Page 26 of Forecheck
I wanted to kill whoever put that look on her face, whoever had made her wary to tell a man she was leaving for a while.
“Damn.” It was the only thing I could think to say. “Well, we’ll talk while you’re gone, right?”
“Of course!” she said, perking up. “I had a wonderful time tonight. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I shot her a wide grin, and she responded with a broad smile of her own. Caught up in the moment, I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll let you get inside, but I hope you have a safe trip home, and I’ll see you next year?”
As soon as the words left my mouth, it took everything in me not to punch myself in the face. God, I really had to stop saying stupid shit in front of this girl.
“Definitely,” she said, an amused smile playing on her lips. “Good night, Brent.”
“Good night, Berkley.”
My window of opportunity to give her more than just that lame ass kiss on the cheek and a “see ya next year” was closing rapidly. Just as I inched toward her to fix my mistake, readying to make my move, she dropped my hand and turned toward the elevator.
Okay, no big deal.Slow and steady, Jean. Slow and steady.
I spun on my heel and trudged toward the exit.
“Hey, Brent?”
My heart leapt as I turned toward Berkley once again.
“Yeah?”
She smiled and stepped toward me, standing on her tippy toes and placing her hands on my chest for balance. The citrusy blend of her perfume enveloped me, and I breathed in deeply, committing it to memory.
“I think you forgot something.”
Her mouth was inches away.
Waiting.
I grinned and closed the distance.
As first kisses went, it wasn’t like in the movies. There was no epic swell of music or pouring rain for ambiance, making it painfully obvious to anyone watching that this was a momentous occasion. It was a light press of our lips, once, twice, three times, sweet and perfect in its simplicity.
When Berkley pulled away, another one of her shy smiles played at the corners of her lips, and that beautiful flush once again graced her cheeks.
I clenched my hands at my sides to keep from reaching for her again.
“Good night,” she said, retreating toward the elevator. Once she stepped in, as the door closed, she brought her hand to her mouth, her smile growing bigger as she disappeared from view.
I couldn’t help my own grin as I practically skipped back out to my truck and floated all the way home. It remained glued inplace until I fell asleep that night, where I dreamt of that kiss, of Berkley’s soft lips and the places on my body I’d like her to press them—and all the places on hers I wanted to put my own.
I was a man starved. After only morsels of information from Berkley throughout the evening, I wanted more. I wanted all she’d give me. But, even knowing next to nothing about her, there was one important thing I’d learned tonight.
Berkley Daniels was the kind of woman you wifed up, and I’d be an idiot if I let her slip away.
What's A WAG?
By the end ofthe following week, I was equal parts exhausted and exhilarated. I’d completed yet another semester of law school, passed all my exams with flying colors, and was one step closer to realizing my dreams.
Since I’d be away for Christmas, the girls and I planned to take the weekend and party our asses off in celebration, exactly like the old days.
Thursday morning found us spread across my living room, each of us in a different state of self-care. I was putting the finishing touches on my pedicure when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it!” I said, hopping carefully to my feet and waddling down the hall, toe separators still in place.
