Warmth flooded her body. “It just might.” What the heck. Her lipstick was mostly gone, anyway.
“Then let’s go.” He ushered her out the door.
When she stepped out of the noisy tavern into the quiet night, she let out a sigh. “I love these parties, but….”
“This is a great idea.” Wrapping his arm around her waist, he tucked her against him. “Which way?”
“Let’s walk over to the gazebo.”
“Better yet, we could walk around behind the gazebo.” He matched his stride to hers as they stepped off the curb and walked across the deserted street.
“To be clear, I didn’t suggest this just so we could make out.” Her boots crunched on a thin layer of snow as they headed toward the glittering focal point of the town square.
“That’s too bad.”
“I need to clarify something.”
“Go for it.”
“I’m not a ticking clock.”
“Huh?”
“Some people think… I mean, it’s kind of a cliché but?—”
“Oh.” He cleared his throat. “I get it. The baby thing.”
Pausing, she faced him, slid her arms around his neck and tucked her hands under his collar. “I’m excited for Luis and Jordan, but I’m not jealous. Their announcement didn’t create a burning desire to get pregnant ASAP.”
His gaze searched hers. “Okay.”
“I wondered if you might assume that was the case. I fit the profile. I’m over thirty. And now we’ve made love, so?—"
“I didn’t think that. I can’t imagine you wanting to rush into motherhood when we’ve just started this thing. It would be totally out of character.”
“Thank you.” The knot in her chest loosened. “I was afraid all my gushing sent the wrong message. I’m glad you didn’t take it that way. Let’s just forget I said any?—”
“But since you brought it up, I should probably let you know where I stand on the subject.”
Her breath caught. “That sounds ominous.”
“I don’t mean it to be, but…” He sighed. “Although you won’t ask me to ditch the condoms tonight, it hit me that someday you will.”
Her chest tightened again. “And that’s a problem?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t want kids?”
“It’s not that I don’t want them. It’s that I probably shouldn’t have them.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t have the greatest role model. I don’t trust myself to?—”
“You don’t? When you’ve been such an amazing big brother to Jordan?”
“Not the same.”
