“Good answer, Dr. Kade,” I grin. “Plus, I am stoked with my week’s worth of cookies from Smokey Java’s. That’s going to be a good week.” Winning a dozen cookies for every day of the week is pretty much sprinkles of happiness to knock you into a good mood.
“If I play my cards right, will you share?”
“Hmm. I’ll think about it.”
He twirls me around before pressing our bodies close together again. We take a few moments to get lost in the moment.
“Have you checked on Romeo?”
“Nah. He’s okay. I have one of the teenage kids from down my street walking him tonight. Which in retrospect may be a bit risky. A teenager plus Saturday night and a free house equals trouble. There may be a party happening at my house,” I joke.
“If Romeo acts the way he did the other night then those teenage boys aren’t getting past the front door. I guess this means you don’t need to rush home?” His voice hitches.
I let out a hum. “That is true. No rush.” That answer lingers in the air for a few beats. “And how is Theo? Did you send him a photo of you in your tux? You swapped weekends, or how do weekends work with Theo?” I realize that I haven’t asked enough about his son and should make a point to learn more. It isn’t that I’m not interested, I am. I just never had a connection with kids.
We continue to move side to side, our hips square and pressed together. I love that I’m shorter than him and need to look up at him to speak.
“Theo’s sleeping now, and I don’t think he would understand my outfit. But I did video call with him before leaving the house and he’s coming next weekend to build a fort in the living room. For now, I have him every other weekend and alternating holidays, longer in the summer too. I’ll have him two weekends in a row since I did indeed swap. It worked out okay as he had a birthday party to go to anyhow,” Lucas explains. I can sense the hurt that he sees his son perhaps less then he would have hoped.
“Will it always be that arrangement? Or just now? They live two hours away, right?”
“Yeah, we meet halfway for pick-up and drop-off. Occasionally we go to each other’s place for the exchange. It is what it is, but maybe it’ll change. Anyhow, tell me, have you always been a good dancer?” That melting smile appears on his face again.
“I’m an okay dancer. I actually did dance classes growing up, ballet and tap.”
“Yeah, I remember running into you coming from ballet once. You were twelve going on eighteen in attitude,” he remarks.
“True, I didn’t obey the ballet teacher’s commands too well. Even got kicked out of class, I think. But everything before age twenty doesn’t count, remember?” I remind him with a smirk.
His hand finds my cheek to caress gently with the back of his hand. The feathery touch makes me move my head so my lips can kiss his palm from enjoyment. A natural reaction. Our eyes meet, full of curiosity, and my body innocently presses harder against his body and I notice the smell of his cologne. Light yet enough to send a zap to my senses.
“I guess you’re still on Brownie duty or…”
“Nate is on Brownie duty this evening as I am fairly confident he wants to use the hot tub for the blonde he met at the bar during cocktail hour.” He isn’t even joking when he says this, which makes a chortle escape me.
My heart begins to thump in anticipation. We are past dinner and the activities that helped raise money for a good cause. The time has come to enter the final stretch of the evening. It could end with him dropping me off and giving me an innocent goodnight kiss, but the energetic current floating between us right now says something different.
He brings our interlaced fingers and hand to rest near his heart and it lets me feel a strong steady beat, which sends more expectation through me. The gentle kiss he gives on my forehead calms me.
“Abby, I’m not always a good guy, and I have to say that I may be crossing a line by making it very clear that I don’t want to leave you tonight.” He speaks softly as his fingers touch my cheek to help guide my head to look at him. His eyes are hopeful.
“I don’t want you to either.” My head retreats back slightly, and my eyes peer up to meet his inviting gaze.
“Shall we get out of here?” he whispers.
I swallow. “I think that’s a good idea.”
* * *
The taxi ride back isquiet, instead we speak through different smiles and our hands dancing together. Arriving at my house, Romeo is out like a light. Reminds me I need to pay Emma extra as she must have played fetch with him to wear him out. I owe her because it means Romeo will not be an obstacle tonight.
We walk to my kitchen and Lucas’s tux coat is hanging off my shoulders as he offered it to keep me warm on the way home. Looking at him, his bowtie hangs loose around his neck—a great sight.
I reach for two glasses from the upper cupboard then head to the fridge to pour us some water. “I’m champagned out, but if you want a nightcap, then I think I have a few offerings in the cupboard near the sink,” I mention as I finish pouring the second glass of water.
“No. Water is good. I don’t need a nightcap.” His hands find my waist and I feel him standing behind me. His mouth finds my neck for a firm touch.
That feeling of eager anticipation races through me again. “Lucas,” I squeal in pure delight.
