He put his hands on her arms and ran them in a sensuous slide up and down until she forgot that she didn’t need another man in her life. Editon deepened the kiss until she forgot to breathe. His breath was uneven as his warm, and his solid body engulfed her.
Editon finally sat back. “Damn. Just damn.” His eyes were a little dazed. “I’d dreamed kissing you would be good, but in reality, it?s much better.”
It had been a long time since a man looked at her like Editon did at this moment. Kady wasn’t finished yet. She wanted more.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her again. She kissed him until they finally had to break apart to breathe.
Editon brushed his hand over his mouth. “I’m a problem-solver and what my solving abilities are telling me is not very gentlemanly.” He grinned a sensual smile that sent a skitter of sexual tension through her spine. “We’re going to stop here…for now. If I don’t, I’m not sure how much willpower I have. I don’t want to, but I’m going to leave now and see if the road is open. I’ll be back.”
When the front door clicked closed, Kady hugged her arms around her middle. She liked Editon. She liked Editon a lot! She hadn’t planned on that…but, she hadn’t planned on many things that happened in her life. Why not leave space for unexpected good things? Kady thought of the Love List drawing, happy now that she hadn’t taken a name because right now the only man she wanted was Editon.
Editon was back in a half-hour. He shook his head as he took off his coat and hat and hung them on a hook by the door. “The road’s still closed. Now there are power lines down, and the trucks are working on them. It’s a big old mess. I asked them when they thought it would be open, and they had no idea.”
“Huh…what should I do?”
“I think it’s a no-brainer. You have to stay. It’s the safest option. Noah is fine with your mom and dad.”
“I guess you’re stuck with me.” She couldn’t argue. It was the best solution.
“Things could be worse.” He grinned. “Now it’s your turn to warm up my hands.” He came to her, and she rubbed his hands like he’d done to hers. “Since you’re stuck, you’re spending the night, but you’re going to sleep in the spare bedroom. This is really our first date, and I want a second.”
“I’d like that too.”
“I’m going to make some popcorn, and I’ll let you pick out a movie. The DVD’s are in a cabinet next to the TV.”
They snuggled on the couch, watched a silly comedy and laughed until her sides hurt. It felt good to laugh, it had been too long since she had. Editon loaned her a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and they soaked in the hot tub on his deck, drank more hot chocolate, and watched the snowfall around them. She could see the outline of the valley below and bet the view was a knock-out when it was clear.
“How many acres do you have?” she asked as she dried off with a plush gray towel.
“A little under fifty.”
Now that she was back in Vine Grove, she missed the open space and fewer people than California. It was nice to have trees over traffic.
When it was time for bed, Editon showed her to the guest bedroom. When she was in bed, he came in and sat on the side of the bed. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and watched her for a long moment before saying, “You have no idea how much I want to break that bond of chivalry I stupidly set up earlier.”
“You don’t have to leave.” She touched his cheek.
“I said it, and I’m sticking to it. I want to take things slow and not mess this up. I want that second, third, and twenty-fifth date…so,…” Editon let out a sigh before adding, “goodnight.” He kissed her again and then left.
Kady listened to the wind against the side of the house and thought about how things had shifted so suddenly. Was she ready to try again? As she drifted off to sleep, she felt Editon’s kisses still on her lips.
Chapter Six
Kady thought that she would miss not having a teaching position yet, but she liked her job at the wine shop, and when the time was right it would come. She saw Editon every night for the next week. As the weather dragged on through November, when she was off work, she spent a few hours at his shop laughing and telling him what happened during the day.
This is what a relationship is supposed to be. She’d never had a man who asked how her day was or was willing to talk to her if she’d had a bad one. Finn invited her and Editon over for Thanksgiving dinner. Kady was able to swing both meals and not hurt her mother’s feeling by having one dinner early and then traveling to Finn’s after that.
One afternoon, Editon asked if she could bring Noah with her to his shop after school.
“What does he want to see me for?” Noah asked.
Kady shrugged. “He said that there was something he wanted to talk to you about.”
When they arrived at the shop, Noah followed her inside and dropped his backpack on the floor.
Editon was covered in grease as he popped up from behind a motor that he was working on. “Hey! Good to see both of you.”