I hesitate before leaving, my eyes locking with Poppy’s for a moment. She licks her lips, leaving a sheen of moisture behind on them. I could do it now. I could give her first kiss right here, right now. Before I have the time to overthink it.
But for some reason, this moment doesn’t feel quite right. I’ve never been a romantic guy, in fact I run from romance. So, therightmoment isn’t a concept I’m overly familiar with, I just know this isn’t it.
It’ll be Poppy’s firstrealkiss. One that isn’t rushed, one that isn’t pressured. I want her to know what a toe-curling, fireworks-sparking, electrifying kiss is like.
Something in the back of my mind tells me this wholething could get dangerous, and fast. It’s like that first whiff of snow before the storm rolls in.
Because I want Poppy’s first kiss to be perfect.
CHAPTER 13
POPPY
I shutthe door behind me and lean against it while I listen for the sound of Jett’s footsteps disappearing down the hall. It’s followed by the soft click of his bedroom door, and as soon as I hear it, I release the breath I’ve been holding.
I press my hand to my hot, flushed cheeks. Whether it’s warm from the heat of the fireplace earlier, or the interaction I’ve just had with Jett, I can’t be sure.
It might have been my imagination, but it looked like he might have wanted to kiss me just now, standing outside my door. His eyes flicked down to my mouth for a split second before he listened to whatever it was holding him back.
Now that I have a moment alone, I pull out my phone and call Wren. She picks up almost immediately.
“About fucking time!” The sound from a TV in the background stop suddenly as if someone’s paused it. “I have been dying over here!”
I laugh, and I’m about to start filling her in, but I can’t seem to find the rightwords.
“How’s Cordelia?” I ask instead, because I’ve been missing her tonight, and because it seems like a safe topic of conversation.
“Cordelia’s fine, we brought her home with us,” Wren tells me. “She and Ruby aren’t exactly besties but they’re tolerating each other.”
“You could have fed her and left her at my place,” I say. Cordelia is a bit like me in that she enjoys her own solitude. She only befriends a select few individuals. Apparently, Jett being one of them.
“We thought about it, but when we saw thecompetition—” she emphasizes the last word, letting me know that’s the only thing she wants to talk about “—We didn’t know how long you’d be tied up for.”
I am grateful for her making the decision. She’s not wrong that this is going to consume a lot of my life for the foreseeable future.
Brooke was adamant that the wedding has to happen soon. We have to stage an engagement and whatever else she thinks is necessary to make our whirlwind romance seem believable to the press.
Which means I’ll also have to take time away from the café. I make a mental note to call Ethan and make sure he can look after everything.
As much as I hate the thought of not being there, I know he has a handle on things, and this is for the greater good of Thistle + Thorne. A necessary inconvenience.
“Thanks,” I say, and then I launch into the story of how Jett and I figured out we could help one another, how we came to the agreement, what we’re going to have to coordinate over the coming weeks.
I pace around Jett’s guest room, needing a physical outlet for the buzzing energy within me.
When I finish explaining it all, Wren lets out a breath that sounds like she’s blowing it through pursed lips, like it was a physical effort to take all the information in. It’s a fair response.
Wren knows me the best out of anyone, besides Aunt Dahlia, and she’s also known Jett forever. If he and I were the last two people on earth, I don’t think anyone would ever predict we’d marry each other.
She’s quiet for a long while, and I lift the phone away from my ear to check if the connection has gone dead. I only realize that I’m holding myself tight waiting for response once she finally speaks.
“I’m just glad you’re not jumping into a marriage with Neck Beard from your dating app.”
“Me too.” I let out a laugh, releasing the last of the tension. “Although I hope you know I never matched with that guy.”
“Thank god,” Wren answers in agreement. “I never thought I would say this, but I think Jett might be the safest option.”
“He’s kind of my only option,” I add. “Not everyone wants to get married to someone they’ve just met.”
