That feltdangerous, but still, she didn’t back away.
Bryce saw the shift. Felt it. Unlike Beth, he wasn’t new to moments like this. But instead of closing the distance, he stepped back—just a little.
“Sorry,” he said quietly. “Should I have not touched your hair without asking?”
“You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” Her voice was too fast. Too eager.
He gave her a soft smile. “Good. I’d hate to think I give off danger vibes.”
Her heart leapt to her throat at his use of the word ‘danger’
and how it mirrored her thoughts.
Then, in that sexy, confident way of his, he added, “For a second there, I was terrified.”
Beth blinked.
“I thought you were gonna kiss me and give me cooties.”
Completely caught off guard, laughter burst out of her before she could stop it.
“Oh, stop. You were not.” She swatted at his arm.
“Was too,” Bryce insisted, crossing his arms with a dramatic shudder. “You had this funny look in your eye. I thought you were gonna grab me and plant slobbery kisses like a golden retriever all over my face.” He shuddered again. “Ugh! The horror!”
“Slobbery?” She gasped in mock offense. “Do I look like a retriever?”
“Eh. Maybe a cute one.”
She rolled her eyes and swatted his arm again.
“Kissing you was the furthest thing from my mind,” Beth insisted, knowing it wasn’t exactly a lie. Her thoughts had gone far beyond just kissing.
Bryce grinned like a man who knew exactly what she meant. “Good,” he said.
“Good?” she echoed, suddenly unsure if he was still joking.
“Yup. I’ve made it thirty-five years cootie-free. I would hate to break the streak.”
Beth laughed again, shaking her head.
Then, with no shame whatsoever, he stepped in, slid his hand to her hip, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind herear—repeating the action that had brought them to this moment.
“You are beautiful, though,” he murmured. “So, if youwerethinking about kissing me… Imightbe willing to reconsider my stance on cooties.”
Beth’s face lit up like the Fourth of July.
Bryce saw it. All of it. A wave of satisfaction washed over him as he realized his wife wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Instead of teasing more, he just squeezed her hip gently and pressed a lingering kiss to her temple—the same way he had the night before.
Then, with a tenderness that completely disarmed her, he took her hand.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s see if we can’t give you a first date worth remembering.”
This time, Beth didn’t pull away. She really should have. But her fingers fit so well between his.
CHAPTER 15
Bryce broke the comfortable silence as they hiked. “Tell me about you and Lynn. Were you two close before she took a walk on the wild side?”
