“Take as many as you’d like,” she offered as she held the cake stand and lifted the heavy glass cover. “I’ll be making more tomorrow.”
Watching Mitch pop one of the small meringues into his mouth made Faith’s own mouth water, a strangely subtle reaction she’d never experienced when someone ate her bakery treats before. And the praise that immediately followed in the form of a low groan set off another round of butterflies in her stomach just from the sound alone. There had to be a whole swarm crowding in there now.
Mitch’s entire body slumped. “Faith. Oh, my gosh, these areamazing.”
“I know, right?” There was no need to be humble when she knew firsthand all the hours of hard work and dedication that went into making those little meringues just so. “I think so, too.”
“You’ve outdone yourself.” He took another from the plate before she returned the platter to the counter and her attention back to him. “I was already impressed, but now I think I’m in love.”
He was talking about the kisses.Onlythe kisses. And yet a subtle flicker of unbridled hope made Faith’s chest tremble, her heart skipping over enough beats to make her lightheaded.
What would it be like to have a man like Mitch actually say—and mean—those words? Kevin had uttered them on occasion, but never thethreewords everyone talked about. It was never, “I love you,” just “love you,” or sometimes, if he was being really casual, “love ya’, Faith.” It was as though he knew that saying the statement in its entire form was a level of commitment and adoration they would never reach. Faith had been fine with that. Kevin wasn’t the one.
Not that Mitch was. Mitch wasn’t saying “I love you.” Not even close. Sure, there was some proximity to the expression since he referred to the meringues she had created, but he wasn’t talking about Faith as a person.
And yet, his words weren’t entirely innocent.
Nor were his actions when he reached out and took her hands into his, lifting them up and pressing their palms together before slipping his fingers between her own. His dark chocolate eyes searched her out, looking for some sort of rejection—something to tell him to stop—but Faith couldn’t give him one. She wanted this, whatever it was.
If he just held her hands in his, it would be enough. And if he wanted more…
“Faith.” The way her name rasped out of his mouth shifted something in the atmosphere, igniting their connection.
She pressed closer, wondering if she were to meld into his arms, if he would be able to feel the hammering of her heart and the trembling of her being.
Right now, she was safe. Far enough away that he couldn’t sense her apprehension or her expectation. But if he held her close, if he gathered her in his embrace, she would give it all away.
And in that exact moment, she didn’t care if he saw through her walls. She wanted them all torn down.
“Mitch,” she said as an answer he instantly understood. Without hesitation, he dropped her hands from his and tugged her waist, drawing her near so no space remained between them. There was a quiet stretch where they just looked at one another, eyes frantically darting back and forth, and an electricity buzzed throughout Faith’s entire body, quickening her breath, and quivering her jaw. But the moment Mitch moved all the way toward her and pressed his full mouth to her lips, that apprehension dissolved into pure bliss.
He kissed her like he truly cared about her, and it meant everything. It wasn’t out of duty or obligation, rote or repetition. It was born of a yearning, this need that could only be met by Faith. All of the charged interactions they’d had so far—even the admittedly challenging ones—fueled this connection, intensifying the way his lips moved with passion against her own.
He tasted both sweet and savory, and he was equal measures gentle and urgent.
Her arms went around his back, pulling him close.
His palm cupped her cheek, holding her steady.
He was so tall, so strong and yet still comforting, and she instantly felt secure in his protective arms. She never wanted to leave.
But then he stopped.
His forehead dropped to hers. He exhaled. “Faith.” She could feel him shake his head slowly like a reprimand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“I shouldn’t have—”
“I wanted that, too.”
He shrugged back to look at her, disbelieving. “You did?”
“I did.” Her throat was scratchy with emotion and swallowing did nothing to temper her nerves. “I’ve actually wanted to kiss you for a while now.”
Just one flirtatious dimple settled in his cheek as a smile flashed across his mouth. “No kidding?”
“No kidding.” Her hands inched their way up his chest. She pulled on the collar of his shirt to bring his mouth down to hers for another quick but full kiss. “But in the spirit of honesty, I’ve probably wanted to shove you as many times as I’ve wanted to kiss you.”
