“And so,” he finishes up, “there’ll be a grand gesture toward the end and our hero will get his man.”
“A happy ending,” I murmur. I look to the fire; the logs are glowing red, the flames flickering low, no longer roaring. There’s a heaviness in my chest as I think of how hard some people have to fight for their happiness.
“Hey, are you okay?”
I turn back to him. “Just thinking of some not so happy endings. It’s a shame real life isn’t like a rom com. Sometimes we have to go through so damn much just to get the happy ending we deserve.”
“Speaking from experience?” Kit asks. I can see the sympathy in his eyes.
I shrug. “I was cheated on, but I’ll get over it. I was thinking more of Cameron, my friend who owns the coffee shop. He’s travelling with his boyfriend at the moment. They nearly didn’t make it. They’d only just got back together when Greg had an accident. It was touch and go there for a while. I can’t think of anything worse.”
Kit nods slowly. “Losing someone you love is hard.”
I can see it written on his face—the sadness. I place a hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry.”
He offers a small smile, just a quick upturn of his mouth. “Sometimes opening yourself up to possibilities is harder still.”
I swallow heavily at his words. Does he mean…?
He places his hand lightly over mine and a spark of electricity travels up my arm. Our eyes lock and time stands still. I search his face, looking to see he wants this as much as me. His thumb brushes across the top of my hand. I lean in slowly, heart pounding. Kit meets me halfway, his lips finding mine in a soft, tentative kiss. Warmth spreads through me at the contact. It’s a barely-there kiss that hints at so much more.
We break apart for a moment, breaths mingling. Then we come together again, the kiss deepening, mouths opening to each other. His stubble scrapes my chin. I reach up and run my fingers through his hair as we press closer. It’s awkward with the way we’re positioned on the couch, but I don’t want to stop to get comfortable. His tongue darts along my bottom lip, then delves inside to touch mine. He tastes of coffee and I can’t get enough. Kit’s arms wrap around me and pull me closer. He’s bigger than me, broader, and I groan at being against his hard chest, held in place with strong arms.
The fire pops as a log explodes, and I flinch.
Kit pulls back abruptly. There’s panic in his eyes. He runs a hand through his hair, confusion and fear etched on his face.
“I’m sorry, I… I can’t do this,” he stammers.
Before I can say a word, he’s on his feet, heading for the door and grabbing his coat.
“Kit, wait!” I call out, rushing after him, but he’s already disappeared into the darkness.
The frigid air dances around me as I stand there, stunned. Eventually, I close the door and lean against it, my fingers touching my still-tingling lips in disbelief. What just happened? One moment we were kissing as if our lives depended on it, the next he couldn’t get away from me fast enough.
Chapter Nine
Kit
I didn’t sleep a wink, tossing and turning with thoughts of Felix and the disastrous ending to the night swirling in my mind. The kiss… it was unexpected, surprising. I’ve kept my emotions reined in for so long, it was overwhelming.
The morning air is cold against my skin as I step outside, the steaming mug of coffee doing little to warm my numb fingers. I stare into the distance.
I’ve been afraid to let anyone in, not wanting to put myself through heartache again. I don’t think I could survive having my heart ripped out again. But Felix’s smile, his laugh, his positivity—the way his eyes light up when he talks about this town and the people he cares about—it chips away at my defenses, makes me want to open up again. He makes me want to try, but self-preservation kicked in. As soon as our lips touched, panic seized me and I ran.
Felix didn’t deserve that. My freakout must have left him confused as hell. After all, he was just doing the neighborly thing and inviting me for a meal. There’s a definite attraction, and I’m sure he was up for making out, but I’m sure he didn’t expect to have to deal with my issues. I owe him an explanation.
With a sigh, I sink into the porch swing, the old wood creaking under my weight. My free hand encounters an unexpected softness and I look down to see a folded blanket on the seat next to me. It’s the same blanket that was draped over the back of Felix’s couch, a soft knit in alternating stripes of blue and white. I carefully pull it across my lap and run my fingers over the wool as a smile tugs at my lips. Even after I fled last night, he still thought of my comfort. That has to be a good sign, right?
My eyes are drawn to his cabin, where his sedan is gone from its usual spot. He must have already left for the day. Part of me is thankful I don’t have to face him yet, but at the same time I’m disappointed. I definitely owe him an apology.
My fingers curl around the warm mug, soaking up its heat. I take a sip. As the coffee warms me from the inside out, and the blanket shields me from the chilly air, my thoughts drift back to last night. Felix’s lips were so soft, tentative at first, but gaining courage. He kissed me with a tenderness I haven’t felt in years—haven’t allowed myself to feel. A tenderness I thought was lost forever. But maybe, just maybe, there’s still hope for me yet.
ThebellchimesasI push open the door of CC’s. A few of the customers glance at me as I enter, but I ignore them. I immediately spot Felix behind the counter, sorting through a folder of paperwork. He glances up, surprise flashing across his face before his signature smile appears.
“Hey, Kit,” he says, closing the folder. “Wasn’t sure if I’d see you today.”
I rub the back of my neck, nerves getting the better of me. No point putting it off. “Yeah, about last night—”
