His body was lit from within, needing to be close to Chloe in all ways. They’d known each other for months, but it was their first date. He tried to remind himself that it mattered, but he cared little at the moment.
Pulling away, he ran a hand over his face. “I thought I was looking for a sign, something to tell me this was the right thing to do. I don’t know what I expected, really. I felt a connection from the moment you led me in the hospital room to see my daughter, I just didn’t know what it was.”
“I’m not perfect, and I’m not your guardian angel. I’m guaranteed to mess something up along the way. Just don’t put me on a pedestal, Devon, that’s all I ask.”
“I want the chance to be happy. I’ve repeated that enough, I guess you know it by heart. I’m not a casual type of guy, Chloe. I’m not anywhere near the point of asking you to make a commitment, I just want you to know I don't work any other way.” He sighed. “I don’t mean to overwhelm you.”
“You sure go from negative one hundred to a thousand in the blink of an eye.” Chloe kissed him quickly on the mouth. “I’ve spent enough time around you to know that about you. I’ve had months to ponder what I would do if you finally noticed how much I like you. We aren’t a traditional couple that’s going to date for months and decide if we’re right for each other. I get that.”
“It sounds so heavy when you say it out loud,” he said with another sigh.
“It’s okay. You’ve had plenty of heavy in your life. You don’t need to worry about how I’ll handle this. You’ve pushed me away for months, and I understand why. I had to lead you more than once, and that’s okay, too. I knew what I wanted, and it’s you. You didn’t realize it then, and maybe you still don’t, but you’re worth it, Devon. You're worth the waiting and the pushing and whatever work I have to put in.”
He brushed her hair off her face. “If I panic and pull away, don’t give up on me. I’m not sure how I’ll deal with any of this in the future. I’m afraid of hurting you.”
“You might hurt me, and I might hurt you. What relationship worth having doesn’t have mistakes and some pain? I won’t do it on purpose, and neither will you.” Chloe picked up the mugs and handed one to Devon.
“I stand by the suggestion you should become a therapist.”
She just laughed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
They stood in her tinykitchen making dinner, bumping into each other on purpose. Devon felt frisky enough to try out the idea of touching her when he wanted, which, not surprisingly, was all the time.
Once their food was in the oven, he pulled Chloe into his embrace. “I like this stage of our relationship.”
“The one where we kiss a lot?”
His response was to lean down and kiss her. Yes, he liked the idea of being more relaxed around Chloe. She stretched up to her toes and played with the hair at the back of his neck as he tangled his tongue with hers. She was everything soft and right in his world at the moment.
Heat spread throughout his body and he welcomed it with open arms. How was it he’d forgotten what it felt like? The way a woman fit against a man, the breathless anticipation, needing to be as close as possible and missing their presence when they stepped away.
It was a heady rush to change angles, to pull her hips tightly to his body and feel the way she rubbed over his erection. He feared he’d never rid himself of the damn thing in her presence, but it was a small price to pay. The feelings he experienced reminded him of his early days with Kathy; less cautious than he’d become in the past six years.
When the timer went off, they were both more than a little worked up. Chloe backed up with a grin on her face, her lips red and her hair mussed. She reached for hot pads and nudged him out of the kitchen to open the oven. The scent of their dinner was enough to capture his attention, and they soon sat at the table located against the back side of the counter.
