of melancholy flipped in her stomach. This was their last night in Traverse City. Reality was waiting for them. They had no other job lined up. They were certain to get more offers, but that didn’t mean he wanted to work with her.
Opening the door for her, they walked to the elevator. Inside, they stood on opposite sides, the small space suddenly vast with the distance they’d placed between them. The soft hum of machinery filled the silence but couldn’t mask the weight of everything unsaid.
His fingers twitched at his side before he took a step forward. “I miss you.”
Her breath caught, and she reached for the collar of his jacket draped over her shoulders. “I’m right here,” she said softly, knowing what he meant—physical proximity wasn’t the same as true presence.
“But you’re not. Not really.” There was no accusation in his voice, only sadness. “You’re here, but you’re running.”
Instead of confronting the truth, she stepped in front of him. “Is that better?”
Reaching up, he tucked her hair behind her ears with an intimacy that made the lock on her heart stutter. “A little,” he murmured, but his eyes held so muchmore—desire, yes, but also patience, understanding, and something deeper that she was afraid to name.
His touch was gentle, asking rather than demanding. She was afraid to listen to what it asked of her. Because listening meant admitting he’d already slipped past her defenses. He could shatter her in ways no one else could. The feelings she’d desperately hoped to contain had escaped their cage, and soon they’d trample her when he inevitably found her to be too much.
His gaze dipped to her lips, and desire sparked in her. She leaned into needing a distraction from her worries. “Will you kiss me?” she asked.
He nodded and leaned in. Before their lips met, the elevator dinged, followed by the doors sliding open. They didn’t move apart until two staring teenage boys entered. Max stepped away, but the chasm didn’t feel as wide.
“We’re going up,” he told the boys, nodding with his chin.
“That’s what we get for paying more attention to the old people making out,” one kid whispered to the other.
“Whatever, the girl’s hot,” the other replied, not nearly as quietly as he probably imagined.
Paloma snort-laughed. “We can hear you.”
Their faces turned brighter than a clown nose. She peeked up at Max. He was biting on his bottom lip, silent laughter shaking his shoulders.
The elevator dinged its arrival to the top floor. The teenagers shuffled out of the way. Max wrapped his arm around Paloma as they left, pulling her to his side.
After the door shut, she asked, “Do you like me close, or are you jealous of my male admirers?”
“I definitely like you close.” He tickled her waist. “But I’m also reminding them that while I may be an old decrepit man, I’m leaving with the hot girl.”
She laughed while unlocking the condo. Once inside, she pulled him close, wanting their interrupted kiss. He went willingly, but when she tried to deepen it, to take it to the point where they were ripping off each other’s clothes, he pulled back and said against her lips, “Slow down, sweetheart. We’ve got all night.”
Then he kissed her like he cared about her. Like she was the only one falling. But she had to remember that good chemistry did not equal love. Just because she was feeling too much didn’t mean he felt anything.
Focus on the pleasure and worry about the rest later.
She reached for his belt and unbuckled him. He put his hand over hers and repeated, “Slow down. Let me savor you.”
