“Sorry. I’ll try harder next time to make sure I leave you with an easy shot.”
As he hoped, the ball moved across the table and dropped into the corner pocket. “I have a good feeling about this game tonight.” Stepping back, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close before kissing her.
He intended it to be a quick kiss. Unfortunately, the moment his lips touched hers, everything went hot and tingly from his scalp to his toes. Pulling his mouth away from hers was impossible.
Liv’s fingers touched his neck half a second before the sound of something hitting the floor reached his ears, breaking the spell. A glance to the left revealed the source of the noise, and he reached down to pick it up. “You might need this. It’s your turn.”
“Why do I get the feeling you kissed me, hoping it would distract me enough so that you have a chance of winning tonight?”
“The thought never entered my mind.” Matt took her hand and kissed it before handing her the pool cue. “But now that you mentioned it, it’s not a bad idea.”
Nine
“Brian’s uncle is retiring, and they’re throwing him a party. I’m going shopping for a new outfit. Do you want to come?” Emma asked early Saturday afternoon.
Liv enjoyed a day out shopping almost as much as she loved cooking. And if Emma had called a day or two earlier, she would’ve accepted in a heartbeat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent a day out with a friend shopping. Not to mention, her summer wardrobe could use a little work.
“Wish you had asked sooner. I have plans with Matt today.”
“I had a feeling you’d have plans with him today, but I thought I’d ask anyway. You two have been spending a lot of time together. Is it fair to assume things are going well?”
They’d spent time together ten out of the last fourteen days. Sometimes he came to her place, and she’d cook dinner for them. Then afterward, they’d watch a movie or a baseball game. Over the last two weeks, she’d learned that Matt was almost as big a baseball fan as she was. Other nights she visited him. To date, though, the closest they’d come to going somewhere public together was the afternoon he stopped in the restaurant before he headed out of town to visit his cousin in Boston.
“Maybe.” Liv flopped back on her bed and watched the blades of the ceiling fan. “I don’t know. It’s not like a relationship between us will ever last.” As much as she enjoyed spending time with Matt, she reminded herself of that fact regularly.
“Why not? If he wasn’t interested, why would he be spending so much time with you?”
“He’s here on vacation. Before the summer ends, he’ll go back to Florida.” She assumed that was where he’d go, anyway, although he most likely had homes in multiple states.
“Did he tell you that?”
He doesn’t have to.
“No, but come on, let’s be realistic, Emma. He isn’t going to move here permanently to be with me. And I’m not interested in a long-distance relationship. Been there, done that.”
“You never know. He’s been visiting town at least once a year for how long now? He might be willing to relocate. And it’s not like he has a desk job to worry about in Florida. Actors and musicians live anywhere they want and travel when they need to be somewhere.”
“Emma, let it go. Neither of us has declared our undying love, and I don’t see it happening. But I’m okay with that.”
More or less.
Was her heart trying to get invested in whatever was between them? Yes. Her brain, though, wisely reminded her that this relationship had an expiration date, much like a gallon of milk, and that she should just enjoy the time they spent together.
“Fine, you win for now,” Emma answered, emphasizing the end of her sentence. “What are the two of you doing today?”
“I wish I knew. Last night, he just said he had a surprise for me today.”
Some people loved surprises, while others hated them. She tended to be a middle-of-the-road kind of person.
“Any idea what it might be?”
She’d spent a lot of time last night when she got home, and then again this morning, trying to guess what Matt’s surprise might be. So far, she hadn’t come up with any good possibilities.
A knock reached Liv in the bedroom before she answered. “Nope, but I think I’m about to find out. Matt’s here.” She wasn’t expecting anyone else today.
“Call me tomorrow and let me know what you guys end up doing.”
“Will do,” Liv said as she crossed into the living room. And if she didn’t, Emma would be calling to find out.
