He didn’t ease into it. One second they were sitting close and the next his mouth was on hers. His kiss was firm, certain, like a man, not the boy he’d been when she’d last felt his mouth on hers. Her body responded before her heart could catch up. She angled closer without thinking and grabbed the front of his shirt, as if she were about to fall off a boat and into the sea.
When he finally pulled back, it seemed reluctant, like stopping was the hardest thing he’d ever done. “Kissing you is just like it always was, only better.”
“Yes, exactly,” she said.
“This feels like a dream. A dream come true.”
He kissed her again but pulled apart before it got too heated. They were adults but he understood her values, how seriously she took physical affection. He’d never tried to push her when they were teenagers. And just like then, he was still the perfect gentleman.
The song changed and Dean Martin’s voice filled the room, crooning about frightful weather and a delightful fire. She glanced toward the window to see snow falling steadily.
Reese laughed. “Is it just me or does the playlist seem a little on the nose for us tonight?”
“Let It Snowcoming on right now is pretty funny,” Roan said. “Maybe God’s telling me we better just sit tight, right here in your cozy house.”
“In all seriousness, I think you should stay. You’ve had a cocktail. And it’s really coming down out there. You shouldn’t drive home. And the fireisso delightful.”
He laughed, then kissed her again. “I have no strong desire to go out into the cold.”
“So let it snow. You can stay here on the couch.” She said it quickly, before she could second-guess herself. “We can have breakfast in the morning.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” She stood, needing to move, to do something with the nervous energy coursing through her. “I’ll get you a blanket and a pillow. The couch is actually really comfortable. I fall asleep on it all the time.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
She started toward the hallway closet, then stopped and turned back. He was watching her, his expression unreadable.
“Roan?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you finally came home.”
His smile was soft, genuine. “Me too.”
Reese woke the next morning to the smell of coffee drifting up from downstairs. She quickly threw on a sweater over her flannel pajamas, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and headed downstairs, excited to see Roan. But he wasn’t there. He’d left anote by the coffee maker that he had to teach a class early at the gym but that he would call her later.
She poured herself a cup of coffee and went to the front room to enjoy it in the living room by the fireplace. A layer of fresh snow sparkled under the sun outside the windows. Inside, warm and cozy. And she had the whole day to do as she pleased.
As she sat there, going over the events of the last few days, she felt the urge to call Mauve. She wanted to tell her everything that had transpired, but also felt a little nervous to do so. She wasn’t sure what Mauve’s reaction would be. She’d heard Reese talk about the boy who crushed her heart for years, and now he was back and Reese was falling for him all over again.
Mauve answered when Reese called, sounding slightly out of breath. “Hey, how are you? I was going to call you and see if you wanted to get together this afternoon. I need to do some Christmas shopping.”
“Are you walking Grits?”
“Yes. He’s on a tear this morning. I can barely keep up with him.”
Reese smiled, imagining the scrappy terrier mix charging through the snow. Mauve had rescued Grits right after her divorce. She thought of them as two wounded souls who’d found each other at exactly the right time. The scruffy little dog was as suspicious and stubborn as Mauve herself, which was probably why they were perfect for each other. “I’d love to meet you in town. We could check out the shops and maybe even take a few turns around the ice rink?”
Mauve sighed. “Why is everyone in this town so obsessed with skating?”
“You’re getting better. Last year you didn’t fall nearly as much as the year before.”
“Maybe we just shop and go for pizza?”
“Whatever you want. But I want to see you. I have a lot to tell you.”
