“I prefer hopeful,” he said, grinning.
He pulled her closer, and the music faded behind them.Every brush of her hand, every sway of her body against his, carried a new weight, a promise that made his pulse quicken.
“One more dance?”he asked.
“One more,” she said.
They moved together, feeling the rhythm in their own bodies rather than the band.He thought of the motel, of having her to himself, of the heat between them that made the world shrink to just this floor, this moment.
“Ready to get out of here?”he murmured in her ear.
“More than ready,” she replied, and he felt it, a pull that was impossible to resist.
They found Kitto holding court with Scott’s group, sketching caricatures on napkins as his audience laughed appreciatively.
“We’re heading out,” Sienna said.“Will you be all right getting home?”
“Scott said he’d give me a lift,” Kitto replied with a wink.“Have fun.”
“Thanks for trusting me with your sister,” Liam said.
Kitto’s grin widened.“Just don’t mess it up.”
“I won’t.”
They said quick goodbyes to Saber and Emily, who sent them off with knowing smiles and waves.Then they walked across the paddock toward the car park, Liam’s hand warm in hers.
“The motel’s on the other side of town,” Liam said as they reached his borrowed truck.
“I know where it is.”Sienna’s voice was steady, but he heard the excitement beneath.
“Liam?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m nervous.”
He stopped walking and turned to face her, his hands rising to cup her face.“We don’t have to do anything.We can talk, or sleep, or—”
She silenced him with a kiss, pouring all her feelings into it, and he tasted love, desire, hope, and absolute certainty.
“I’m ready,” she said when they stepped apart.“I’ve been ready for months, but I’m nervous.”
“Me too,” he said, smiling.“Because it matters.”
They drove through Middlemarch’s quiet streets, hands linked across the console.Liam parked outside unit seven and came around to open her door.
“Still nervous?”he asked.
“Yeah,” she admitted.“But excited too.”
He unlocked the door and held it open.Mussed hair, a red dress glowing in the corridor light—she stole his breath all over again.Her gaze met his, full of trust and anticipation, and for a moment he forgot everything else.
Chapter 28
Thedoorclickedshutbehind them with a finality that sent heat coursing through Sienna’s veins.The room wasn’t fancy—beige walls, a queen bed with a floral comforter, and a small table by the window overlooking the car park.But the lamp cast everything in warm, golden light, and a bottle of champagne waited in an ice bucket on the dresser.
“You planned this.”She took in the champagne and the rose petals scattered across the bedspread.
