Page 86 of Between Now and Forever
“You brought me tea?” She faux pouts and it’s adorable. “You’re so damn sweet.”
“Keep your voice down.Damn.You’re going to ruin my reputation.”
She laughs, bumping me with her shoulder. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure. So, your day?”
“It was good. I worked. Had lunch with Della. Went to the grocery store. What about you?”
I slide my arm across the back of the swing and usher her closer to me. “My day was fine. We got a lot of framing done for the new walls on the addition we’re building. Although I had to stay late and talk to the homeowner about a change he wants to make. I need to price all of that out this weekend and get back to him.”
“Need help?”
I grin. “You’re going to help me with an estimate?”
“If you need help, I will.” She blushes. “What? Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like ...” She shrugs, her cheeks rosy. “I don’t know. Like I’m goofy or something.”
I smile at her. “You are many things, Gabrielle Solomon. But goofy isn’t one of them.”
Her shoulders soften and she leans against me. My heart swells as I kiss the side of her head.
“Are the boys in bed?” I ask.
“Yes. Why?”
“I just realized I’ve kissed you twice tonight.”
She nods slowly. “Can we talk about that?”
“Sure.”
I hold my breath as she sits up and slides away from me. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, bringing one knee up and twisting to face me.
Her eyes are wary as she nibbles on her bottom lip. I have no idea what she’s going to say—and it could go either way. And the uncertainty turns my stomach into a knot.
“I’m not trying to put anything on a fast-track,” she says. “So I don’t want you to think I’m trying to put the pedal to the metal, because I’m not.”
“Okay.”
She sighs, tension written across her pretty face. “I know I said I wanted to keep things away from the kids—and I do. I don’t want to start kissing you in front of them or making them feel uncomfortable.”
“Neither do I, Gabrielle.”
“But I ...” Her grin becomes shy. “I’m going to be honest with you. I hope this thing between us doesn’t stop.”
Thank God.I take her hand in mine and squeeze it.
“This is the part where you say you agree,” she says, her voice wobbly.
I laugh.
“Jay.”
I laugh harder.
