“It is. When the two main characters in a book see each other and fall right away for the other. It’s basically love at first sight.”
I nod my head slowly. “I mean, in a way I had a little bit of insta-love for you when we met…”
“No you didn’t!” she says, play smacking me again. “You can’t. People don’t have that happen. It’s only in the movies.”
“Maybe. But what if it isn’t?” Still holding her in my arms, I look down at her, and using my thumb and forefinger I tilt her chin up to face me. “How do you know?”
The way her lips beckon to me, I have no words. Softly, I place mine on hers and taste her, savoring the moment. It’s akiss that begs her to stay with me, by my side, but a kiss that’s also respectful because I want her to be happy.
There’s a senselessness to this kiss, making me lose my mind as I let my hands slide up her arms, then back down as I wrap them around her waist and pull her tight against me. Saying we fit like a glove is trite, and a puzzle piece is overused. It’s like we snap together.
She slows things down, and remembering we’re on the deck of her childhood home, I follow her lead.
“We’re not doing a good job of figuring things out,” she murmurs, her hands sliding underneath my shirt again as she runs her fingers up and down my back.
“No, we’re not,” I say, stepping away and grabbing the bag I had brought out onto the deck with me. “I have something for you.”
“A gift?”
“Yep.”
I hand her the bag and watch as she tucks her hand inside and pulls out a box of candy rings, all watermelon flavored.
“For me?” She holds the box in the air and giggles. “This is awesome, thank you.”
I point to the writing on the box. “There’s only ten in there.”
“One for every day we’ve known each other.”
“Maybe. Or it’s just what I could get.” I shrug. “I have more, and I’m holding them hostage.”
“Really?”
“Yep. You get your next batch when I see you again.” Did I really find a local supplier and almost buy them out of candy rings so I could try to blackmail…let’s change that…lureher to me with sugar? Yes. Yes I did. I have enough candy rings now that I had to arrange for storage, thank you very much.
“So it’s a bribe to get me to come see you?”
“One hundred percent. And I’ve got more coming your way, just you wait and see.”
“This isn’t the last of them?” she asks, incredulous.
“Oh no, it’s not.” Does this woman play me for a fool? I know what it’s going to take to get her to be mine and I’m prepared for this journey. “Look, I understand how much it would have hurt to have found out about Todd the way you did, in a photo online. And now you meet me, and part of what comes with my world is knowing that a part of you is opened up to the public eye as well.”
She doesn’t say anything, she just nods her head.
“Riley Richards, I am prepared to make mountains move for you. I want to be the man who you know you can rely on, the one who you think of first every morning and the one you want to say goodnight to before you fall asleep. I want to be the man who inspires you as much as you inspire me.” Wrapping my arms around her, I stare deep into her eyes. “I want this from you because you have all of this from me and you don’t know it.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the first person I think about when my eyes snap open.” My eyes then rock over to the backyard where Posh still plays with Becks, then back to Riley. “Posh is second now, and she doesn’t like it at all, but she’ll get used to it.”
A soft blush makes its way across her features, sending a thrill through my body.
“Riley, come to my first game back in two days. Please. I’d love to have you in the stands for that first night back.”
Riley opens her mouth, then closes it, hesitating. “I can’t.”
Two words I wasn’t prepared to hear. “What?”
