At his car up the street, he leaned casually against the curb side.
“Not that bad, huh?”
“That’s all you have to say? You pulled that off better than a winning goal.”
He chuckled. “Happy that’s how it felt to you.”
His hands caught mine, thumbs brushing the insides of my wrists. If he was checking for a pulse, he’d know mine was racing. He eased me between his parted legs and brushed a loose curl behind my ear before his thumb skimmed down my cheek. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss there.
“So,” he murmured, “can I claim my favorite part of the deal?”
He brushed his lips over my other cheek lightly, before his mouth hovered closer to mine. My stomach swooped in anticipation, then he pulled back just shy of my mouth, leaving me suspended. He was teasing, and he knew exactly what he was doing.
The car loomed beside us, traffic hummed by, and streetlights threw shadows across his face. The angles sharpened, his jaw cut in gold and shadow, and brown eyes, gone darker in the night, pinned me. It felt stupidly private for being out in the open. My heart thundered.
He let go of my hand and slid his arm around my waist, pulling me closer, then pressed his mouth to mine. I gripped his shoulders, needing something to hold onto as our mouths moved in sync.
When he finally pulled back, he kept me in his arms, holding me tight.
“See you soon?” he murmured into my ear.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
He let go slowly, climbed into his car, and drove away.
I walked back toward the house, still tingling from his lips, my lungs fizzing as if I’d breathed in champagne. I thought I knew kisses as someone once engaged, but this one rewrote all of that. My heartbeat slowed, thick and sweet, and it seemed the night air had softened just for me.
As I reached the front porch stairs, Vince stepped out from the side of the house. I stopped in my tracks. He placed one foot on the driveway, hands in his pockets, and looked on.
“I thought you left,” I said.
He tilted his head slightly. “Dimmed lights, wide sky… Some things never get old, huh, Mel?” His eyes tracked the street where Sean’s car had disappeared.
My chest went tight, and I flushed. He remembered. I’d once told him my favorite kind of moment. No candles, no grand setting, but stars, cool air, and a shared breath.
Ha. Add ego and delete romance, and the sentence was complete.
“Good memory. Except most people have added more to their lives than hay, dirt, and moonlight.”
A tight, dry laugh escaped him before he considered me.
“NHL head coach,” he said, and pursed his lips. “You didn’t even like or know anything about hockey.”
Where was this going? And why did it matter?
“I do now,” I said with a shrug. “Working with the team will do that.”
His brow lifted. Another hit. He didn’t know about my job.
Why did I ever doubt this plan? The second Sean drove off, Vince popped out and still fell two steps behind—NHL boyfriend and an NHL job. Game, set, and match.
“What a time you picked to show up,” I said, stepping onto the first porch step.
Vince’s jaw tensed. “You were always quick to shut me out once your mind was made up.”
I paused on the next step, my heart thudding in my chest.
“It takes practice. And for the record, I didn’t shut you out. You picked your New York job over me.”
