“Get what?”
“I need to do this on my own.”
“Understandable. Think of me as the safety net.”
“I’ve never had a safety net.”
“You do now.”
Without thinking, I brushed a stray hair away from her temple. One touch and my heart galloped. Aria had said on Monday that she wanted to know me. I wanted to know her too, inside and out. Again and again.
Her eyes searched mine. Her breaths shortened.
It was her lips that drew me in. Before I could rationalize what I was doing, my mouth was on hers and my arms banded around her back.
She let out a small whimper, a mewl, as I dragged my tongue across her lower lip. Then her mouth opened, and I swept inside, savoring the heat of her mouth. Aria gripped the lapels of my jacket, clutching me as her tongue tangled with mine.
Fuck, but she tasted good. Sweet and warm like melted honey.
She molded to my body as I held her close, soaking her in. My pulse pounded and I slid my hands down, fitting my palms to the curve of her ass as I pulled her into my arousal.
Aria moaned, holding me closer, as I swallowed the sound down my throat.
The distant sound of a bell chimed. The front door. The flower shop.
Marty’s voice carried to the back room as he greeted the customer. “Hello there. What can I help you with today?”
We snapped to reality and tore our lips apart. Aria blinked rapidly, clearing the fog. I ran a hand over my damp lips.
Then she was gone, stepping away and retreating to the other side of the table. She palmed her forehead, her eyes wide. “That was . . .”
“Sorry.”
She waved it off. “It’s fine.”
Was it fine? Because it felt right. So fucking right. Like we should have been kissing all along. Every day.
“Aria.” Marty poked his head around the corner. “Miss Julia from the diner is here. She was hoping to meet you.”
“Okay.” Aria put on a smile. “Be right there.”
“I’ll see you at home,” I said after Marty disappeared.
Aria nodded, her eyes fixed on a rose. She didn’t look up as I turned to leave. The color had drained from her face. Her hand rested on the swell of her belly. She looked . . . petrified.
Damn it.
What the actual fuck had I been thinking?
“Oh my God.” Aria gasped as light flooded the kitchen. Her hand was pressed to her heart. “You scared me.”
“Sorry,” I said from my seat at the island.
“What are you doing?”
“You asked for dinner together.”
“On Monday.” She walked into the room, wrapping her arms around her middle. “That was three days ago. And it’s nine o’clock.”
I shrugged. The stool was hard and my ass had gone numb hours ago. As darkness had settled outside, I hadn’t been able to bring myself to move.
“You didn’t eat?”
“I was waiting.” And thinking. And kicking myself in the ass for kissing her earlier.
Aria’s shoulders fell and her arms dropped to her sides. She was wearing a baggy sweatshirt that hit her midthigh. Her toned legs were encased in black leggings. Her feet were bare and her toes painted a sexy hot pink.
Maybe waiting, hoping she’d show, had been a bad idea. I’d wanted to apologize and work this out. But now, seeing her relaxed and at home here, well . . . now I wanted to kiss her again.
“I’m sorry about the kiss,” I said. “When it comes to you, I can’t seem to help myself.”
She padded to the seat beside mine.
I pulled it out for her, waiting until she sat. Then I twisted, leaning an elbow on the counter. I’d discarded my navy pinstripe jacket in my bedroom. I’d rolled up my baby-blue shirtsleeves and undone the top two buttons. Even my tie was gone.
“What are we doing, Brody?” she asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.
“No idea.”
“What do you want?”
You. To be a good father. “A healthy baby.”
“Then that’s our common ground. It has to be our common ground.”
I nodded. “Agreed.”
“But—”
“Please, don’t leave,” I blurted. That was all I could think about tonight. That my kiss in the shop earlier would drive her away.
She put her hand on my arm. “I’m not going to leave over a kiss.”
The air rushed from my lungs. “Okay.”
“I’m starving. I came in to scrounge for a snack.” She hopped off her stool and went to the fridge, opening the door. “Did you eat?”
“No.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Because you were waiting.”
“I was waiting.”
“I’ll make us something.”
“Ron has leftovers. Enchiladas. Pasta pomodoro. Roasted chicken and vegetables.”
“Wow.” She whistled. “Go Ron. What do you feel like?”
“Food.”
Aria laughed and pulled out the container on the middle shelf. Then she went about warming up our plates. Enchiladas. When she settled in beside me, we both tore into the meal.
“Didn’t you eat dinner?” I asked.
“Yes, I did. But I get hungry at night.” She put her hand on her belly. “This kid is going to be a night owl.”
“I’m excited,” I admitted. “I get more anxious every day to meet him or her. To learn what he or she will be like.”
“So do I.” Aria’s eyes softened. “I’m really excited.”
The giddiness on her face was a rush. A comfort. Who else could I share that with but her?
“I haven’t told anyone,” I admitted. “Except Ron.”
“I didn’t have many people to tell but Clara and the girls from the junkyard.”
“What did they say?”
She smiled. “They’re happy for me. Gemma just had a baby. Katherine is pregnant. Londyn has a little girl and a baby too. Clara has August. It’s been fun to share this with them. To have that in common.”
“I’m glad.”
She ate a few bites, then set her fork down. “Why haven’t you told anyone?”
I sighed. “Because my family has a way of ruining the good things in my life. I won’t let them ruin this.”
“That’s understandable. I can’t see your grandmother doing cartwheels over the fact that this stray is pregnant.” Aria rolled her eyes. “But eventually, you’ll have to tell them.”
“Eventually. Like when he or she graduates from high school.”
Aria giggled. “Do you want to find out if we’re having a boy or a girl?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Do you?”
“No.” She grinned. “I like surprises.”
“Then a surprise it is.” I nodded and took another bite. “This is good.”
“Ron is quite the chef.”
“Yes, but that’s not what I meant. This, the conversation, is good. I almost enjoy your presence when you’re not snapping at me,” I teased.
She huffed. “Well, you haven’t tried to buy me anything in the past fifteen minutes, so it makes me less snappy.”