Like the pie.
Forget marionberry. He was now her new favorite. She’d never thought of warmth as a flavor, but there it was, with a hint of salt. Most likely from being outside in the heat.
His arms remained at his sides and hers, too. She gripped the napkin in her right hand.
If Taryn touched him, she might not want to let go.
That would be a mistake.
She lost track of time, but slowly his lips lifted from hers.
A chill ran through her. Goose bumps pricked her skin. Not from the air-conditioning, but from him ending the kiss.
Taryn bit her lip.
Garrett’s pupils were wide. His breathing unsteady. “Kissing you was better than I remember.”
A hundred times better. But she didn’t know if she could speak coherently at the moment, given how much his kiss affected her.
She nodded, trying to pull herself together, hoping her heart rate slowed.
“Why haven’t we been doing this the entire time?” he asked.
“Friends,” she croaked.
“We are friends.” He ran the edge of his fingertip along her jawline. His touch was light, and his speed nearly slow-motion. “But we could be more.”
A thrill shot through her. She wanted that, but…
Memories of December flashed. A rush of heartwarming images and overwhelming emotions from January followed. Like then, he would leave to return home to a job that required his full attention. And she would be here, working just as hard at the bakery. Well, hopefully.
Once again, this wasn’t the right time for…
More.
Taryn jumped to her feet. “I’ll put the plates in the dishwasher, so we can finish the booth.”
“Hey.” He held her hand. “What just happened?”
“Stuff is in my head.”
“New stuff?”
“Old stuff.”
Realization dawned on his face. “From my last visit.”
She nodded.
“Want to tell me about it?” His tone wasn’t pushy.
“Not really, but I should.” She took another breath. That didn’t calm her. She wiped her clammy palms against her shorts, destroying the napkin still in her hand, but she felt a little better, so totally worth it. “This is embarrassing.”
“Life is full of embarrassing moments. They’re only as bad as we make them.”
That was true. She would try again. “Remember when I told you my reason for reacting the way I did when you came to the bakery the first time and then later that night?”
“I remember.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “You didn’t appreciate being dismissed so easily.”
