Page 20 of Love Takes A Tumble
Audrey stood in the doorway, car keys in hand, her expression transforming from determination to shock.
"Harrison," she said, his name little more than a breath.
"Audrey." He stopped, momentarily frozen by the sight of her. "I was?—"
"Coming back," she finished, her voice catching slightly.
He nodded, taking a tentative step forward. "I got almost to Charleston and realized I didn't want to leave things the way we did."
"I was coming to find you." She held up her keys as if offering proof. "I messaged you."
Something unfurled in Harrison's chest, a tightness he hadn't realized he'd been carrying. "You did?"
"Yes." She took a step toward him, closing the distance between them. "I was wrong, Harrison. I got scared and pushed you away, and I'm still scared, but..." She took a shaky breath. "I'm more scared of never knowing what might have been."
Harrison felt his pulse quicken. "What changed your mind?"
"I finished writing a scene I'd been struggling with," she said, a small smile touching her lips. "My lighthouse keeper. He finally realized that guiding others to safety isn't the same as finding your own way home."
The words hit with unexpected precision. "And did he? Find his way home?"
"He's trying," she said softly. "It turns out it's more of a journey than a destination."
Harrison moved closer, until they stood just inches apart. "I'd like to be part of that journey. If you'll have me."
Audrey's eyes met his, vulnerable but steady. "I'd like that too. I can't promise I won't be difficult sometimes. Old habits and all that."
"I can be pretty stubborn myself," he admitted with a small smile.
"We're quite a pair, aren't we?" She laughed softly, the sound warming him from the inside. "A retired firefighter who doesn'tknow how to stop rescuing people and a librarian who's afraid to write her own story."
"Maybe we can help each other figure it out." Harrison's hand lifted to her face, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. This time, she didn't pull away.
Instead, Audrey leaned into his touch, her eyes never leaving his. "I'd like to try," she whispered.
The invitation in her words was unmistakable. Harrison's heart hammered against his ribs as he slowly bent his head toward hers, giving her time to pull away if she wanted. She didn't. Instead, her eyes fluttered closed, her face tilting up to meet his.
Their lips met softly at first, a gentle press that sent a current of warmth spreading through his entire body. The scent of her enveloped him. Something floral and subtle, like jasmine warmed by sunlight. Her lips were impossibly soft against his, tentative but yielding.
Harrison's hand moved to cradle the nape of her neck, feeling the silky texture of her hair between his fingers. His other arm circled her waist, drawing her closer until he could feel the warmth of her body against his, the slight curve of her waist beneath his palm.
Audrey made a small sound in the back of her throat, something between a sigh and a murmur, and the vibration of it against his lips sent a shiver down his spine. Her hands, which had been resting lightly on his chest, slowly slid upward to his shoulders, then around his neck, her touch gaining confidence with each passing moment.
The world around them seemed to fade—the creaking of the porch beneath their feet, the distant sound of waves, the afternoon sunlight warming their skin—all of it receding as they found each other in this moment they'd both been moving toward since that first morning on the beach.
When they finally broke apart, Harrison kept his arms around her, unwilling to let this moment end too quickly. Audrey's eyes opened slowly, their green depths holding a mixture of wonder and quiet joy that he felt echoed in his own heart. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly parted, and Harrison couldn't help thinking she'd never looked more beautiful.
"I've been wanting to do that since the lighthouse tour," he admitted.
"Me too," she confessed. "I just didn't know how to let myself want it."
The screen door creaked open behind them, and they turned to find Elise watching with undisguised delight. "I was wondering where you'd gotten to, Audrey. I see you won't be needing those hotel recommendations after all."
Audrey blushed, but didn't move from Harrison's side. "No, I don't think so."
Harrison cleared his throat. "Actually, I was wondering if my room might still be available?"
Elise winced apologetically. "I'm sorry, Harrison. Someone checked in this morning. But—" her expression brightened "—I do have another room available. Right across from the Magnolia Suite, as it happens."
