“Why does that always feel so incredible?” she asks, breathless.
I don’t have the chance to form a functioning thought because Alex’s lips trace up my jaw. My garbled response draws out her smoky laugh, and it suddenly becomes impossible not to have her mouth on mine again. I redirect her, slowing the kissbecause my heart feels like it’s two beats from exploding. Almost as if she understands, Alex settles one palm over the center of my chest, her fingertips tender as they cradle my face.
When she finally pulls back, we stare wide-eyed while catching our breath.
“That was…”
“Yeah,” I say, waiting for the buzzing to set in, for overexcitable energy to make me say something stupid. Instead, I watch my hand as it grips her chin before setting a final chaste kiss on her lips. “Thank you for letting me take you out tonight.”
Suddenly, it’s Alex who’s brimming with nervous energy—her gaze darting all over my face, her fingers twitchy against my lapel.
“Sure.” She steps back, blinking rapidly.
“Will you let me know if I can do it again?”
“I, uh…um…” When she coughs nervously into her fist, a wild smile stretches my cheeks.
Alex might need to follow her head right now, but her heart is tangled up with mine.
“Come on.”
I steer her toward the lobby doors before escorting her to the elevator. It’s unwise for me to walk Alex to her door, because I’ll end up claiming her lips with her grandmother within listening distance.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell her while pressing the up button.
Alex looks like her brain is overheating, and a twist of sympathy ribbons through my ribs. I want to tell her I know the feeling, but I don’t want to pressure her. Alex clearly needs time to sort out her feelings.
For me, this situation is clearer than the sharp crack of a bat in the summer air.
I’m impossibly gone for this woman.
I am helplesslyhers.
Once she’s safely ensconced in the elevator, I slide my hands into my pockets, watching her puzzled expression with an affectionate grin. Our gazes remain locked as the doors close between us. I wait another beat before striding back outside.
Whistling a little tune, I hop into my truck and resume my audiobook.
I meant what I said earlier. Alex is absolutely worth waiting for, and I plan on doing that.
But…
There’s no harm in incentivizing her while I wait.
Chapter 18
Alex
I’m going mad, and Tenny is the one driving the crazy train. It started with him being a perfect gentleman during our planned movie night with Mags. He brought popcorn, candy, and an obscenely large—and delicious—fountain Dr. Pepper for me. He and Mags laughed and swooned over the movie on one queen bed, while I had nobody but Carly to keep me warm on the other.
After the mind-blowing kiss that rearranged my cellular structure, I’d expected Tenny to demand a fake kiss since Mags was there. But all I received was a chaste forehead kiss after a lingering hug. I’m pretty sure that Mags’s goodbye hug was longer than mine.
Not that I’m salty about it or anything.
ThenIreallythought I was losing my mind because everything went back to the way it was before Mags showed up—almost as if our incredible date had never happened. Tenny would tap my knuckles before games, cheekily wink at me in interviews, and then crush the heck out of each game he played.
For several days, we only interacted professionally. I thought that was what I wanted. I had set the boundary, after all. But I found myself feeling hollow without his exuberance brightening my day. Then the texts started, and my relief was palpable. It was like taking a deep breath after being submerged too long.
Since this is Tenny we’re talking about, he didn’t sendGood morningtexts. Instead, I’d get the most random messages at odd hours.
