He went back to her previous question telling her it was fine if she came over right after she stopped at the market. Of course, it was fine. He could hardly wait to see her again. Bottom line no matter how serious she might start to take this relationship, he once again reminded himself of the facts. It’d be at least four years before he could even begin to envision a real future with her. For now, he had her reassurance that what they were doing was exclusive. She’d of course told Richard she had no feelings for him anymore.
Back the fuck up and just enjoy this for what it’s worth.
Once back at the shop after getting off the phone with Savannah, Byron tried to shake the edginess her calls had put him in. It wasn’t until almost forty-five minutes later, when he saw her car pull into the parking lot of the shop, that he finally eased up. Just seeing her smile when he walked out, and their eyes met, did what she always did to him now. He was smiling from ear to ear despite his earlier qualms. She wore his 5th Street sweatshirt she’d claimed weeks ago. She’d mentioned making it her own the other day and now he saw how. She’d cut the neck a bit, so it hung off her delicate shoulder, the soft skin of her shoulder and neck teasing and Byron was already having visuals of kissing it from behind.
It wasn’t even until he met her at the back of her car by her trunk that he noticed. “Your hairs darker.”
The blonde ends were gone so it was a solid dark brown all over as opposed to her previously highlighted hair.
She nodded with a slight hesitant smile. “You like it?”
Byron touched her thick brunette tresses. It felt just as soft as always. “Jesus, Savannah, you could have green hair and you’d still be beautiful.”
That made her smile bigger. “Thank you.” She shrugged. “I’d been thinking of going solid brown for a while. So, when Nena mentioned going even lighter recently, I decided maybe this will finally help people tell us apart.”
Before she could open the trunk, he pulled her to him, and she eagerly wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her, and as usual her response to his touch so genuinely reciprocated everything he was feeling for her.
Determined to not ruin shit by getting all pushy or overthinking her ex wanting to reconnect, Byron enjoyed the taste of her sweet mouth a little longer kissing her deeper instead. Of course, her ex would still have feelings for her. How couldn’t he? But how could Byron blame her for that? She moaned then giggled against his mouth. He pulled away and was instantly smiling again at the sight of her bright eyes.
“Oh my God, Byron” she said breathlessly with that now familiar dazed smile as she gazed into his eyes. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of your kisses.”
“Yeah, same here.” He adjusted his crotch not so subtly, which only made her laugh more.
“To be continued,” she murmured turning to her trunk and opened it. “You can’t look in the bags and you have to give me a moment to set up in the kitchen so that it’s not so obvious what I’m making, okay?”
Byron wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, not caring that there was no missing the intrusive erection that pushed up against her and kissed her shoulder. She stiffened slightly then laughed under her breath. “Tonight’s gonna be fun.”
“Damn straight.” Giving into his feelings he buried his face in her neck breathing in the sweet, sweet scent of Savannah. “I missed you, baby.”
For a moment she didn’t say anything, as Byron started to regret being so obviously whipped, and the slip of the term of endearment. Until she turned around suddenly to face him with a big almost surprised smile bringing her hand to his face. “I missed you too.”
Gazing deep into her eyes, Byron wondered if she could hear his pounding heart. What the hell had she done to him in such a short time? She kissed him softly this time. Not frantically like they’d kissed earlier but emotionally it was still insanely intense.
Byron kissed her one last time before grabbing a handful of bags from the trunk of her car. She grabbed a few bags and closed her trunk. “I’ll come back for my overnight bag later.”
With the shop closed now and everyone gone home they had the whole place to themselves. Despite their hands being full the whole way up the stairs was nonstop kissing and giggling.
As expected, once they reached the kitchen and rid themselves of the bags, they were once again all over each other. Laughing between frenzied kisses Savannah nudged him back gently. “I need to get started on what I’m gonna make and you need to vamoose it out of here until I’m all set up.”
After stealing a few more hungry kisses, Byron complied and decided to take a shower and change out of his work clothes. He took a marathon quick shower and was out feeling like he couldn’t get dressed fast enough. Half dressed, he smiled wondering how something so trivial like the bracelet she’d made him had quickly become a safety blanket. Just like today when he’d played with it after her calls it helped calm his impatient heart. He grabbed it off the bathroom sink and wrapped it around his wrist before heading out of the room, forgoing a shirt altogether. He’d likely be taking it off soon anyway and his anxious heart wanted his lips on her again already. As quickly as he’d begun to make his way out into the kitchen, he slowed when he heard her hushed voice.
“. . . because . . .” She paused for a second. “I know. I know but he already . . .”
Her voice lowered even more to where he couldn’t hear what she was saying anymore, except he could definitely hear hushed talking still going on. Byron’s heart sped up as his mind jumped to all kinds of conclusions about the odd behavior. Though he glanced down at the bracelet she made him and reminded himself this wouldn’t be the first time he’d begun to jump to the wrong conclusion.
Straining to hear more, Byron stood still just outside the kitchen door but even the hushed talking was inaudible now. Was she off the phone now? When he finally decided to walk into the kitchen, she was doing something—leaning over looking at her phone screen that sat on the counter—then flinched noticeably when she heard him. She brought her hand to her chest with a gasp. “Jesus, you scared me.”
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, I was just checking my texts.”
“Who were you on the phone with?”
Her eyes widened as if his inquiry surprised her. Did she really think he hadn’t heard her? Byron tried not to peer at her too hard, too accusatory, but her unnerved demeanor really did make it feel like he’d caught her red handed. Question was, what the hell had he caught her doing?
“My sister,” she said glancing away too quickly. “We were discussing what we’re getting daddy for his birthday.” She glanced back at him with a more genuine, less nervous smile. “It’s his birthday next week. Nena and I told him I have finals for the next few weeks and she already had a trip planned from way back, so he thinks neither of us will be there.” She smiled even bigger. “Our surprising him when we’re there next weekend will be part of his gift.”
She proceeded to pour what looked like shredded meat in red sauce onto a saucepan. The tension drained from Byron’s stiff neck and shoulders because this did sort of make sense with the direction her hushed conversation seemed to be going. But why whisper? And why had she looked so unnerved when he walked into the kitchen?