Page 54 of Back To Our Beginning

It felt like a boulder was lifted off my shoulders. “I’m crazy about you, Maddie. I want to spend the rest of the time I have here in Jasper Creek with you. I want to take the time to see where this will go.”

Suddenly, she looked like she was going to cry. “But you’re only going to be here for eleven more days.”

“That’s true. But let’s savor this time together and then figure out where we go when the eleven days are over. Okay?”

“Are you saying there might be a future for us? A real lasting future?”

“I’m not sure, but what I do know is, if we don’t grab hold of this time together, we’ll never know, now will we?”

Her eyes were bright with tears. “No, we won’t.”

“Trust me?” I asked.

Outside, a wind chime danced in the breeze. Inside, there was nothing but the smell of cookies, the faint tick of the clock, and the quiet hum of something real beginning to settle between us.

She reached out and placed her hand over my heart. “I trust you with every beat of my heart.”

Chapter Fourteen

I released my seatbelt, reached behind me for my satchel, and grabbed my travel cup of coffee before opening the passenger door.

“Thanks for the ride.” I smiled at Beau.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“What?” I asked.

“My kiss for driving you to work.”

I looked around the parking lot. People were still getting out of their cars and walking to the building.

“I can’t kiss you. People will see.”

He grinned. “I never knew you were a fraidy cat.”

“Take that back,” I barked.

“Meow.”

I put my coffee back in the holder. I grabbed Beau’s cheeks in my hands and pulled his face down for a quick kiss. His hands immediately cradled my head and tilted it. His lips parted mine, and electricity sparked.

Oh God, I was doomed.

His tongue thrust into my mouth, and soon I was sucking it, desperate for him. Desperate to take off his shirt and touch his shoulders. His back. His chest.

I let go of his cheeks. My hands dipped under his t-shirt collar and kneaded his neck, glorying in the feel of his hot, supple skin over his taut muscles. Our kiss turned passionate.

Bam-bam-bam.

We broke apart.

I looked over Beau’s shoulder and saw my co-worker Irene grinning like a fool through the driver’s side window.

“I-I-I’ve got to go.”

I tried to open the truck door and failed. I tried again but couldn’t do it.

“Maddie, calm down. Let me open your door and help you down from the truck. You’re wearing heels, and at this rate you’ll fall down and break your neck.”