Then I notice Isla peeking out from behind his legs, beaming. She’s holding a single peony that looks comically large in her hands.
“We brought you flowers!” she announces proudly. “Daddy said they’re your favorite and that ladies like surprises.”
My heart lurches, awe and ache colliding in my chest. My first instinct is to throw my arms around him, press my mouth to his, and tell him exactly how much I’ve missed him.
Instead, I crouch down to Isla’s level, a smile stretching across my face as I reach for the flower in her outstretched hand.
“Ladiesdolike surprises,” I say softly, glancing up at Aidan. “Especially ones like this.”
I take the single peony from her small hands, careful not to crush the delicate petals. “It’s absolutely perfect. Thank you, sweetheart.”
When I stand, Aidan’s eyes lock with mine.
“These are beautiful,” I say, nodding to the bouquet he’s still holding. “How did you know they were my favorite?”
Aidan shifts his weight, a hint of color creeping up his neck. “I noticed you always have fresh ones on the counter at the café,” he says. “White peonies in that blue vase. Every time I’ve come in, they’re there.”
My heart flips. He noticed. All those times he came into the café with Isla, sitting at that corner table by the window, he was paying attention to details I didn’t think anyone cared about.
“You’re observant,” I tell him, unable to keep the smile from my face.
“When it matters,” he admits, finally extending the bouquet toward me.
I take them, our fingers brushing in the exchange. Even that brief contact sends electricity racing up my arm.
“Thank you… I thought you’d be spending time with Isla tonight. Not that I’m not glad you’re here. I most definitely am.”
“We have been. All day. But someone…” he shoots her a teasing side-eye, “wouldn’t stop asking when we could come see Lucy.”
Isla beams up at me, proud and entirely unbothered by the implication. “Daddy missed you, too,” she says, matter-of-factly. “He said so.”
Aidan’s cheeks flush, and he clears his throat. “Looks like you’re baking.”
“I sure am. Some pies with way too much sugar.” I shoot a wink in Isla’s direction. “I could definitely use an assistant.”
“Think you wanna help?” Aidan asks her. “Might be a good idea to wash those sticky hands first.”
She doesn’t hesitate. “Yes! Where’s the sink?”
I point toward the hallway. “Bathroom’s that second door just there.”
She bolts, and the moment she rounds the corner, Aidan turns back to me.
He doesn’t waste a second before stepping forward and pressing his lips to mine. It’s not a soft, tentative kiss. Hardly ahello.
It’s powerful and full of heat, and I’m breathless before Ieven register what’s happening. I gasp, and he takes it as the invitation it is, his lips parting to deepen the kiss. His free hand finds my waist, pulling me closer, pressing me against his solid chest. The peonies brush against my shoulder as he shifts, his tongue sweeping in slow, deliberate strokes that make my head spin.
I melt into him, my free hand sliding up his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm. It’s been three weeks of nothing but his voice through the phone, and now he’s here, solid and real and?—
The patter of small feet echoes down the hallway. Aidan pulls back swiftly, his breathing ragged as he puts a respectable distance between us. His eyes hold mine for one heated moment before he composes himself, running a hand through his hair just as Isla bounces back into the room.
“My hands are super clean,” she announces, holding them up for inspection. “See? No germs.”
I smooth down my shirt with my free hand and try to control my breathing. “Perfect timing. I was just about to put the filling in the pie crust.”
We head to the kitchen, and I set the bouquet on the counter. “These need water. Would you mind grabbing me a vase from the cabinet above the sink?”
While Aidan searches for the vase, I pull a stool over so Isla can reach the counter. “We’re making cherry pie, which means we need to mix these cherries with sugar and a little bit of this special powder that makes everything thicken up.” Her eyes widen with excitement as I hand her a wooden spoon. “Just stir everything together, nice and gentle.”
