He dragged a straight line through the circles and met her gaze.
“We win,” she said softly.
He hoped they would. “Listen, Maddy, I have to be honest about something...”
She tilted her head, her smile falling at the gravity in his voice. That crease formed between her brows, and he hated that he’d put it there.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to tell you I came home this afternoon. I left work early and was planning to come over and help with the house. But then I saw you and Nick together on the beach and...”
“Oh.”
“I’ve been fretting ever since, and when I got your message a few minutes ago, I thought you were going to tell me the two of you were back together.”
Her eyes widened. “What? No. Absolutely not.”
Her vehement denial made hope rise to the surface like a submerged buoy. “I know we only just started going out, and I don’t want to freak you out, Maddy, but... I really don’t want to lose you.”
He braced himself, hoping he hadn’t said too much. She’d just barely agreed to go out on a date. He hadn’t meant for things to get heavy so quickly.
But her eyes softened as a gentle smile blossomed on her face. “Well. If that isn’t just about the nicest thing I’ve heard all day.”
His muscles weakened as a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders. Dare he hope she was feeling the same as he?
“That was very honest of you.” Her eyes pierced his. “You didn’t have to tell me that.”
“I don’t want there to be any games between us, Maddy. Trust is important in a relationship—nobody knows that better than you.”
She gave him a long, searching look. “I couldn’t have been more wrong about you, Connor Sullivan—and that’s a good thing.”
He smiled at the memory of her first impression. “Are you ever going to let me live that down?”
“More to the point...” She gave him a saucy look. “Are you ever going to kiss me again?”
His breath fell from his lungs. His eyes fell to her lips, sweetly curved. He couldn’t think of anything he’d like more.
“Far be it from me to keep a lady waiting,” he said softly as he lowered his lips to hers. He brushed them gently. She tasted of sea air and woman. Addicting. He palmed her cheek. So soft. He could do this all night.
Her hand came to rest on his neck, her fingers toying with his hair. He deepened the kiss and pulled her closer, needing to feel her softness against him. What she did to him... He’d lost all hope of ever feeling this way again.
His heart was racing in his chest, his lungs aching for oxygen. But he needed her more than he needed his next breath. He couldn’t believe that was already true... but it was.
God,he prayed. I’m falling for her. Falling hard and fast.
He felt full to bursting inside, so many thoughts and emotions swirling through him, all of them good. His hand slid up from her neck, cupping her jaw reverently. She was a treasure, meant to be adored. And he did, he realized. Could she tell how he felt? Did he want her to know? Did she feel the same way?
It would seem so.
He drew back, enough to nuzzle her jaw with his nose. She smelled so good. He couldn’t get enough. If he’d thought their first kiss had been a fluke, he’d been proven wrong. So wrong.
The feel of her fingers threading through his hair made every cell come to attention.
“Is it just me,” he whispered, “or does it feel like we’ve done this a lot more than twice?”
“Not just you,” she said on a soft breath, drawing back to look at him beneath hooded lids.
“Still...,” he said. “We could always use more practice.”
