Page 67 of The Perfect Melody

His hands ghost over the length of my spine. “Are you cold?”

“I’m fine. Well, after what we just did, I’m better than fine.” I smile, then place a quick kiss on his cheek just because I can.

Fondness shines in Austin’s eyes as he reaches up to stroke a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Hopefully the rain will stop soon. If it doesn’t, we might have to brave it anyway, but we’re still about two-and-a-half miles from town.” He grimaces. “I’d rather you not be washed away before I have a chance to take you out.”

“I don’t know, I’m starting to think the rain might be our good luck charm,” I tease.

He cocks his head and his brow furrows. “How so?”

Using my hand on his upper arm to count out each incident on my fingers, I begin, “We met because of the rain.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “You mean when you aquaplaned and crashed your car? In what way is that lucky?”

“Nobody was hurt, no serious damage was done, and it’s what introduced me to this grumpy bartender who would eventually succumb to my charms.”

He rolls his eyes but doesn’t deny it.Damn right. “Fair. What else?”

“You offered me a ride home because of the rain. I kind of had to admit you weren’t completely terrible after that.”

He snorts. “You sure know how to sweet talk a guy.”

“You wouldn’t like me as much if I didn’t give you shit.”

“And here I thought I might have spanked the sass out of you for at least an hour.” Amusement and satisfaction dance in his eyes, making my cheeks heat.

“You wish.Anyway, example number three—it was raining when you helped me through my panic attack. That was the first real conversation we had. Things changed between us after that. We were honest with each other.” I meet his penetrating gaze. “Which brings us to now.”

“Freezing our arses off in a bus shelter while we wait for the rain to stop?” he teases, feigning cluelessness.

I shake my head and reach up to cup his cheek, enjoying the feel of the soft hairs of his short beard against my palm. “No. Now you’re mine and I’m yours.” I raise my eyebrows daring him to disagree with me, but I needn’t have bothered.

In spite of the cold, the heat in Austin’s gaze is almost enough to keep me warm. “Damn right.” He smiles at me fondly, brushing a stray drop of water from the side of my neck with his thumb. “I should have known a woman who literally crashed into my life would be trouble.”

“You’re stuck with me now.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

I’m not sure how long we spend making out like teenagers, but after a while the world around us comes back into focus and I realise the pelting rain has eased off to a light drizzle. Seeing what I am, Austin presses one last, chaste kiss to my lips before pulling back. “We should head back before it starts chucking it down again.”

He’s not wrong, yet I’m reluctant to leave the bubble of intimacy we’ve created here. Working to conceal the irrational wave of disappointment hitting me, I reply, “You’re right. Do you want your coat back?”

“No, you keep it. Pass me your sweatshirt?” he asks, unzipping his small backpack. Quickly, I do as he says. “Thanks.” He wraps it around the t-shirt we used to clean up with, then puts the bundle in his bag while I do my best to dry the lenses of my glasses on the side of my leggings without much success.

“Ready?” He holds his large hand out for me to take.

Doing my best to keep my smile at a normal level, I slip my hand into his. “Let’s go.”

As we make our way back into town, we alternate between talking and comfortable silence. When we walk past the quaint wooden sign welcoming us to Pine Grove, Austin’s hand tightens around mine.

“I understand if you’d rather head straight back to the B&B to clean up, but I was wondering if you might like to come home with me instead?”

My heart flutters, pleased Austin seems as reluctant as I am to part ways. “I’d like that.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Austin

Cassie sticks closeto my side beneath the covered front porch as I unlock the door to my house, but I hesitate before opening the door. Everything’s changing so quickly. When I ran into Cassie on Monday, asking her to join me on a walk today was an impulsive, heat of the moment decision. Hearing her discussing me with her friends put a serious crack in the wall of professionalism I’d tried to erect between us, and I caved into my desire to spend more time with her. After I got back home that morning, I gave myself a thorough talking to, reminding myself that my feelings towards Cassie were inappropriate. I didn’t want her to feel pressured because I’m her boss, so I promised myself I would keep today light and friendly.