“Of course,” she says, glancing at me with a soft smile. “What’s up?”
I take a breath. “Hannah’s school is hosting this mother-daughter tea thing next week. I talked to my ex about it, but… she’s not interested in going.” I rub the back of my neck, suddenly feeling awkward. "I was wondering... I was hoping maybe you might..."
I’d love to," Elle says, nudging me back with her shoulder.
I let out a quiet breath I didn’t know I was holding and turn toward her. “Thank you,” I say, my voice heavy with gratitude. “You have no idea what that means to me. To Hannah.”
She shrugs like it’s no big deal, but her eyes say otherwise. “She means a lot to me too, Cal.”
We stand facing each other for a few seconds that stretch like they might never end.
As if my hand has a mind of its own, I reach up and brush her cheek with my thumb—slow, reverent. Then I lean in and press a kiss to her cheek, lingering just long enough to feel the warmth of her skin beneath mine. Our breaths mingle in the quiet, and I pause, not sure if I should stay or pull back.
Before I can decide, Elle wraps her arms around my neck, her fingers threading into my hair, sending a jolt of electricity straight down my spine. She tilts her head slightly, her lips finding mine like she’s been waiting for this moment just as long as I have.
Her lips are soft, tasting faintly of strawberry lip balm and lemonade. She kisses me back with such sweet abandon that I can’t help but pull her closer, wanting to stay here forever.
She pauses, just for a second, smiling against my mouth. Her eyes find mine, and in them, I see it. This is what she’s wanted too. We’re on the same page. We’re both feeling it.
I smile back, my thumb tracing her cheek, then gliding gently across her lips. And then I kiss her again—slow,deep, and unhurried. The kind of kiss that writes itself into memory, the kind we’ll both remember for the rest of our lives.
Chapter 5
Danielle
Mmm. I’ve never kissed a man with a beard before. Is this what I’ve been missing? The contrast of rough scruff against the softness of my skin sends a jolt straight through me, a new sensation, raw and electric. His lips are firm, sure, devastatingly good at what they’re doing.
I feel like I’m falling under a spell. No, not falling, floating. The world spins out of focus, all sound and thought dissolving into the rush of sensation. His kiss is consuming, like heat blooming under my skin, a rising tide I can’t—and don’t want—to fight. He pulls me to the edge of something vast, and with each press of his lips, I tumble further. This isn’t just chemistry. It’s ignition.
"What happened to 'no kissing'?" he murmurs against my skin as he pulls away to meet my gaze.
"You were never going to beat me in a race," I whisper. "I don't think I could've waited forever."
He grins, pulling me closer and nuzzling my neck. "You think you're funny, don't you?"
"You're tickling me," I reply, arching my head back to give him better access to the sensitive crook of my neck.
"You're so soft, Elle," he murmurs, kissing my neck, then my cheek. "Just like I imagined."
"So you'd been thinking about this?" I tease, my tone playful.
"Since the day I met you," he admits with a grin. "The whole hiking, running thing was just a ploy to get you like this. Right here. Right now."
I laugh softly, nudging him. "Actually, you fell right into my trap."
He raises an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Absolutely," I say, my smile widening as I look into his eyes. "This was part of my plan all along."
He chuckles, his forehead resting gently against mine. "Remind me never to underestimate you."
"Too late," I whisper.
He grins, brushing his lips across mine in a featherlight kiss. "Guess I'm yours now."
"Guess you are," I say, letting my fingers trace the line of his jaw. "No take-backs."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
