“Now, what do you mean it wasn’t just a kiss.”
“Well, it was that night but then we sort of...well. He went to a bookstore with me, Cin!”
“Oh, hell. Practically your catnip.”
“It so is. And my God.”
I heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Charlie on his way down with Lucy picking up the rear. They usually slept with my parents. I hope I didn’t wake them.
Then again, those two could smell out food from across the property. They hopped up on the couch with me. Lucy putting her big head in my lap. “Don’t you look at me with those big brown eyes.”
She huffed out a low wine.
“Fine.” I broke off a corner of the sweet bread for her and Charlie. “That’s it.”
Cindy oohed and awwed over them for a minute then like a bloodhound she was back on me. “Details, woman.”
“I’m not giving you a blow by blow.” My cheeks were probably on fire. Just thinking that word brought back us in the bath. I’d never been so bold with taking a man in hand in my whole life. What the hell got into me with him?
“Okay, but you have to give me something.”
I blew out a breath and buried my fingers in Lucy’s hair. “We were cooking in his kitchen, and it was just so nice. Like easy, you know. As if we’d known each other forever. I mean, I’ve known him forever, but not like this. Not where I could just trust him not to fuck me over.” I cleared my throat. “Well, he definitely fucked me.”
Cindy collapsed onto her side, holding her wine glass in the air so she didn’t spill a drop. “You’re killing me.”
I laughed. “I just don’t know how to explain it. He was showing me around his house. Oh, he won the lottery.”
She dropped the phone and I got a good look at her ceiling and the twinkle lights she’d hung around her canopy bed. Then she picked it up and her face filled the screen. “Wait, wait. Lottery?”
“Yeah. He’s like stupid perfect. Maybe that’s why I’m so messed up about him. He’s singlehandedly saving this town and he’s going to do this whole winter wonderland village thing to bring business to Haven. It’s...I can’t. There has to be a flaw.”
“Okay, we’ll unpack that later. Let’s go back to the first part. So, he was showing you around...”
I laughed. “He has this beautiful library in his house. He remodeled and added to his childhood home. So, I just took it upon myself to check out his bedroom. And he has this insane tub that you could swim in. You know, those deep soaker kinds. He’s like six foot ridiculous. I don’t even know how tall he is. Taller than my dad.”
“Okay, I’ve been to your house. I spent like a month there with you after the last tour. How have I never seen this fine specimen of man?”
“I don’t think he was around much then. He tried to keep his family’s farm going, but you know how that goes these days.”
Cindy sighed. “Yeah.”
“They actually lost the farm for a little while. Tate bought it back when he won the lottery.”
“This doesn’t even sound real. Are you sure you’re not moonlighting as a writer for Hallmark or something?”
“Oh, honey. Hallmark couldn’t handle what we did in that bathtub.”
She brought the phone up to her face again. “What?”
I giggled and cuddled down lower in the couch and lowered my own voice. I didn’t need my mother or father listening in on this conversation. “Yeah. I’m telling you, Cin. I don’t even recognize me. I’m so used to guys chasing me, and I’m the one making all the moves.”
“Wait? All of them?”
“Well...” I trailed off. “No. Kind of. I don’t even know. All I know is it’s only been a few days and I’m a freaking maniac. I gotta be lust drunk. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“Okay, so what’s wrong with that. If you’re getting a good dicking, there’s nothing wrong with that. That text was rude by the way. I thought you were kidding.”
I snickered. “No, I definitely was not. And you know that’s exactly my problem. I was caught on camera out with him a few times. And it was enough to get the label to want to capitalize on it.”
