Page 23 of Rumors in Bayberry
Now, she probably didn’t want anything to do with him.He’d probably ruined the evening because he couldn’t keep his mind focused.
“Let’s get something there.”She pointed to a booth called: Pumpkin Everything.
Wait.She still wanted to hang out with him?He hadn’t ruined things?
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.“Let’s go.”
They made their way over and stood in line.It appeared to be a very popular booth.He checked out the menu before pulling out his wallet.He didn’t want to hold up the line when it was their turn.
Sadie ordered pumpkin pie with whipped cream.He got a slice of a pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting.It was homemade, and oh-so moist and delicious.
They slowly strolled through the festival as they ate dessert.At one point, she looked over at him.He noticed she had a dab of whipped cream above her lip.
“Stop.”When she turned to him, he said, “Hold still.”
He reached out to her.When his fingertip made contact with her, it was as though a current of electricity arced between them.It sent his heart thumping in his chest.
Even though they were at the festival with hundreds of other people, the sun had now set, and the darkness gave the impression that they now had a modicum of privacy.His hand lingered on her face—her beautiful face with those very kissable lips.
His gaze lowered to those berry-colored lips.He wondered if they tasted sweet.Not thinking of the right or wrong of it, he lowered his head toward her.His eyes closed, and then his lips pressed to hers.
She didn’t move at first.Did he catch her off guard?He moved slowly so as not to scare her away.After a moment, her lips moved beneath his.
His arms reached out and wrapped around her waist.When he pulled her close, her hands landed on his chest.At that moment, common sense got drowned out by the pounding of his heart.
When he’d first arrived in Bayberry, he’d only had business on his mind.He never would have guessed that he’d meet the most beautiful woman in the world.Nor would he have believed that spending time with her would be more important to him than doing his work, but it was true.
Her fingers inched up over his shoulders and wrapped around the back of his neck.As their kiss deepened, she tasted sweet like whipped cream.
He didn’t want this moment to end.Standing in the middle of Bayberry’s Pumpkin Festival, kissing the woman of his dreams, was too good to be true.
As reality tried to crowd in on the moment, he forced it from his mind.He’d deal with the consequences later.But they had a couple more hours to spend together in this blissful happiness.
When the sound of people approaching had them pulling apart, a sigh crossed his lips.The kiss had ended too soon.Way too soon.
He pulled back, not sure what to expect when he looked into her eyes.Would she be angry with him for overstepping?Or would she feel as though the earth moved beneath her feet like it had for him?
His gaze met hers.Her eyes shone with happiness and something else.But when he tried to take a closer look, she blinked, and the look was gone.Perhaps he’d just imagined there was something deeper going on.
“I’m sorry,” he said.“I shouldn’t have done that.”
Sadie shook her head.“Don’t apologize.We both wanted it.”
She said the right words, but he still couldn’t help feeling as though the kiss had changed everything between them.And where it had left them, well, he wasn’t quite sure.
Of course, if she knew the real reason he was in Bayberry was to buy her family’s paper, he couldn’t help but worry it would impact this fragile thing growing between them.He should tell her the truth.Yes, that was exactly what he should do.He would put it all out there in the open and hope it wouldn’t change things between them.
With the confession on the tip of his tongue, he turned to her.She wasn’t looking at him.She was turned away as she smiled and waved at someone.This was not the spot for a serious conversation.It would wait a little longer.
Chapter Eight
Sadiecouldn’tbelieveshe’dmet a possible Mr.Right at exactly the wrong time.Reed was leaving the next day, and she would soon be heading out to track down her next byline.
She supposed the silver lining was that she would have these wonderful memories to keep her company when she was behind enemy lines or in bomb-ravaged territory where around each corner was a new horror.But in her opinion, those were the most important stories to tell the rest of the world.Those victims needed their voices to be heard, and that was what she did—what she attempted to do to the best of her ability.
Her reputation as a talented journalist had grown over time.For the past five years, she’d been getting the big stories.In some ways, she felt as though she were just getting started.But being with Reed was making her think that in her effort to get the truth out into the world—the next heart-tugging tale of bravery and sacrifice—that she had been neglecting her private life.
She had a secret that she hadn’t told anyone.She was burnt out.Those stories had taken a personal toll on her.Seeing and witnessing such devastation left their marks on her.It was impossible for it not to if you had a heart.
