He lifted his hand to her face, tilting her head back to give him better access to her mouth while his thumb made slow strokes along her jaw.
She lost herself in him, their bodies connected by hands and mouths, but also hearts. She felt alive—so alive—from the tingles on her skin, to the ache in her core, to the lightness in her heart. He made her heart sing, and she felt more cherished and desired than she’d ever felt in her life.
He lifted his face and she lost herself in his warm brown eyes, so full of adoration it stole her breath away.
It took her several seconds to realize the song had ended.
Leaning down, he gave her a gentle kiss, then lifted his head. “Thank you for the dance.”
She smiled softly, incapable of forming intelligible words. Twice they had gotten swept away with passion and hormones, but this tender moment with him meant more to her than any other in her life.
He slowly released her, giving her a gentle smile. “Let’s clean up and go home.”
Her stomach fluttered with anticipation as they worked together to dismantle the room, and within fifteen minutes they had everything they needed packed up in boxes. Holly slipped her pumps back on, grabbed her purse, and looked around the room, making sure she’d she hadn’t missed any decorations.
Kevin stood next to her holding both boxes. “We good?” he asked softly.
She looked up at him, still in awe of just how much she felt for him. “Yeah, you saved me a ton of time. Thanks.”
He grinned. “So do I get the assistant job?”
“Yeah, you have it,” she teased. “The pay is crap, but it’s yours.”
He leaned over and gave her a tender kiss, then turned toward the door. “Then let’s get you home.”
He’d parked next to her small SUV, and after he’d put the boxes in the back, he shut the hatch and looked down at her. “You still up for opening the envelope?”
She grinned. “I’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?”
“It’s at my house. We can open it there.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He opened her car door, then pulled her to his chest, kissing her again, leaving her breathless and weak in the knees. “I’ll follow you home.”
“Okay,” she whispered, wondering if she should try to be more coy about the effect he had on her but not wanting to. She was tired of fighting her feelings for him.
When she got home, Kevin was in her driveway, waiting for her to get out of the car. He insisted on carrying the boxes of lights into her garage, but she told him to leave the centerpieces in the trunk.
“You want to open the envelope tomorrow?” Kevin asked. “You look exhausted.”
She grinned up at him. “You can’t get out of it that easy. Want to get the envelope and meet me in my backyard?”
“Sounds good.”
She went into her house, kicked off her shoes, poured herself a glass of wine, and grabbed a bottle of beer. When she came out the back door Kevin was already sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs, his shoes off and his feet in the wading pool. The kitten was nervously pacing around on his lap.
She laughed as she handed him a beer and stepped into the pool. “I see you’ve figured this part out.”
He accepted the bottle and took a drag. “It’s a unique setup, but I can see the benefits.”
After she settled into the chair, she released a contented sigh. “This is one of my favorite places in the world.”
“With your feet in a kiddy pool?”
“In my grandma’s backyard. It’s hard to be unhappy when you’re surrounded by flowers.”
He was silent, taking another sip as he watched her.
“Gran’s always been a gardener. She taught me how to plant and prune, but she had a magical touch that I don’t seem to have. The garden is already looking worse for wear this year. Next year it won’t be the same.”
He was silent for several seconds, and when he spoke, he seemed hesitant. “I know you feel like you’re losing her with her dementia. I would guess that you’d want to try to keep this part of her.”
She glanced over at him, tears filling her eyes. How did he understand her so completely? She nodded, taking a second for the lump to clear from her throat. “You’re lucky that you have so much extended family. Nicole talks about them.”
“Family is overrated,” he said and, though he said it jokingly, she had to wonder at his tone.
“You and Megan seem to have a great relationship. Strong enough to survive that disaster,” she said, waving her hand in the direction of his house, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Don’t remind me. At the rate I’m going, I’ll be stuck in that place forever.” For some reason he didn’t sound so depressed about that fact.
“Okay, enough stalling. Did you bring the envelope?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. “Why don’t you do the honor?”
“Whiskers is your cat. You should do it.”
He ran his hand down the kitten’s back. “I’ve got my hands full. You do it.”
She took the envelope and broke the seal. “I feel like we should have a drumroll or something.”
He tapped his fingers on the armrest in a mock drumroll and grinned.
She pulled out the paper and held it up. “I can’t read it.”
“Why not?”
She squinted. “It’s too dark. It’s practically illegible. Take your pick.”
“I’d let you use the flashlight on my phone, but I left it home.”
“I’ve waited forever and I have to know.” She stood up, her foot catching on the edge of the pool, and she started to wobble.
Kevin was up in an instant, dropping the kitten in the chair as he stood and reached for her. But his foot slipped and he fell, taking her down with him. He twisted just before they reached the bottom of the shallow pool, turning her to the side so he didn’t land on top of her.
They lay there for a second before she said, “I never realized these inflatable sides made such a comfortable pillow.”
He grinned and she burst out laughing as they lay in the cold twelve-inch-deep water, their faces inches apart. But after a few seconds their laughter died and the amusement in his eyes turned to desire. Slowly he began to slide his hand up from her hip toward the curve of her breast.
The light in Melanie’s upstairs window flipped on and Holly giggled. “Mel’s gonna be pissed that we woke her.”
Kevin’s hand froze, and he looked worried.
But Holly suddenly remembered how they’d ended up in their predicament. “The paper!” She bolted upright and twisted around to find the paper floating on the water behind her. She picked it up and groaned when she saw that the ink had bled, then handed it to him. “Please tell me that you really know and you’re just teasing me.”
He sat up next to her, grimacing as he squinted at the slip. “I don’t.”
“Can you read it?” she pleaded.
“I don’t think so.”
The back door flew open and Melanie stood in the opening, glaring at them with a hand on her hip. “What are you doing out here?”
Killer ran out and jumped into the pool, landing on Holly’s lap.
Holly gave her an innocent look. “We’re taking a midnight swim.”
Kevin laughed, but Melanie did not look amused. “It’s one thirty in the morning. Get inside before you wake the whole neighborhood and Mrs. Darcy calls the cops.”
“We’re doing something important.”
Her cousin scowled, then said sarcastically, “Yeah, I can see that.”
“No, seriously. We were about to find out the sex of Kevin’s kitten, but the paper got wet.” She snatched it from Kevin’s hand and held it up.
“Is this some new sex game? Because honestly, it sounds a little perverted.”
Kevin burst out laughing.
Holly started to stand and her foot slipped again, making her land on Kevin. Hard. He grunted and she burst
out in giggles.
Melanie groaned, walking down the steps.
Holly pushed out a sigh. “He took the kitten to the vet and they put its gender on a paper in an envelope but now we can’t read it.” She waved the paper, showing the bleeding print.
“Oh, for God’s sakes.” Melanie scooped the anxious kitten out of the chair and walked to the back porch, then held its butt up toward the porch light. “It’s a boy. Happy now? Come inside.”
“How could you tell?” Holly asked, her mouth gaping.
“It’s called anatomy, Hol. Maybe we should have a refresher course before Mr. Handsy goes for Round Two.”
Holly looked down and realized that Kevin’s hand had a firm grip on her ass.
Kevin stood and reached down to Holly, helping her onto the grass, before he leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then he took the cat from Melanie and left.
Chapter Thirty
Kevin spent the morning working on his house, purposely leaving Holly alone. Something had happened at the wedding reception—a switch had been flipped inside him. Holly was worth fighting for. Worth waiting for. They’d moved at light speed when they met, but he was willing to slow things down and prove this wasn’t just about sex. He wanted her. If he had to wait until after her big wedding to have her, he would simply bide his time.
In the meantime, he planned to court her.
Tyler and Matt were sure to get a good laugh over that.
By one o’clock he’d showered and changed, coming up with a lame-ass excuse to see her, finally coming up with settling the bet over Whiskers’ gender. Not that they’d ever come to an agreement about the particulars of the bet, but that could work in his favor since Holly had won. So he didn’t have all the details worked out—he’d just wing it.
He stood on her front porch and was about to knock when he heard Melanie’s angry voice inside.
“It’s not her anymore, Holly.”
“Sometimes it’s not,” Holly agreed. “But sometimes it is. And when it is, Grandma Barb asks for you. She misses you, Melanie.”
“I can’t do it!”
“You can’t run away every time we have this conversation, Melanie!” Holly’s voice rose. “You accuse me of running away from relationships, but you’re the one running right now.”
“You think I’m running?” Melanie responded in a hateful tone. “How about if I run to Kiera’s?”
The front door opened and Melanie stood in front of him, her purse slung over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed when she saw him. “Holly, your booty call is here.”
He expected her to get in a few more jabs, but she bolted for her car and drove away.
Holly stood in the doorway, looking up at him in surprise.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You don’t look fine.”
She released a loud sigh. “I’m sad for my grandma. I’m not sure I can face the disappointment in her eyes when she asks about Melanie, but I can’t not see her.”
“You’re between a rock and a hard place,” Kevin murmured, studying her face.
“Yeah.” She walked back in and snagged her purse off the table.
“I take it that you’re headed to see your grandmother now.”
“I thought I could give her one of the centerpieces from the wedding and then the nursing staff could maybe pass out the rest or put them in the dining hall. The residents really love it when they get flowers.”
It was so much like something she would do, it didn’t surprise him. “Need help when you get there?”
She glanced over at his house and smirked. “Trying to get out of working on your house?”
“Is it that obvious?” He laughed. When Holly looked uncertain, he added, “Have I mentioned how awesome I am with older people? You saw me with my Gram.”
“Why would you want to come?”
He hesitated, worried his answer would scare her off. “The truth?”
“Yes.”
He studied her face. “I want to meet the woman who is so special to you. I want to know the woman you’re talking about when you mention her with so much love in your eyes.”
Her eyes glistened with tears. “Really?”
“Yeah. Really.”
She put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a soft kiss. “Thank you.”
He’d do just about anything to see that look of happiness in her eyes.
They took her SUV, Holly driving and telling him about some of the residents in the home until she pulled into the nursing home parking lot. Then suddenly her gaiety faded to seriousness.
“It’s hard for you to visit?” he asked softly.
“Every time I see her, I’m flooded with guilt.”
“Why?”
“I put her here.”
The devastation in her voice rocked him to his core. “Holly, from what you told me, you didn’t have a choice.”
“It still doesn’t make it easier.”
“How often do you come to see her?”
“I try to come every day, but sometimes I miss a day, like I did yesterday.”
He stared at her in surprise. How had he known her a week and a half—seeing her almost every day—and not known this?
She looked over at him with tears in her eyes, reading the shock on his face. “You couldn’t know. I don’t talk about it. It’s too hard.” Then she opened the door and climbed out.
Kevin met her at the back of the car and pulled the box out of the back while she swiped at her eyes.
“Is my mascara smeared?”
“No, Holly. You look beautiful.” And she did. She was wearing a pink summer dress that made her pale complexion rosy. Her hair was in a ponytail, high on her head. If she heard the longing for her in his voice, she didn’t let on.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
He followed her through the front door, waiting for security to buzz them through the second door. She glanced over at him. “She has her good days and her bad. If it’s bad, we probably shouldn’t stay long. You might confuse her.”
“Okay.”
They walked past a sunny room with several older people playing board games and making art projects before they went down a hall and then stopped at a door that had the name Barbara on it. There were pictures of an older woman decorating the door, and he noticed that Holly was in several of them.
Holly took a deep breath, steeled her shoulders, and walked in.
An older woman sat by the window, looking out onto a small garden.
“Good afternoon, Grandma!” Holly said in a cheerful voice. “I brought you presents!”
The woman turned to face them, a bright smile on her face. “There’s my Sunshine.”
Holly leaned over and gave her a long kiss on the cheek, then glanced out the window. “Oh. The yellow roses in the garden are fading.”
“It’s a wonder they lasted this long.” Her grandmother looked up at Kevin. “I see you’ve brought a young man with you. I approve.”
Holly laughed. “Grandma, there’s nothing to approve. Kevin moved in next door.”
“Did the Fergusons move?”
“No, the other house.”
Her eyes widened. “You moved into that rat trap?”
He laughed, shifting the box to his hip. “It’s a long story, but yes.”
She shook her head and looked at Holly with pity. “So your new friend’s crazy.”
Holly laughed, then graced him with a dazzling smile that stole his breath. “Yeah,” she told her grandmother. “One could argue that he is, but I’ll keep him around.”
Holly tried to take the box, but Kevin held tight and asked, “Where do you want me to put it?”
“I can take it, Kevin.”
He still held on. “I know you can, but there’s no need to when I can put it wherever you want it.”
“Fine,” she said, sounding exasperated. “On the table.”
Kevin set the box down and turned in surprise when he heard Holly’s grandmother chuckling.
“I see you finally met someone you couldn’t boss around.”
Holly rolled her eyes. “What are you talking about? There’s plenty of people I can’t boss around. My boss. Melanie. You.”
The older woman waved off her statement. “I’m talking about the men in your life. All a bunch of spineless ninnies.”
“Grandma!”
Kevin laughed. “She bosses me around plenty. Sometimes I obey her and sometimes I don’t.”
The older woman laughed again, then broke into a phlegmy cough. When she settled down, she winked at him. “Choosing your battles, young man? Wise.”
He nodded with a grin. “Yes, ma’am. My own grandmother taught me well.”
“So why aren’t you dating this handsome man?” she asked Holly.
Holly reached into the box. “Because that’s not an option, Grandma.”
“Well, why the hell not?”
“Grandma!”
She narrowed her eyes at Kevin. “Why aren’t you dating my lovely granddaughter?”
He paused, certain that Holly didn’t want her to know the full reason. He turned his questioning gaze to Holly.
“Grandma, men and women can just be friends. Sometimes they work better that way.”
“I call that bullshit, but I’ll let it drop”—she pointed her finger at Holly and then Kevin—“for now.”
Kevin laughed, but Holly groaned. “You’ll be just disappointed with my answer next time.” She grinned. “Now behave, or Kevin won’t ever come back to see you.”
Kevin tried to hide his surprise that she was considering bringing him back.
The older woman’s face lit up. “What’s in the box?”
“Something pretty for your room.” Holly handed her a vase with the roses, and the older woman set it in her lap, tears filling her eyes.
“They’re beautiful.”
“They’re left over from the wedding reception yesterday. Remember the Murphy wedding?”
Her grandmother’s eyes lit up. “I should have recognized them from your notebook. They look just like you planned.”
“Well, the bride’s mother didn’t want them, so I decided to bring them to you. I was so happy when the bride picked them out. I know they’re your favorite rose.”
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