Delilah looked over at me before spinning away. “Let me get my coat and purse.”
I leaned against the wall and waited. A moment later, she reappeared, sliding her arms into a fluffy down jacket and looping her purse over her shoulder. “Did you drive here?” She stopped in front of me and looked up.
Her question barely registered because I needed to kiss her. It couldn’t wait another second. Pushing away from the wall, I pulled her back into my arms, lifting a hand to trace my thumb along her jaw. “Missed you,” I murmured right before dipping my head and brushing my lips across hers.
It felt as if lightning struck between us, the sensation sending licks of fire everywhere. Delilah let out a soft sigh and arched into me. In a hot second, I angled my head to the side and fit my mouth over hers. Her tongue darted out to tangle with mine as I dove into the warm sweetness of her mouth.
Kissing Delilah was everything. Fierce need slid through my veins as she arched into me. We were both fully clothed with winter jackets on, but by the time I drew away, the searing intensity of that kiss had me feeling stripped bare.
Delilah’s eyes had gone dark, and her breath was coming in short pants. All the while, my heartbeat galloped along madly, and I could barely catch my breath.
“We should go,” she whispered.
“Lead the way.”
After a small standoff in the parking lot behind the bar where Delilah worked, I gave in to her insistence that I follow her home in my rental car. I selfishly wanted her right beside me immediately. But Delilah was stubborn, and I didn’t think it was worth pushing the issue.
I followed her small car down the road in the darkness. Snow was falling lightly, illuminated like glitter in the headlights. The mountain roads here were winding. I didn’t like thinking of her driving them alone when it was snowy and dark like this all winter.
When we arrived at a small apartment complex, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and followed her up the stairs. She flicked on the lights when we stepped inside and turned to look at me. Her gaze was guarded, and she seemed worried. Her hands twirled in the air when she gestured vaguely around the room.
“It’s not much. I don’t, well, I don’t have a lot of money. I try to keep my rent low because I’m doing those online classes,” she explained.
Delilah turned away quickly, shrugging out of her jacket and toeing off her boots. “You can hang your coat up.” She gestured to a row of hooks on the wall by the door.
I followed her lead, hanging up my jacket and taking off my shoes. Her apartment was small, clean, and tidy. It was one large room with the kitchen and living room together with two doors in the back. I presumed one led to a bathroom and the other to a bedroom.
A window looked out over the street in the darkness. Delilah crossed the room and pulled some gauzy white curtains closed over the window.
“Are you hungry?” she asked as she walked over to the small kitchen where there was a round table. The living room was furnished with a big cream-colored sectional with plenty of cushions and a coffee table.
“Actually, I am,” I said. “You don’t have to make me anything, though.”
“Let’s order pizza. There’s a place just down the street, and they’ll deliver.”
I had a late dinner with Delilah. We ordered pizza, and I learned pepperoni was her favorite. Of course it was. Because it was my favorite too.
I learned Lost Deer Brewery had a delicious porter, and I learned I loved sitting on the couch with Delilah’s feet over my thighs and the pizza box resting on her legs. We ate pizza and watched a house buying show.
Delilah asked me about my work and Willow Brook. It didn’t skip my notice that whenever I asked her questions about her personal life here, she gave me nothing more than the vaguest of answers. She seemed to have mastered the skill of offering just enough information so it didn’t seem as if she was avoiding, while never giving much of anything specific.
After we finished about half the pizza, I lifted the box from her thighs and set it on the coffee table. “Come here,” I murmured.
“I’m right here.” She wiggled her feet encased in bright blue socks as if to emphasize her point.
“Not close enough.” I snaked an arm around her waist and tugged her closer.
She giggled. A giggle from Delilah made my heart squeeze, just because she was usually so guarded. She landed with her knees on either side of my thighs. Perfect.
I brushed her hair away from her face. “So I thought we should set some ground rules.”
“Ground rules?” One of her dark brows rose in a slash.
“Yeah. I’m your unexpected guest, but I do have some manners. Don’t change your work schedule for me. I actually arranged some work at the airport in Asheville. I’ll be here for two weeks. I’m hoping you’ll let me spend every night with you.”
Delilah’s mouth fell open in a pretty little O. “You’re here for two weeks? You found work?” she squeaked.
I nodded, toying with the ends of her hair and resisting the urge to cup her tempting breasts. “Yup. I know you’ve got a life, and you’re busy. I didn’t want to be sitting around twiddling my thumbs every day. Can I stay here?”
Delilah bit her lip before she nodded.
“Do you want me here?” I pressed.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she stared back at me. “Of course,” she finally whispered as her cheeks turned pink.
My heart gave a thumping beat. I didn’t know how to label the way I felt when I was with Delilah. I knew I didn’t want to let her and us slip away, but I wasn’t ready to give my feelings a name.
I did know my desire for her ran deeper than any river on earth, ridiculous as that may sound. When she settled her weight more firmly on my lap, I couldn’t resist letting my hands slide down her sides to grip her hips.
Arching my hips slightly, I was gratified when she let out a soft gasp and I felt the heat of her core against my arousal. I eased my grip on her hips, letting one hand slide up to cup a breast. She wore a V-neck T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Nothing special at all. Yet Delilah’s unadorned beauty slayed me.
“What made you decide to visit?” she asked with a gasp as I teased my thumb over the tight peak of her nipple.
“I missed you, and I wanted to see you. It’s that simple. I called an old friend from college who works at the airport in Asheville. He said he could line up some jobs for me, so I booked a ticket. If you’re wondering, I don’t mind chasing you across the country.”
Delilah leaned forward, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to the side of my neck. That was all it took. “No more talking,” she murmured. She nipped my neck and made her way to my mouth.
Kissing Delilah was like diving into a fire. Her mouth was warm and teasing, her tongue tangling with mine. She was a bossy kisser, and I loved it.
I slid my hand through her hair to cup her nape and angled her head to the side, devouring her mouth. Her hands got busy. She shoved my T-shirt up, and I slid my hand over the soft curve of her belly, savoring the feel of her silky skin.
“Alex,” she gasped, the word ending with a whimper.
“Yes?” I followed that question with a drag of my tongue along the sensitive skin just above her collarbone.