“Yes.”
She started to hug him, then stepped back and stuck out her hand. “Gentlemen’s agreement.”
He laughed and shook her hand. “A woman’s agreement.” He resisted the urge to tug her to him, wrap her in his arms and kiss her until?—
“Ben, I promise I’ll take care of it.”
He nodded, emotion stealing his words. He’d just sold his grandparents’ lifework. But this was the right choice. He was sure of it.
“Will you take care of the staff, Cami?” he said. “Myrtle May lives in the owner’s cottage, but I’ll give her part of the sale for a house. But she’ll want to work. I think she’d be lost without it. Walt lives in his grandfather’s fishing shack. He says, ‘It’s warm and dry, enough for this old bachelor.’ Ray lives down the road. Has his own garden and fishing pond he keeps up too.”
“I’ll look out for them, Ben.” Cami found his hand in the dark and linked her fingers with his. “And thank you for today, for selling me the inn.”
“You’re welcome. I trust you, Cami. I do.” Hands still linked, he walked her around to the passenger side door. Moonlight drifted through the trees, and he could think of nothing, feel nothing, but her nearness.
He opened the door, but when she didn’t slip into the seat, he gripped her waist and drew her close.
Cami’s breath brushed against his cheek as if she might speak, but when she didn’t, Ben tilted toward her and swept the curls that had fallen from her ponytail from her neck. She trembled with a low, nervous laugh, broke her hand from his and cradled her cheek against his neck, then cooled his hot skin with a soft, tender kiss.
Ben moved to see her face, to see the light in her eyes before he slowly touched his lips to hers.
She raised her face to his and, forgetting all hesitation, he kissed her again, soft and slow at first, then with a passionate pulse.
Ben walked Cami the step backward until she was pressed against the side of the truck, holding onto him and rising to meet his kiss. Breathing in, breathing out?—
Around them, the wind stirred up a cricket chorus for a romantic serenade and rattled the leaves in harmonic rhythm.
Ben’s hand slipped toward her hip, and that’s when it happened. A firework shot off just outside the parking lot, and their beautiful, incredible kiss ended with a laugh. Behind them, a group of teenage boys set off another firework, the noise echoing among the cars.
“My, my,” Cami said, patting her forehead, then her hair. “You’ve improved, Ben Carter. That was way better than our first kiss.”
“Same to you, Cami Jackson.” He paused to clear the roughness from his voice. “Though it’s disappointing we ended again with another crack, this time a firecracker?—”
“But I loved the laugh.”
“Kissing and laughing.” He kissed her forehead. “What could be better?” Ben moved aside for Cami to climb in the passenger seat. “Guess we should go.”
Cami started for the cab, then turned back to him. “Today was one for my diary, Ben, if I kept one.”
He stepped closer, tucking her against his chest. “Yes, but I wish…”
“Ben, I can’t move to Sydney. You can’t move to Indianapolis.” She hugged him with her cheek against his chest. “Are we to always be out of step with each other?”
“Seems like it.” He ran his fingers down her back and back up. “What if we put your mom’s painting on the ground and jump into it? Be the couple on the bench.”
She pressed her hand to his cheek. “That would be lovely, but we live in the real world, Ben. You know we can’t fall in love. Besides, the bench is gone.”
Ben tapped his forehead to hers. “We’ll find a new bench.” Just like that, he was pretty sure he was falling in love with her.
“We should go,” she said.
Ben held the door as she climbed in. He drove slowly back to the inn, wanting to linger in Cami’s presence, which had him rethinking everything he believed about himself, his life, and his future.
Back at work, and she was still smiling from the Fourth weekend. From the last three weekends, really. She’d danced with Ben. Won a three-legged race with Ben. Acquired the inn. Kissed Ben. Sigh. Cami still buzzed at the memory of his lips.
She felt like a different woman when she was with him. She felt like herself.
Then Sunday had come with real world realities. More showings of her condo and helping Annalise with Vicki’s wedding. The country star had finally agreed on a theme, colors, and menu. Annalise said it felt like a rock star accomplishment. But to Cami, she still looked tired, not her usually bubbly self.
