They needed to talk about earlier.
“How about that shot of peppermint schnapps you offered last night?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “Oh, yeah.Greatidea.” Yup, sounded like she needed to sort herself too. At least they were on the same page. She pulled out a bottle from a cabinet and added a healthy dose to each mug.
She handed him a mug and then settled back onto the couch, just a little bit closer than she’d been before. Within arms’ length, actually. Easy arms’ length. They sipped in silence, staring at the fire. Both feet on the floor, straight backs, like they were sitting on a pew in church.
“We need to talk about—” they both broke the silence.
“That kiss,” Kyle said.
“Camo,” Arden finished at the same time. “Oh,” she added, then quickly took a big drink.
“Ladies first,” Kyle said, deflated.
“Well, the kiss, too.” She crossed her leg.
Please don’t say it, Kyle silently willed.
“I made a mistake.”
Dammit, you said it.
Arden went on. “I shouldn’t have done that. I was distraught, and I’m not used to being distraught, and I wasn’t thinking, and it was hurtful.”
“It didn’t hurt me at all. Opposite, actually.” He crossed his leg toward hers. “But didIhurt you?”
“No way.” Her voice cracked and she took another quick sip. He liked the way she squirmed. “But I’m worried that I gave you the wrong impression.”
“You didn’t want to kiss me? You accidentally went up on your toes and then slipped and fell into my mouth?”
“Grrr.” Yup, she actually growled. “No. But, I don’t want you to think I’m trying to seduce you to keep Camo.”
The prim way she said it struck Kyle as inordinately funny. He almost snorted hot chocolate through his nose.
She huffed. “What? I’m actually trying to be serious here for once.”
“Sweetheart, I know. Which makes it even funnier.”
Now Arden was trying to hold back a smile. “Oh, now I’m offended. You don’t think I’m capable of seduction? My ratty old robe didn’t scream come to my boudoir?”
Kyle laughed again and sat back. “That robe looks like just another stray you couldn’t part with. I’ve noticed you collect strays.”
She pursed her lips. “Ilikestrays. Strays and underdogs and misunderstood things, that’s my jam. Just because something is old or ragged or broken doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value.”
“Like your robe?” he teased.
“Hey, don’t disrespect the robe. It’s the comfiest thing I own. And it belonged to my mom.”
Kyle’s face fell.Dammit, stepped right back into it. “I’m sorry.”
Arden surprised him with a laugh. “Don’t be. If my mom were here now, she’d be nodding and agreeing and telling you, yeah, get my daughter to throw that old thing out. But see, I can’t.”
Arden settled back too, pulling her legs back up under her and in the process inching just that much closer to Kyle. “It was kind of a joke between her and my dad. She used to hint that she wanted a new one, but she wouldn’t come out and say it. So he never bought her one. He made apointof never buying a new one, and so she got more and more creative about asking without asking. Like, she once covered the fridge in magazine photos of women in fancy new robes. My dad took one look at it and all he said was, ‘So, you’re taking up art now? Nice collage, Sharon.’”
Arden smiled and shook her head. “I know it sounds weird and kind of messed up, but the joke became more important than the robe. I think they both realized that if he ever did buy her a new one, they’d have one less thing to tease each other over. She’d still tell me to get rid of it now, but…I think the robe would besadif I did that.”
“Sad?”
