Janie walked in laughing. “Having hot chocolate with your marshmallows?”
“They’re super fresh, the kind that melt right into it.” He held one out to her. “Try one.”
She reached out a hand to take one, but on impulse he held it to her lips.
What am I doing?
After a short hesitation, she opened her mouth, and he fed her the sugary treat. His fingers brushed against her lips and lingered—every second of lingering taking them down a path they shouldn’t take—couldn’t take.
But when Janie’s eyes met his, filled with the same wonder and awe and confusion that he felt, he didn’t stop. His hand slid against the silky skin of her cheek, finding a home at the nape of her neck.
When had his heart shifted? Had it? Or was this romantic encounter a product of emotional overload? He pushed all thoughts aside.
His eyes never left hers, waiting for any sign that this wasn’t what they both wanted. Her throat constricted, and her teeth grazed her bottom lip. Nervous, but not unwilling.
She raised her hand, tentatively touching his cheek, then trailed a finger along his jaw.
Closer than they’d ever been, but still so far apart.
He guided her forward—further down the path—lowering his head for their mouths to meet. His lips pressed against hers in a healing kiss. And for those few seconds, he was a man, whole and uncrippled.
Chapter Nine
Tomorrow she’d be home in the comfort of her own house. If she could have left without being rude to her hosts, she would have skedaddled out of there the day after Christmas. Also known as the day after she’d made a fool of herself and kissed Evan. Or let him kiss her. Did semantics even matter at this point?
The kiss, as wonderful as it had been, was a mistake. Neither of them was ready for the aftermath nor prepared to handle the seismic shift in their relationship. And so, they ignored it, refused to acknowledge it had ever happened.
She was fine with that most of the time. Too confused to know what she wanted or how she felt, she’d rather delay a discussion until she could sort out her feelings. Then, at other times, a part of her needed to know what had happened. Had the kiss meant anything or had they been wrapped up in the moment?
She knew one thing: she wanted the elephant out of the room.
What she needed more than anything was space from Evan. His constant presence overwhelmed her, but where could she go? Until tomorrow, her home was his home. The space of two bedrooms didn’t put enough distance between them.
At least today she’d have a short break. One of Kate’s presents to her had been a gift certificate to a local spa, and they’d scheduled manicures for today, just the two of them. How long had it been since she’d hadgirl time? Not since before Mike died.
It had been even longer since she’d had a manicure, and her nails told on her. Chipped polish continued to peel from the quick paint job she’d done two weeks ago. Her cuticles hadn’t been tended to in who knew how long, and her nails were uneven from a biting habit she’d developed when Mike deployed.
Checking her watch, she kicked into gear. Kate would be there in ten minutes, and she hadn’t even put on makeup yet. She’d packed the cosmetics on a whim and thanked herself for the impulse. A little mascara, blush, and lipstick instilled a new confidence in her. When she looked in the mirror, she didn’t see the hollow-cheeked woman who’d been reflected several months ago.
Her face had filled out, and her clothes didn’t hang on her anymore. She was fairly certain she’d gained five pounds just during her Louisiana visit, but the food tasted unlike anything she’d ever had. It had been the best kind of culture shock to her taste buds. King cake topped her list of new foods she’d tried. Evan had special-ordered one from a local bakery even though they wouldn’t be in season for another month. Yesterday, she’d indulged in three slices of the cake that tasted more like a sweet bread cinnamon roll with a hint of lemon.
Evan appeared in the doorway. “Kate’s downstairs when you’re ready.”
“Can you tell her I’ll be right there?” She turned her head from the mirror and faced him. “I have to brush my hair, and then I’ll be down.”
“I’ll tell her.” Rather than move to leave, he stared at her. “You’re wearing makeup.”
“Only a little.” Something told her she needn’t have applied the blush.
“It looks good. You look good.”
“Uh…thanks.” She averted her gaze, embarrassed by the attention.
He shoved a hand in his pocket. “I’ll let Kate know.”
Once he’d left, she retrieved her brush from the counter and ran it through her hair. She’d kept it cut to above her shoulders for the last two years, but maybe it was time to change—add in layers or bangs. For today, she pulled a partial section back and fastened it with a barrette to keep it from falling into her eyes while getting her nails done.
She grabbed her purse and left the coat behind. The weather had finally warmed up to where a long-sleeved shirt would suffice. After Evan’s appreciative stare minutes ago, she needed the space more than ever and ran down the stairs to meet Kate.
