Page 66 of Unexpected Kisses

I nod and move out from between her legs. “Okay. Uh, take your time.” I grasp the back of my neck and Sarah’s eyes drop to my bicep as they usually do, so I tense it. “There’s no rush. I don’t have anywhere I need to be.”

I tuck myself away and collecting my shirt, I back out of my bedroom slowly, keeping my eyes on Sarah as I do. Closing the door quietly, I lean against it and blow out a breath, feeling like a failure. She’s bound and determined to keep distance between us and I’m not sure why that is, butI’mbound and determined to erase every single inch of that distance and make her mine.

* * *

She steps into the living room, her hair slightly mussed and her eyes glassy. I bet she looks fucking stunning when she comes. “Uh, thank you.” She thumbs over her shoulder toward the front door. “I’ll … uh … get outta your hair.”

I quickly stand. “I ordered dessert. It should be here any min—” The doorbell rings at that exact moment, and I refrain from tipping my head back and thanking the heavens for their impeccable timing. I stroll past Sarah and open the door.

“Japanese Dessert Housedelivery for Jackson?”

“Yep, that’s me. Thanks.” He hands over the desserts and spins on his heel, returning to his car. Closing the door, I make my way past Sarah and toward the couch. “Come on, let’s eat.” I drop the dessert onto the coffee table and make my way to the kitchen as if it’s a given that she’ll stay. “What would you like to drink? I have soda, juice, sparkling water …” She’s frozen to the spot, holding her purse to her body as though it’s a life preserver and she’s adrift in the deepest ocean. “Come on, Sarah. Don’t make me eat this alone.”

The indecision on her face is plain for anyone to see. Even if I didn’t know her, I would be able to see how torn she is between staying and leaving. She takes a timid step toward the couch, her shoulders dropping slightly. “Okay.”

I duck back behind the fridge door to hide my grin and blow out a breath. “Great. Now, what would you like to drink?”

“Water’s fine. Thank you.”

I grab a beer for myself and water for Sarah and head back to the couch. The coffee table is too far away, so I slide it forward and open the dessert containers. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered one Ferrero Crêpe Cake and one Hokkaido Crêpe Cake.”

She smiles at me, picking up a fork. “I’ve never had either before, but they look delicious.”

“We can share both.”

“I don’t often treat myself to stuff like this because of my saving plan,” she tells me.

“Fair enough. I don’t eat dessert often either, but I figure it’s okay every now and then.” She nods. “So, how did it go in there?” Good one, dickhead, you just got her to relax and now she’s going to be all stiff and distant again. “Sorry. None of my business.” I take a bite of crêpe cake to keep my mouth busy so I don’t say more stupid shit. I hold in a moan when the lightness of the crêpes melds with the sweet tartness of the strawberries on my tongue.

She chuckles, but it’s awkward and stilted. “Good. I guess. Hopefully, it works this time. I’m sorry it’s taking so long for me to get pregnant.” Her cheeks flush and she drops her eyes to the table.

“No need to apologize, Sarah. It takes as long as it takes. We didn’t put a time limit on this, remember.” The longer it takes, the better my chances of winning her over. And doesn’t that make me the biggest asshole around.

A tight smile forms on her delectable lips, the ones I desperately want to kiss again. The small taste I had earlier wasn’t nearly enough. “I know,” she whispers. “I … I just feel terrible that I’m taking up so much of your time, and now I’m also invading your home … and you’ve met a woman you’d like to date. This isn’t conducive to starting a relationship with someone. You’ve been incredibly kind and generous.” She glances away then back to me. “I’ll be forever grateful to you, AJ. I hope you know that.” I knew I’d fucked up when I mentioned I’d met someone, now it’s like I have a guillotine waiting to be released on my neck.

“I do.” The mood has grown heavy and it’s the last thing we need. “You wanna watch this Discovery show I recorded? It’s about the most extreme places in the US.”

She shrugs and agrees. “Sure.”

I pull up the program and settle back into the couch, inching closer to Sarah, and press play as she settles in, making herself comfortable. I scoop a forkful of cake and offer it to her and she distractedly opens for me. I slide the food into her mouth and she closes her lips around the fork, giving a small moan as the flavors burst on her tongue. I scoop myself a mouthful of cake as we get caught up in the program.

“Hmm. I always thought Chicago was the windiest city,” Sarah speaks for the first time as we’ve learned about the deepest lake and the quietest place in the US.

“Yeah, I thought that too. I love watching shows like this. I always learn something new.” I chuckle.

“I think I could become a convert. I’m enjoying this more than I thought I would.” She turns back to the television and I watch her for a few more moments. She’s enthralled by the information being shared and I’m thrilled she’s still here. My eyes snap back to the television when she points toward the screen. “That looks amazing. I wonder if they do overnight camps there? Not that I camp, but that night sky looks incredible.”

“I could find out if you like.” A perfect opportunity to steal her away for a couple of days.

She spins her head toward me. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’ve never camped. I’m sure I’d be terrible at it.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try. I happen to love camping so I could teach you. I sometimes do an overnight trip when I climb.”

“Really? I just figured you climbed close by.”

“I do, mostly. But sometimes I like to get away for a weekend. I can let you know next time I’m going and you could come along if you like.”

“You don’t need to go to any trouble for me.”

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