Tinker helped Abby out of the car and walked her to her door. She turned to face him. “Thank you for dinner. I had a good time.”
He stepped closer. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted or flattered that you sound surprised.”
She smiled. “Definitely flattered. I haven’t been on a date in a long time. I was nervous and thought I’d do something awkward, and you’d never want to see me again.”
“I definitely want to see you again.” He slid his hand behind her neck and pulled her forward. Any resistance from her and he’d let her go, but she glided forward, gaze on his mouth.
One small touch of their lips and it was like a dam burst, releasing a flood of desire and sweeping them both away. Abby hit the wall next to her door with a small grunt.
He shifted his mouth to her neck, scraping his teeth along the soft skin. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she gasped. She slid her hands under his jacket, fingers digging into the muscles of his back.
He moved back to her mouth. Hot, open tongues sliding together. He might drown in her.
He slid his hand under her skirt and behind her knee. She responded to the slight pressure and lifted her leg, hooking her heel-clad foot behind his. He nestled into her center and skimmed his hand up her thigh to the lace edge of her panties. Fisting his other hand in her hair at the base of her neck, he angled her head for deeper access.
“Mommy?”
A bucket of ice water wouldn’t have cooled his desire, but that one word sure as hell did.
He stared at Abby while she searched his face. He caught the slight tightening of her lips as she pushed at his chest and lowered her leg. He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. His fingers still tingled from the heat of her skin, and his thoughts were scattered.
He focused on the little boy in dinosaur pajamas staring up at them. An older version of Abby stood behind him.
Abby went to the little boy and brushed her fingers through his hair, smoothing it down. She rested her hand on his shoulder and looked at Tink.
“This is my son, Will.”
“Hi, Will,” he said lamely.
The little boy tucked his face into her skirt.
“I need to get him into bed,” she said. “Thank you again for dinner.”
“You’re welcome.” He backed away down the path. “I’ll call you.”
Her smile was slight and quick. “Goodnight, Christian.”
She didn’t believe him. In that moment, he knew she was right. Because no matter how much he liked her, how much she set his blood on fire, a kid changed everything.
Abby shut the door gently and threw the bolt. The deep rumble of his car, so like his bike, growled, then faded as he left.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” her mom said. “I didn’t know he was still awake. I didn’t even realize he’d gotten out of bed until I heard the lock turn—I thought you were coming in.”
Abby rubbed her mom’s arm. “It’s okay.”
“Did you have fun at least?”
Abby smiled. “I did.”
“Good. Are you going to see him again?”
“I’m not sure. We’ll see.” That was as big a lie as the one Christian had told her. She wasn’t sure at what point during the night she’d started thinking of him as Christian instead of Tinker, but it didn’t matter. She would never see him again.
“Let’s get you to bed.” She picked up Will and took him to his bedroom. Fifteen minutes of snuggles later, he was asleep, his fuzzy blanket clutched against his cheek.
She eased her arm out from under his head and went to her mom’s room. Technically, it was now the guest room, but she always thought of it as her mom’s room.
