I added cooking lessons to my to-do list and quickly brought my attention back to the woman in my arms.
We’d moved on to the living area after dinner for a mini glass of wine—at Wren’s request because she’d had almost her limit—and now we stood in front of the fireplace, the gas flames flickering behind us, indecision creeping in.
I ran my thumb around Wren’s ear and rounded her neck, gathering her close. Kissing her lips, I reminded myself to keep the moment going. Of course, the evening before, I’d respected her decision to stay in the guest room. Ithadbeen a few decades. But tonight I didn’t want to part ways with this beautiful woman.
“Today was an eagle kind of day. A hole in one,” I took a beat to say.
“Not a birdie?”
“Not even close. I am officially renaming you Eag-y.”
She play-squeezed my arm. “Ew. No. That is not one bit attractive as a nickname.”
“So, you’re finally admitting you loved me calling you Birdie?” I leaned back a smidge to see her face.
“I never said that.”
I reached around and slid her hair out of the low ponytail, allowing me to run my fingers through it. This had quickly become my favorite pastime. “I want more days like today,” I mumbled along Wren’s mouth. “Eagle days with my Birdie.”
“I…”
“Shh,” I said, bringing a lone finger to her mouth, signaling she should be quiet. “I can say it, and you don’t have to be ready for it. Let me live in this moment.”
Her gaze locked with mine, her eyes wide with emotion, and she spoke my nickname for the first time since I’d landed in her doctor’s office. “Danny—”
“Say it again,” I interrupted.
“Daniel.”
“Danny,” I corrected.
“I’m feeling so much right now. It’s making my pulse race.”
I tried to lighten the moment. “That might be me.”
“Daniel,” she growled.
“Okay, okay, I’m behaving.” I gathered her tight and waited for her to speak.
“Excitement, arousal, uncertainty, to name a few. I’ve become used to keeping my emotions and feelings controlled. Now they’re going off in and around me, spouting off like fireworks. I’m a surgeon. I believe in order and systems.”
Gathering my thoughts, I kissed her, letting her taste overcome me. She kissed me back with ardor, but if she’d said no, we would have stopped.
Reluctantly pulling back, I tried to comfort Wren. “It’s all right to feel overwhelmed and chaotic. Sometimes it can be thrilling or fun. Yes, not in your job. But outside, you can let loose. If you feel like you’re going to fall, I’m going to be there to catch you.”
She stood as tall as she could on her tiptoes and mashed her lips to mine. I wasn’t sure what part of what I said had gotten to her, but hey, I wasn’t arguing. This beautiful creature—a woman I’d spent decades thinking about—was grinding her hips into me, seeking friction, and it felt like at any minute she might climb me like a tree.
We stayed like that, kissing until our lips were raw, and I was so hard against the jeans I’d changed into after our day that I was certain there might be permanent damage.
“I want you,” Wren breathed, looking at me before whispering, “Danny.”
In a split second, I lifted her up and tossed her over my shoulder.
“Your knee,” she protested. “I don’t want to redo it… And I can’t if I’m about to sleep with you.”
I kept walking toward my bedroom, past the guest room where she stayed the night before, ignoring her rant. Setting herdown on the edge of the bed, I finally spoke. “Who said anything about sleeping?”
This made her giggle, and I couldn’t help but feeling like a young man again. And I damn well liked it.
