Page 72 of The Overdue Kiss

Des organized this?

Suddenly I’m in motion, running full speed into the library and launching myself into his arms. He has about a second to prepare before I plow into him, squeezing him tight. How does he keep surprising me?

“Maya?” Des asks and cradles me closer, resting his cheek on the side of my head.

“I can’t believe you did all of this. You called all these people.”

His thumb hooks under my chin, tilting my head back so I can gaze into his silver eyes. The intensity in them makes my breath catch. His thumb drifts up my jaw, leaving a path of goosebumps.

“If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me too,” he whispers.

Warmth fills me, and that magnet that keeps drawing us together yanks again, demanding I close that space between our mouths. I’m already imagining it, longing for the touch of his skin on mine. My lips part on a sigh at the thought.

His eyes lock on the movement, and he mumbles my name under his breath like a prayer.

“Hey, Teach, where do you—ow. What the heck, love?” Thor grumbles behind me.

“Can’t you see they’re busy?” Clover hisses.

“They’ve been like this for five minutes. We’ve got stuff to do, man. Either kiss her or let’s get back to work.Ow. Stop hitting me, woman.”

The romantic moment fizzles into us fighting to keep our composure. But Des still doesn’t release me, his left hand rubbing a comforting circle on my spine.

“He has a point you know,” he says and leans in to surprise me with a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose, reminding me of his promise. “But I don’t want our first kiss to be in a room of people including your mother.”

I smile seductively and curl my fingers around his lapels. “Then when do you suggest, Mr. Brooks?”

His hands clench my hips. “Okay, I changed my mind. Right now. Absolutely right now.”

Laughing, I pull out of his grasp. “No, you’re right. There are too many people around.”

“For once in your life, don’t listen to me,” he pleads.

“Too late.”

He shakes his head. “All right, how about we plan for that day trip? You, me, and a picnic at the lake. We can leave first thing in the morning.”

“It’s a date.”

As soon as I walk away, Thor and Robbie bombard him with shelving questions. But he’s transfixed on me, watching me hoist a box of books in my arms and head up the stairs, the heat of his gaze an inferno on my backside.

Chapter Sixteen

I’m already awake before the alarm goes off, unable to sleep with all the butterflies flittering in my stomach.

Since we’ll be riding all day, I pick out my favorite jeans with the buttery soft and stretchy denim. I struggle choosing a perfect top and end up digging to the bottom of my suitcase before settling on the coral with a sweetheart neckline.

Before long, I’m squeaky clean, dressed, and applying the last bit of makeup, then I start on my hair. Since it’s still wet, I settle on braids and spritz some hairspray as an extra precaution for frizz safety.

Julia rolls out of bed as I’m about to rush out the front door. She gives me two sleepy-eyed thumbs up as she stumbles over to the coffee pot.

“Want one?”

“No, I’m too excited to add more caffeine to my body.”

She grunts, still fighting her tension headache from last night. Based on her swollen eyes, she barely got any sleep.

“I’m not sure how long the date will be, so don’t freak out if I’m home late.” Grabbing the container of fresh sugar cookies, I rush outside in the early morning light. I’m fifteen minutes early, so I sit on the top step, waiting for mydateto arrive.

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