The more I pay attention, the more it makes me want to know his truth. I want to know the man who worked through this kind of pain to build the amazing life he has now. He must have amazing faith to never give up.
After hopping out of the shower, I notice a text from Adam.
Cailin and I are going to go to the park. Want to join us?
Sure. I just got out of the shower. Give me a half hour, and then I’ll leave here and head your way.
Shower … tell me more …
I freeze, instantly turned on but at a complete loss of what to text back. I decide words can be overrated and just send him a winky-face emoji. When he replies back with the heart-eyes one, I put my hand over my mouth to hide my smile but feel my grin against my palm anyway.
This feeling right here is what I need to remember. This is what it’s all about.
Even more now that I genuinely like the guy. I’m really starting to fall for him, and I just have to have faith that I’m going down the right path.
I arrive at his place forty-five minutes later, and to my surprise, the gate opens before I even press the button. Cailin comes running down the steps and meets me at my car.
“Miss Russo!” she says as she wraps her arms around my legs.
“Hi, sweetheart. Is your daddy in the house?”
I hear his footsteps and glance up to see him in the doorway. This angle makes him look even taller how he takes up the entire frame. His hands are in his pockets as he nonchalantly stands there, though his face says anything but.
His eyes are smoldering with the way they’re taking me in, and when his mouth parts slightly to let out the breath he’s holding, my heart begins to pound out of my chest.
Our kiss replays in my head as we stare at each other. The way his mouth felt against mine, the heat radiating from his body as he pushed me against the door. When my lips part, I watch his tug into a slight grin.
“Hi, Sarah,” he says, and I want to melt from the sound of my name on his tongue.
Cailin grabs my arm and pulls me toward him. I’m thankful when my feet don’t give out on me, and I make it up the stairs.
She lets go of my hand and runs into the house. “I’ll get my shoes on, and then we can go!” she yells, but neither one of us seems to care.
I stare into his eyes, stuck in his trance. When his hands wrap on either side of the nape of my neck and pull me in for a kiss, I melt into him.
The sweetest, most innocent touch filters through me as he presses his lips to mine, breathing me in and holding me there as his grip gets a little firmer.
When he pulls back, he kisses my forehead, keeping me close to him before saying, “I’m glad you’re here.”
I glance up to his piercing blues when I say, “Me too.”
Cailin runs past us and toward his truck. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand!”
A laugh escapes my lips. “Does she get these sayings from you?” I place my hand on his chest, feeling his heart thump.
He grins, knowing I feel how I affect him, before he kisses my head and locks the door.
He picks Cailin up and places her in the seat behind mine. When it’s my turn, he places his hands on my hips, lifting me before running them down my sides. His touch lights my insides on fire.
While at the park, I watch as he swings on the swings and even goes down the slide with her. Their game of tag turns epic, and when he comes around the corner, tagging me and then running away, I join in on their fun, chasing Cailin around the play structure and into the toddler area.
She’s hiding behind a giant turtle, not knowing I can see over the top of it, so I climb over it, tagging her before tickling her into a giggling fit.
Adam comes running from the other side of the park. “Oh no, she got you! I’m coming to save the princess from the tickle monster.”
We both laugh as Adam wraps his arms around me, swooping me up into him and swinging me around to the other side of the turtle. My cheeks start to ache from the laughter, and I can barely catch my breath.
Adam places me down, making sure I’m secure on the ground before entangling his hand with mine. “Okay, us old people need a break. Go play while we sit on the bench over there.”
