“What!” They both protested in unison.
Casey made it halfway through the dessert that came with her children’s meal before falling asleep with her head on the table. Jake slipped out and gently laid her on the bench, then came back, scooting in closer than he’d been before.
They took their time eating, sharing food off each other’s plates, talking about everything from books to movies to music. She’d remember this day always. The beach, the luxurious room, which Jake said was for her first real vacation. And mostly him.
“I have good news,” Paige said when they got a second drink.
Jake laid his fork down and gave her his full attention. “Really? Let’s hear it.”
“I got an A in my class.”
“That’s awesome.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m proud of you, but I had no doubt.”
“Thank you.” She was proud of herself and it felt good. It felt good to share it with Jake. “And, I’m enrolled in three more classes for the fall.”
“Mmm. Sexy. Are you a naughty college girl?”
Paige laughed and slipped a bite of her chocolate cake between his lips. “I’ve been talking to Hannah, and she’s really got me thinking about physical therapy. I don’t know how I could manage it, but…I think I finally know what I really want to do.” She picked at the cake on her plate. “It took me awhile to get here, but it’s a start.”
“Don’t. Don’t do that. Don’t minimize it.” He covered her hand with his own. “It’s more than a start. You’ve done everything you needed to do in just the right order it needed to be done.”
She looked away, but smiled, feeling warm inside and enormously happy because of the man beside her. It meant more than she could ever explain or maybe even understand that Jake cared about what she wanted, that he understood what she needed.
She pressed a quick kiss to his lips because his face was right there and because she couldn’t resist. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“I’ve been wanting to take you out on a date. I hope to do it again.”
“I’d like that, but I meant all of it. The dinner, the trip, the beach, everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
The waitress came over to refill their tea and paused with a smile. Paige understood the touch of wistfulness in her eyes. It was the same way she felt when she looked at couples in love.
Or couples who looked in love. Is that what they were? Her stomach dipped, knowing she was falling. Had fallen. She didn’t know when or exactly how she’d come to believe that the fairy tale actually existed, that she could possibly have it, but with Jake she absolutely did.
When they’d finished and paid, Jake carried a sleeping Casey out of the restaurant. The girl at the hostess stand smiled as they passed. “Your little girl is such a sweetie. Letting her parents have some alone time.”
Jake didn’t correct her and neither did she as they walked out into the perfect night that still wasn’t over.
Of course Casey was wide awake by the time they got back to the bed-and-breakfast. She and Jake did the bedtime routine together, both of them anxious and trying not to rush. Casey asked for one more story, one more song, a glass of water. Then she needed a different shirt because hers was scratchy and on and on until Paige was giggling uncontrollably at the pained look on Jake’s face.
She found it even funnier to brush her breasts against his chest every time they passed each other in the small sitting area between the two bedrooms. Just a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows made him groan.
After twenty minutes, Casey was finally asleep. She found Jake sitting on the edge of their bed in the dark. She left their door open a crack, like she’d done with Casey’s, and went to him.
“You think you’re very funny, don’t you?”
“Yes. Very.” She straddled his lap, kissed his lips, his cheeks, his neck. She wanted to see him, feel him without this damn shirt blocking her view. She went after his buttons, working each one. “I’ve been waiting to undress you for a long time.”
“Really?” His smile was purely wicked. “You should have told me that.”
When he was finally free of it, she put her lips to his neck again and inhaled. He always smelled so good. A sexy, musky scent mixed with fresh shaving cream. She nipped at his throat, working her way down to his chest. His body was a sculpted masterpiece, his skin burning over hard muscle, and all for her. Hot hands began a sensual glide down her back, and soon being funny was the furthest thing from her mind.
“Arms up.”
With her eyes locked with his, she raised her arms above her head and watched him as he peeled the top up and over. His eyes were dark with desire that she was sure matched her own.