And in this moment, I know.
The attraction I felt towards him from the start never went away.
But now that I’m kissing him, I know it’s so much more than that.
By the time Indy breaks the kiss, I’m lightheaded and wobbly on my feet.
He looks down at me with a heated gaze, his desire a visible thing. And a stolen glance below his waist shows he’s just as affected by our kiss as me.
“Are you okay?” he asks. He adjusts my knit cap, making sure my ears are covered. Then he strokes my sensitive lips with his thumb. “That wasn’t too much, was it?”
“It wasn’t too much.” I hold his gaze. “And I’m more than okay.”
“Okay.” A satisfied smile curves his lips. “Good.” He kisses me again, this time much more tenderly. “I’m more than okay, too.”
As we look at each other, there are so many things I want to ask.
What does this mean for us? Was it a one-time thing? Or will it happen again?
While I’m sorting through my thoughts, the trill of a phone ringing breaks through the silence.
“Shit,” Indy mutters. He unzips his fleece to reach into the inside pocket. “Sorry, Bea. It’s our team ringtone. So I know it’s one of the guys. If it were anyone else…”
“It’s fine.” Honestly, I’m happy for the reprieve, so I can try to make some sense of my feelings. “If it’s someone on your team, of course you should answer it.”
Indy shifts me to his side, still keeping his arm around my waist as he answers his phone with the other. He listens for a few seconds, then says, “Shit. Sorry. I’m out in the woods with Bea, and I?—”
Stopping, he listens again. “No, I’ll head back now. See you soon.”
Once he ends the call, he gives me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. We have a team meeting, and I lost track of time.”
“It’s okay.” I start heading back towards the house, my gaze focused on the path while I try to fight back the disappointment pushing at me. “If you have a meeting?—”
Indy hurries to catch up to me. “Bea. I’d rather be out here with you.”
“I get it.” And yes, I know I’m being irrational. He has a meeting. For work. It’s not a personal insult.
It’s just… we had our first kiss. And now…
His arm comes around me again. “It shouldn’t take long. No more than an hour. And after, how about we sit by the fire, watch a movie, maybe order some pizza?”
The weight of disappointment lightens a little. “Are you sure you have time?”
Indy kisses my forehead. “For you? Absolutely.”
Oh.
As we walk back to the house, talking about what movie to watch and the toppings to have on our pizza, I decide an hour break isn’t a bad thing after all. I can freshen up. Fix my hair, which will undoubtedly look a mess after wearing a hat for the last hour. I can put on something cute, maybe whip up a batch of cookies for later…
Yes. I can make cookies for Indy. Or actually, I can make a double batch so there’s enough for his entire team. Something quick, like chocolate chip or peanut butter. I’ll run a brush through my hair, put on a little mascara and lip gloss, change into something cuter than jeans and a sweater with long underwear beneath it, and be ready for our movie by the time Indy’s done with his meeting.
At the door to my apartment, Indy apologizes again. “I’m sorry, Bea. Really. I don’t know how I forgot about the meeting. I—” He stops. Smirks. “Actually, Idoknow how I forgot.”
“Sorry—”
“Bea.” He strokes my cheek. “I’mveryglad you made me forget.”
Very glad.
