Pulling on his coat, he carefully made his way to her front door, only slipping once on the ice that was hidden beneath the snow.Before he could knock on the door, it opened, and there she stood, in black leggings and a fleecy red sweater that looked like it would be incredibly soft.His fingers itched to touch it.Even in the casual outfit, she looked stylish and festive for the season.He jammed his hands farther into his coat pockets.
“Did you have a good trip?And where’s my postcard?”
“Huh?I haven’t been away.”She knew he’d been at work the past few days.Where was this coming from?
Tilly giggled, the sound sweet, and he wanted to hear it more.“I know, but you slipped on your way up here.”
Zach rolled his eyes.“Everyone’s a comedian.”
Tilly bowed.“I try.Come in before you do yourself some serious damage.”
He looked down at the porch he stood on.Not a speck of snow or ice was visible.“How could I hurt myself here?”he countered and stepped over the threshold, inhaling her musky scent as he did so.
“Well, you could’ve tripped over the step into the house.Anything is possible.I think I’ll have to call you Mr.Clumsy.”
He laughed at her teasing and sass.The yearning to come home to someone and joke around like this grew inside him.But he suspected it would only be as much fun as this if it was Tilly he was coming home to and not someone else.
Knowing it was a mistake, but not caring, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her up against his chest.“Mr.Clumsy, huh?”
Her eyes widened and her breath became choppy.This close, the gold flecks in her eyes were bright.He flicked his gaze down to her mouth and found it parted, her lips shiny from the gloss she wore.
“Tilly?”he asked in a whisper, unable to resist her any longer.
“Please.”Her response was breathy, and his body reacted to the sound, desire swarming around them like buzzing bees.
He took his time lowering his head, giving her the chance to pull away if she wanted to.She closed the distance between them.His eyelids lowered as the sensation of her mouth on his hit him.It was even better than he’d thought it would be.Her lips were soft and plump, and she tasted like strawberries.
He threaded his fingers through her hair, the strands silky soft beneath his touch.Her arms closed around his neck, enabling him to change the angle of the kiss, deepening it.
After this first taste, he was addicted, and he didn’t want to give the addiction up.Everything about Tilly had him feeling alive, as if anything was possible—even repairing his relationship with his mother—maybe.
Slowly he pulled away, not wanting to break the kiss, but knowing that if he didn’t, he would start to want to do more and it was way too soon for them.
The expression on Tilly’s face was dreamy and contented, and he expected he looked the same too.
“I think I should tease you more often if that’s what happens,” Tilly said after a few seconds.
“Maybe.”
Her hair floated around her face, and he pushed it back, curling it over her ear.As much as he tried to deny it, this was what he wanted.He wanted to be welcomed home.Wanted to have someone special waiting for him, ready with a kiss and a hug, especially if his shift had been particularly harrowing and he needed the human connection that could heal the hurts his job brought.
She smiled up at him and took him by the hand.“Come on.I fixed you something to eat.I’m betting you’re hungry.”
“Why does it seem like you’re always feeding me?”he asked as he sat at the table and saw the toasted panini packed with deli meats, tomato, cheese and avocado.His stomach grumbled in appreciation.
“Because I am,” she finished with a wink.“Seriously, though, I don’t mind giving you something to eat.You’re helping me.It’s a lot, especially after all the hours you’ve worked recently.”
Zach picked up the sandwich and took a big bite.He bit back a groan.“This is really good.”
“Glad you like it.Let me get everything I’ve done over the last few days, and we can go through it after you’ve eaten.”
If it wasn’t for the slight tremor in her hands, Zach would’ve thought the kiss they’d shared hadn’t affected her as much as it had affected him.He’d grabbed the sandwich because if he hadn’t, he’d have grabbed her for another kiss.
Tilly returned, but instead of the folder she’d been using, she’d upgraded to a binder, the type he’d used in school to hold all his work in.“Looks like you’ve been really busy.”He wiped his hands on a napkin.
“I printed off copies of everything we’ve sent and the permits so we have a paper trail, as well as a digital trail.You can never be too sure.Something could happen with my computer and then I’d lose everything.”
“Is your computer unreliable?”
