Page 77 of Small Town Sizzle

I hear her footsteps on the stairs a few minutes later, and when I look up, my chest tightens. She shuffles into the kitchen wearing one of my T-shirts that’s oversized on her, her hair a messy halo of red curls. Her makeup is smudged, remnants of last night clinging to her in a way that somehow makes her look even more stunning.

She blinks at me sleepily, and before she can say anything, I hand her a mug of coffee. “Good morning,” I say softly, my voice low as if speaking any louder might scare her away.

I pull her into me, kissing the top of her head as I do. She sucks in a breath before pulling away. She takes the cup, wrapping her hands around it.

“Morning,” she murmurs, her lips curving into a small smile.

God, she’s beautiful.

I can’t stop myself—I step closer and pull her in, tilting her chin up with my finger. Her lips part slightly as I lean down and press my mouth to hers. It’s not a quick kiss; it’s slow and deep, my hands resting on her waist as I savor the way she melts against me. When I finally pull back, her cheeks are flushed, and that smirk I’ve come to adore appears.

“And here I pegged you for a guy who burns toast,” she quips, her voice teasing.

I laugh, shaking my head. “I’ll have you know I didn’t burn anything this morning. You’re welcome.”

She takes a sip of her coffee, humming in approval. “Fine. I guess you’re a keeper, for now.”

I grin at her, leaning back against the counter as I watch her. She’s relaxed and comfortable, and I can’t get enough of seeing her like this.

“What’s on your agenda today?” I ask, handing her a plate of food.

She sits down at the kitchen table, shrugging one shoulder. “Sundays are usually lazy days for me and the kids. We watch movies, hang out, nothing too exciting.”

I nod thoughtfully. “What if I spent the day with you guys?”

Her fork pauses midair, and she looks up at me, her expression softening before something else flickers in her eyes—hesitation. She sets the fork down and leans back in her chair, her green eyes meeting mine.

“Garrett,” she begins, her voice careful but firm, “while I would really love that, I have to put the kids first. And I don’t think it’s fair to them to spend a whole day with a man I’ve gone on one date with. It’s just not healthy.”

For a second, the words sting, not because she’s wrong but because she’s so damn right and it’s not something that had even crossed my mind. I was only thinking about my need to be closeto her. I nod slowly, leaning against the counter with my arms crossed.

“Yeah,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “I didn’t think about it that way. You’re a good mom, Maya. I can see why you’d want to set that boundary, and I respect it. Thanks for being upfront with me.”

Her lips tilt into a soft smile, and she looks almost relieved. “I’m glad you understand. It’s just… they’ve been through a lot, and I want to make sure I’m handling this right.”

I step closer to her, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. Her eyes widen slightly, but she doesn’t pull away.

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I say gently. “I get it. And honestly, I’m in no rush. We’ve got all the time in the world to spend together because, Maya, I’m not going anywhere.”

When I arrived in Hicks Creek, I had one foot on the gas pedal and couldn’t get out of town fast enough. Now, I can’t imagine ever leaving again. I suck in a breath as the realization hits me.

Let’s slow down a little, Garrett. You’re moving way too fast.

Her breath catches for a moment, and I can see the flicker of something in her eyes.

“You’re something else, Garrett.”

“Something good, I hope.”

She laughs lightly, shaking her head as she picks up her fork again. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head before grabbing my coffee and sitting across from her. Watching her eat, talk, and justbeis enough to make me think that I’ve finally found my place.

“What time do you need to pick up Jaz?”

“Not until around noon. I need to go home and change first, though. There’s no way in hell that I’m doing the walk of shame to your brother’s house.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “We’ll never hear the end of that. I think Laura and the kids have had this planned out since the day I came back.”

---