Page 95 of Fresh Tracks
“Hi,” I say, my voice a nervous squeak when I hold the phone to my ear.
“Hey, Rainbow,” he says, that low, silky smooth voice like a soothing balm to my anxious nerves.
“So do you want to tell me why my old boss was just saying how amazing you are and to thank you for her?”
“Well,” he hums thoughtfully. “I do want to, but I was hoping I could talk to you in person about it.”
Motion in the corner of my eye catches my attention. I turn to find my brother, Clay, standing right in front of me, new romance book in hand.
“Hey, Gracie,” he says, wearing a stupid grin.
“Not now,” I shake my head and point at my phone. “It’s Tommy. Go show your book to your fiancée.” I make a shooing gesture but his grin only grows and he pulls the phone away from my ear. He can be a little shit, but he’s not rude and knows better than this. “What the fuck, Clay?”
Instead of saying anything, he simply reaches out, palms my head in his giant, bear paw mitt of a hand, and turns my head.
I see Kayleigh and Lizzy sitting at the table, watching me with matching, shocked smiles. It’s not them that have me speechless though. It’s the man standing on the sidewalk outside, holding up his phone, waving at me with a scruffy, dimple popping smile that sucks the air right out of me.
It’s only been a couple days since I’ve seen him and still, just knowing he’s this close has me ready to go jump his bones right here. I don’t care if the bustling holiday crowd on Main Street sees, I just need to be near him.
I slowly regain my breath when his broad smile pulls into a mischievous smirk. He waves at his own phone, reminding me that we’re still on a call. My eyes fall to the phone still in my hand and I lift it to my ear.
“So doesnowwork?” he says, far too pleased with himself.
I roll my eyes, but can’t hide the smile taking over my face when I hang up the phone. I walk past Lizzy and Kayleigh who spin in their chairs, clearly enjoying this spectacle while I walk out of the shop and onto the sidewalk.
The second he sees me leave the door, we both stride to each other, that electric tension between us pulling us together, making the world around us fade into a blur. He pulls me into his arms and even through his thick, wool lined denim jacket I can feel his warmth. My arms instinctively drape around his neck and he slants his mouth to mine. A low growl rumbles in his throat when our lips part and his tongue dives into my mouth andcaresses mine. This kiss is passionate, unleashing pent up hunger that neither of us were expecting. More than anything, it’s here, on the crowded sidewalk with tourists all around us and he doesn’t seem the least bit phased by it. I break the kiss for just a second and his teeth tug on my lower lip, protesting the separation.
I raise my brows and he lets go, giving me just enough space to look into those deep, blue pools. “I missed you.”
Another low growl rumbles up his chest. “I missed you too.”
I smirk before pinching the back of his neck and tilt my head. “Now are you going to tell me why you’re here and why Kathy thinks you’re just the sweetest,Mr.Sorenson?”
His hand tucks a stray wisp of my hair out of my eyes. His Adam’s apple bobs and when I look into his eyes again, I see that calm, but vulnerable openness that makes the butterflies in my stomach do summersaults. “I’m sorry your brother’s mad at you. I’m sorry you lost your job.”
My jaw tenses and my brow furrows. He must see my irritation when I open my mouth to speak because he shakes his head.
“No, let me finish,” he says and I see the pleading look in his eyes.
I nod and he continues. “I know those things aren’t my fault, at least not fully. And I know you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself and fixing things on your own. That doesn’t change that I’m sorry that they happened. I’m sorry we both felt like we had to hide us. I don’t ever want that. I want people to take us seriously. And I told you, I’d give you all of me. So that’s what I’m doing. If we’re going to be together, you’re going to get all of me, whether it’s just you and me at home or in public.”
I cup his jaw, my thumb tracing the hollow of his dimple, up over the crinkles at the corner of his eyes until I feel the cool metal of his eyebrow piercing.
“That’s amazing. That’s perfect. I just can’t believe you’redoing it.” I press a kiss to his lips. “But that still doesn’t explain how it involves Wasatch Wishes.”
He sucks in a breath and grabs the back of his neck. “I had Jake move a couple things around and we made a donation to them.”
I squint at him. “How big?”
He smiles nervously. “Enough for them to get a new office building, with better facilities, and fund their full time staff for the next five years,” his voice trailing up like a question.
“But—” I start, wanting to tell him this is amazing, but then it hits me.
Kathy knows his full name. That means… No. He didn’t.
My mouth falls open. He shrugs awkwardly. “They said I can have my name on the building. That it’d really help with their fundraising.”
“What did you say?” My voice is a whisper.
