Keith was still smiling as his mouth touched hers, and Stacy, with a shiver of delight, thought their first kiss tasted of a smile, not garlic. His mouth was warm and certain and not too demanding, but she could feel the restraint in it, as if he really just wanted to pick her up and kiss her breathless. She kind of wanted that too—well, not kind of at all, in fact—but there was escalating and there wasescalating, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for the second one. Not yet.
Not when she could fall into that smiling kiss and imagine all of its promises coming true. Not when she could quiver happily as Keith’s arms encircled her and drew her closer, almost off her feet because he was so tall and she was so small. Not when there was so much time to explore the warmth and the obvious connection between them. She didn’t want to rush anything. Not this time.
He looked a little glazed when he put her back on her feet, like that kiss had hit him with the force of a semi truck, too. He touched his forehead to hers and whispered, “Wow.”
Stacy laughed, hardly more than a breath of sound. “Yeah. Wow.Wow.”
They stood there like that, all close and snuggled and content, until Keith gave a groaning laugh of his own and said, “I’d better go. If I don’t, I really will want to stand here all night. But I don’t want you to freeze, either. And it would be weird if I stayed on your porch all night like an ice-coated Romeo.”
A giggle ran through Stacy. “Frozen guys on the porch: not romantic. Also Romeo was a teenager, which, ew.”
Keith staggered back, a hand clapped to his heart. “Thwarted by the realities of life. And besides, I want to tell you more about me before we get—” He lifted his head sharply, nearly throwing his antlers off again, then sighed dramatically. “Before we get too serious, which is a silly thing to say after one date, I know, but…”
“But this feels good,” Stacy said simply. “It feels right, to me, at least. Do you have some dark secrets I need to know? We already covered the whole FBI thing.”
“Not dark,” Keith promised her. “But there’s stuff worth talking about.Notin thirty-seven degree weather at a quarter past nine at night, though. Tomorrow, maybe.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.” Stacy went inside feeling as light and happy as she ever had.
She even thought she might put up a Christmas tree.
* * *
It wasridiculous to be excited about going to work in the morning because she was going to have lunch with a boy.
Stacy told herself that all night and most of the morning, but she was still unbelievably cheerful as she cut hair the next day. The two women who sub-let her extra chairs were in, chattering cheerfully about the holidays, and it didn’t even annoy Stacy. She actually chatted back, and every time the door chimed, a shiver of anticipation went through her, although she imagined Keith wouldn’t be there until about the time he’d promised to be. He was sensitive enough to figure that hairdressers probably didn’t want to talk all the time, so she figured he was also sensitive enough to realize that shewasworking, and that showing up early would be disruptive.
Still, it was kind of fun to be looking forward to seeing him that much. Her client—Donna Arnesen, the town’s deputy—kept meeting Stacy’s eyes in the mirror and laughing. “I’m sorry,” she said after a while. “You just look so happy. I get my hair cut this time of year every year—”
Stacy, trying to be stern, said, “Oh, come on, Donna, you get your hair cut every six weeks,” and the deputy snorted laughter.
“Yeah, but you know what I mean. The point is, I’ve been coming to you since you opened the salon, and you’re always a grumpy Gus at this time of year. You look like the Grinch most of the time, but you’re all smiles today.” Donna arched an eyebrow. “Did you meet somebody?”
“Maaaaaaybe.”
“Tell me more!” Donna actually tried turning around in the salon chair. Stacy squeaked in alarm and she remembered she was getting a haircut, so settled back down, but her reflected expression was hopeful. “Is it anybody I know?”
“I don’t…yeah, maybe. You grew up here and I think you’re around the same age. Keith Raleigh?”
“Ah yes, Rapunzel.” Donna snickered at Stacy’s own reflection in the mirror. “All that hair. We used to tease him.”
“Well, I cut it Saturday. That’s how we met.”
“Oooh.” A sort of knowing delight spread over Donna’s face. “And you hit it off instantly?”
“Yeah.” Stacy felt silly, but also secretly happy to confess this to someone. “I know it sounds fairy tale, but—augh, no, I can’t even say it.”
“Love at first sight?”
“Yeeesss!”
“I believe in it,” Donna said with a smile. “Good for you. I’m happy for you.”
“But it’s crazy, right?”
“Way less crazy than you think,” the deputy promised. “I think it’s gonna work out for you.”
“I hope so. He’s coming over with lunch in a few minutes,” Stacy admitted. “I’m looking forward to it like I’m fourteen.”
