Page 54 of Guarding Over You
She gave it back the same, then clicked the dial once to the right. Not enough for them to be full-on making out in the parking lot, but just enough to know the spark didn’t need a match, it could light on its own.
And when she pulled back, the smile that filled her face reached her eyes. Any remnants of the woman who got out of her car hours before were gone and the one he wanted to spend more time with was in his arms.
Now they just needed to find a way for this to happen again.
17
CROSSES THE LINE
The week had flown by with Arden dancing on clouds. Or so it felt that way.
That kiss in the parking lot... perfection.
She’d been dreaming of it since she and Blaze first got their flirt on. But getting to experience it, yeah, that was something else!
She had seen little of him earlier this week at work, as he’d been off after his night rotation and hadn’t picked up any extra shifts. She supposed that made sense that he’d have to catch up on sleep and the rest of the things going on in his life.
His brother was getting married on Sunday too, so she knew he was off for the weekend. One thing they’d talked about.
They visited twice when he came down to chat while Gracie was sleeping. The two of them sitting on the patio, shielded from any eyes in the neighborhood, quietly conversing about their lives and days.
More dates, only subdued.
But there was kissing when he left. That wasnotso subdued.
Her body was telling her everything she’d been missing for years.
Her heart in a tight race with it.
She never thought she’d find those feelings again with a man, but was happy to prove so many wrong, that she wasn’t cold. She wasn’t distant.
She wasn’t broken!
Something she’d felt for way too long.
“Mom, can we go out to dinner tonight?” Gracie asked when she stopped to get her at daycare.
“You know what? That sounds like a lot of fun.”
“Let’s go now,” Gracie said. “If we go home first, you’ll change your mind.”
She wanted to argue that, but it had happened before.
“Okay. It’s Friday, let’s go now.”
“Yes,” Gracie said, jumping in place.
She grabbed her daughter’s backpack, said bye to the workers and drove to the restaurant that her daughter picked.
Just a chain where they could get in and out fast and it wasn’t that busy since it wasn’t five yet.
They were pulling into her driveway a little before six and walking up the front stairs when she noticed a gift bag on the porch.
“Let me get it,” she said. If it was from Blaze she wanted to double-check it wasn’t something her daughter shouldn’t see.
Then she told herself that was silly. Blaze was at work before her this morning and he wasn’t out yet. She’d seen him earlier when she had to go to the ER for a patient. They exchanged a few smiles, stole a moment for some words, then went on their way.
He wasn’t the type to leave her a gift without giving her a heads up. And not one with a Barbie design on it.
