“I do trust you.” I looked down for a moment, trying to gather myself. “I just let my fear get out of hand.”
When I looked back up at Tate, he was closer. The fear I’d felt a minute ago transformed into something altogether different. I tried to curb the feelings of longing, but in this moment, I was transported back to that place four years ago, where desire consumed my every breath. Tate cupped my cheek before tracing my face with the back of his fingers. Then he pulled away with a jolt, as if for a moment he’d forgotten our dilemma. He’d forgotten about Taylor. He was just my Tate again. But before I could blink, it was over.
He walked over to Nicholas and joined him at the edge of the sandbox. Goose bumps peppered my skin as I watched them play, still reeling from the brief feel of his fingers against my cheek.
As the sun began to set, the three of us walked back into the house together.
“Can you stay for dinner?” Tate asked, the tension in the air certainly thicker than when I’d first arrived.
I thought it wise to limit the time spent around Tate today, given my inability to avoid feeling things I shouldn’t, yet I didn’t want to disappoint him after he’d gone to such lengths for Nicholas. And we did need to eat something before getting back on the road.
“We can stay, sure.”
“Does he like pasta?”
“Loves it.”
“I bought like five kinds.” Tate flashed a crooked grin.
“You don’t say…”
“What’s his favorite?”
“Spaghetti.”
“Got that.” Tate nodded, seeming pleased with himself. “And what does his mama like?”
God, that was a loaded question. Now probably wasn’t the appropriate time to admit I was most hungry for him. “I’ll have some of whatever pasta you make.”
Nicholas had gotten interested in a train set Tate had set up in the living room.
“Why don’t you relax while he plays?” Tate gestured over to the couch. “Can I pour you a glass of wine while I make dinner?”
“Sure, yeah,” I said. “That’d be great. I could stand to relax a bit. Just one glass, though, because I have to drive.”
“Got it.” He nodded. “White, red…rosé?”
“You bought different kinds of wine, too?”
He shrugged. “Didn’t know what you liked.”
“I like all three, but I’ll have red tonight.”
“Coming right up.”
Red matched my mood. It felt more tumultuous.
I sank into the sofa, feeling like a huge weight had lifted. I hadn’t known what to expect with this visit, but it had gone well, despite the tension in the air between Tate and me. From Nicholas’s perspective, it had been the perfect day. And I didn’t really want to leave either.
Of course, even thinking that was dangerous. But I felt safe around Tate. And I loved that my son got to be with his dad, even if he didn’t realize it. One day he would, and days like this would mean even more.
I’d been resting my eyes when Tate’s deep voice startled me. “Here you go.”
I opened them and took the glass of red. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he murmured.
When he walked back to the kitchen, I longed for his presence. Even if we couldn’t touch each other, I still ached for him, ached for his eyes on me.
