Page 29 of More Than a Hero
“I mean, did you see their faces, Pete?” she gushed, twisting toward him in her seat. “I knew they’d be interested, but I didn’t expect them to jump on board so quickly! And Jimmy—oh my God, Jimmy! He completely floored me when he took that chance to answer first.”
Pete glanced at her, the corner of his mouth lifting in a quiet smile. “Yeah,” he said, his voice low and steady. “That one got to me, too.”
Angie exhaled sharply, still riding the high of the moment. “This is going to work, Pete. I can feel it. It’s going to be something special.”
His fingers flexed on the steering wheel, and he gave a slow nod. “Yeah. I think it is.”
Unlike her, he wasn’t bursting with words, but there was something in the way he spoke. It was in the way he carried himself that told her he felt it, too. He wasn’t just indulging her excitement. He was in this with her.
When they pulled up in front of her house, the truck idled for a moment, both of them lingering.
Pete finally turned to her. “I’ll walk you up.”
She smiled, stepping out as he rounded the front of the truck and fell into step beside her. The night air was cool, but she felt warm all over.
They climbed the short steps to her front porch, the soft glow of the porch light casting long shadows across the worn wooden planks. Angie turned to face him, her pulse kicking up as she met his steady gaze.
“So,” she murmured, tilting her head, “does this mean you’re going to let me celebrate properly?”
Pete arched a brow. “What exactly does ‘celebrate properly’ mean?”
Her lips curved. “This.”
She reached for him, fisting the fabric of his jacket and tugging him forward. He didn’t resist. The moment her mouth met his, he was there. Solid, warm, and consuming her in a way that sent heat flashing through every nerve ending.
The kiss wasn’t soft or hesitant. It was deep, demanding, and a little reckless. Pete’s hands landed on her hips, pulling her flush against him as his lips parted, his tongue sweeping over hers. A small, desperate sound escaped her throat, and he answered with a low growl, angling his head to take more.
Her fingers threaded into his hair, nails scraping against his scalp as he pressed her back against the door. She could feel the strength in his body, the barely leashed control in the way his hands gripped her waist, the way he kissed her like he was fighting not to push further.
When they finally broke apart, both of them breathing hard, Angie let out a shaky laugh. “Well,” she whispered, forehead still resting against his, “that was a pretty good celebration.”
Pete chuckled, his breath warm against her lips. “Yeah. But if we don’t stop now, I’m not going to leave.”
Angie bit her lower lip, fighting the urge to tell himso don’t. But he was right. They had started something here—something real. And she wasn’t about to rush it.
Instead, she exhaled and pulled back slightly. “Saturday,” she said. “Come over in the afternoon. We’ll talk more about the program. Maybe cook something together.”
Pete’s gaze stayed locked on hers, intense and unreadable for a moment. Then he nodded. “Saturday.”
With one last lingering touch, he brushed his thumb lightly over her lower lip before he took a step back.
“Night, Angie.”
She watched as he walked down the steps, climbed into his SUV, and pulled away, her entire body still humming from his touch. With a dreamy sigh, she unlocked her door, stepped inside, and leaned against it. Saturday couldn’t come fast enough.
13
Angie pulled into the parking lot of Careway, her fingers gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than usual. Tonight was important, a night when connections would begin—ones that she hoped would provide warmth and stability for both the young men and their adopted grandparents.
She took a deep breath and stepped out of her car, smoothing down the front of her soft knit sweater as she made her way inside. The familiar scent of the facility—clean linen, a faint trace of lavender, and the subtle antiseptic undertone—greeted her as she walked through the automatic doors.
She was usually here to visit her grammy Ellen, but tonight was all about the ones who didn’t have family nearby.
Belle had already left for the evening, but the night shift nurse at the front desk spotted her immediately and gave her a warm smile. “Your group is already in the meeting room,” she said with a knowing wink.
Angie smiled back, offering a small wave before making her way down the hall. Excitement and nerves twisted inside her, and she hoped that the older residents hadn’t gotten cold feet. They had all been so enthusiastic when she first brought up the idea, but first meetings could be daunting.
Pushing open the door to the large meeting room, her heart lifted. They were all there.
