“Exactly right. It’s a special thing to have a wonderful mommy. You’re a very lucky little girl.”
Maggie entered the kitchen, bestowing a grateful smile on Josh. “The table looks so nice.”
“You’re late, Mommy. The pizza’s getting cold.”
“Well then, I guess we’d better get started.”
***
The lights were dim and the movie was only halfway over, but already her daughter’s eyes were drifting shut. Zoey snuggled between Maggie and Josh on the sofa in her unicorn pajamas, clutching Bunny to her chest.
“She’s almost out,” Josh whispered.
“I’m not surprised. She woke up early and didn’t take a nap.”
“You seemed a little frazzled when I got here. Everything okay?”
“It’s been a busy day. I had two swimming lessons, then I stopped to get a new water filter for the fridge. The warning light’s been on for a few days and I didn’t want your parents to come home to a problem. But we went to three different stores to find the right one so I was running late on the way home, and then I got pulled over for speeding.”
“Uh-oh. Get a ticket?”
“Just a warning. He was really nice about it. But then I was running even later, which is why I wasn’t finished getting ready when you got here.”
“You don’t have to sweat that stuff. Next time just text me and I’ll come later. Or I can entertain Zoey while you get ready.”
He was right. Why hadn’t she thought to do that one simple thing rather than get all stressed out over being ten or fifteen minutes late? “I should’ve. But I was distracted all day because apparently my mom found out that I put an end to things with Derrick. She’s been calling since yesterday and every time the phone rings, I tense up.”
“You haven’t called her back?”
“I’m waiting for her to calm down. There’s no talking to her when she’s frantic.” Putting her off might also be a bad idea, but Maggie just couldn’t deal with her today. She wanted to anticipate her quiet evening with Josh.
She glanced down at Zoey, whose eyes were closed, her lips parted loosely in sleep. “I think she’s out.”
Josh’s lips curved as he gazed down at Zoey.
She loved the way Josh adored her little girl. He would’ve made such a good father. Way back he’d mentioned that he and Samantha were considering adoption, but only months after mentioning it, he told Maggie they were separating.
“I’ll carry her to bed.” Josh carefully eased Zoey into his arms and carried her down the hall. Maggie followed so she could pull back the covers. In a matter of seconds Zoey was sprawled in her bed sound asleep.
The night-light lit the way as Maggie turned on the sound machine. Then they slipped from the room, pulling the door partly closed behind them. Josh took her hand and they settled again on the couch.
“I’ve been waiting all week for this,” he whispered.
“Me too.” They’d been dating two weeks now. That was still slow, wasn’t it?
She was only vaguely aware of the movie playing in the background, the TV light flickering, as he drew her into his arms. His lips, soft and warm, invited hers to move with his in a dance as old as time.
And she gladly acquiesced. Her hands slid up to his face, where the soft scrape of his whiskers tickled her palms. He smelled so good, tasted so good. He was simply delicious. A little mewl escaped her throat.
Josh eased back a fraction of an inch, his breath falling hot and ragged on her lips. “You’re killing me.”
“But what a great way to go.”
His chuckle was caught when his lips met hers again.
What a way to go, indeed. She’d wondered if their first kiss had been exaggerated by time and imagination. But no. He was as skilled as she remembered. His gentle caresses, the soft sweep of his lips... She was intoxicated with it. With him.
She fell backward into the nest of the couch and his weight came down on her.
