Page 93 of Second Time Around

Twenty-Six

Two hours later, Beck pulled into Jenna’s driveway with a full stomach and a happy heart. He’d enjoyed visiting with her family so much that after dessert, when they’d been asked to stay and play a game, he’d readily agreed.

Jenna had furiously winked at him, but he’d just winked back and ignored her request to leave. He’d expected her to give him hell about it on the way home, but she’d been oddly quiet.

He left the car idling in case she’d been storing up her anger and was ready to unleash it on him, but once again, she surprised him.

“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked.

“Do you want me to?”

“Yes.”

“So, you’re not mad at me?”

She furrowed her brow. “Why would I be mad?”

“Whew! I thought you might be mad that I ignored your signal.”

“Oh, that.” She flapped her hand dismissively. “Once we started playing the game, I forgot all about it.”

Come to think of it, she’d been uncharacteristically quiet all night, although, every time he’d looked at her, she’d smiled at him.

“I didn’t bring a change of clothes,” he said, giving her one last chance to change her mind.

“That’s okay. It’ll just be you and me here.”

He chuckled, recalling when he’d said the same thing to her. “Okay, then. Lead the way.”

He shut off the car and followed her up to the house in the dark. Fall had arrived with gusto, and the nights were much cooler than they’d been just a few weeks ago. It was perfect weather for cuddling up with the one you loved. Realizing how cheesy that sounded in his head, he chuckled again as Jenna unlocked the front door and ushered him inside.

“What’s so funny?” she asked as she flipped on a light.

“Nothing. I’m just really happy.”

She set down her purse and moved into his arms. “Me too.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded, her eyes softly glowing in the lamplight.

He wound his arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze. “So, you were happy with the way things went tonight?”

“Yes, but not only that.”

“What else?”

She looped her arms around his neck, wove her fingers into the hair at the back of his neck, and gently massaged his scalp. It reminded him of when she’d washed his hair at the salon. Her hands were like magic, and not just in his hair.

“It’s everything. All the fun things we’ve done lately, the good food, the—”

“Great sex?”

“That too.”

“I agree. It has been fun. All of it, not just the sex.”

“Seeing you with my family and friends tonight made me realize how compatible we are.”