“I guess he wanted the back tonight.”
I walk her around to the passenger side, my hand hovering near the small of her back instinctively, but I stop myself before it touches. I don’t know if I should. I don’t want her to think I’m pushing anything.
I open the door for her, and she climbs in. Her eyes are difficult to read. I can’t tell if she’s already pulling away.
I close the door gently and circle around to the driver’s side. The memory of that damn kiss is pressing against my ribs, making it difficult to breath.
As I start the engine, I glance at Buddy in the rearview mirror. His tail wags gently, and his eyes are fixed on me like he knows something I don’t. Like he’s waiting for me to figure it out. Then I look at Stormy, with herprofile lit by the soft dashboard glow and her hands folded tight in her lap. She’s staring straight ahead, but I can see the apprehension in her face. The way she’s holding herself still.
I want to speak. To ask her what this is. What happens next.
But the words feel too much. Too fragile. Like if I say them out loud, they’ll shatter the memory of that incredible kiss.
So, for now, I just drive.
34
Stormy
That kiss.
Oh my god, that kiss.
He kissed me and it felt unreal, like it was the first time I’d ever been kissed, likereallykissed. Not just lips on lips, but something deeper. Like he saw me. Like he meant it.
And I couldn’t hold back.
The way he’d kissed the scar on my lip … slowly and tenderly, as though he was trying to make up for everything I’d been through with Sam.
No one’s ever kissed me like that.
Sam was sweet, at first. But he never made me feel like this. Never made me feel wanted in the way Ford did tonight.
It wasn’t just about wanting. I could feel it. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was about care. About affection. About something deeper.
And that worries me.
What if Missy saw? What if she got upset and left?
What if I’ve messed everything up?
A hand reaches over, warm and steady.
Ford’s hand rests gently on my knee.
That’s the thing about him. He’s steady. Not just with me, but with everyone around him.
He’s the kind of man who checks in on his family without being asked. Fixes things before they break.
Loyal. Responsible. Quietly dependable in ways most people don’t even notice until they’re leaning on him.
He’s good with animals, compassionate, gentle, and patient. He understands what it means to be scared and still want to trust.
And beneath that grumpy exterior, he’s kind. Genuine. Thoughtful.
Hardworking to the bone.
He’s a safe place, even if he doesn’t know it.
