“David is a Georgia boy...”
“But maybe it was silly to hope that the first guy I date would be “the guy.”“
“Not silly. You've dated plenty. You're in your thirties. You know what you want. The question is does he want the same things?”
Sabrina screwed her lips from side to side. “That's the part I don't know. I hate to put him on the spot. We've only been seeing each other for a month. It seems crazy to plan my future based on a month, right?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
Layla's conspiratorial tone piqued Sabrina's interest.
“You don't think so?”
“You've known this guy most of your life, right?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, there's that huge gap but--”
“Do you trust him?”
“Yes.” That was an easy answer. David was the strong silent type, humble to a fault, and she knew that he had a good heart. And after her recent experiences, she saw no signs of deception and boy was she keeping her eyes peeled for them.
“You get along well with him. You've learned a lot since you last saw each other. From what I hear, the sex is fantastic.”
Sabrina chuckled. “No kidding.”
“Sounds to me like a guy worth falling for.”
Good, because it was too late. She’d already fallen.
“Yeah, there's just that minor detail of me wanting roots and him traveling the world.”
“Honey, your roots will wrap around him. Doesn't matter where he parks the camper.”
That gave Sabrina a full belly laugh. When she caught her breath, she accepted Layla's point. Sometimes, home was where your heart was, rather than where your stuff was.
But was she ready to give up her dream of settling into a lovely, quiet studio space and buying a house?
David said goodnight to Allen and wound his way through the house to the wide, sweeping staircase. Allen had given him a lot to think about but right now he wanted to think about the beauty waiting for him at the end of the hall.
The guest room door opened silently, and Sabrina sat snuggled in the plush bed, a book propped against her knees. It was dark except for the single lamp on the nightstand.
She was so pretty, fresh faced and ready for bed. Her gorgeous brown skin looked soft and luminous against the white pajamas and suddenly he couldn't wait to slide between the sheets and just be with her.
He couldn't remember a time in the past where he simply wanted to lay beside a woman and bask in her radiance. But with Sabrina, he found himself wanting simply to be near her. Even if they didn't say a word, being in the same room was enough.
“I know we're only here for a few days, but I unpacked the suitcase. Your stuff is on the right side of the dresser.”
“Thanks.” He retrieved his pajama pants and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
“Did you guys have a good talk?” Sabrina asked, stepping into the bathroom a few minutes later.
“Yeah.”
He felt tongue tied as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her body against his.
“Any big plans in the works?”
He huffed out a laugh. “Not quite yet. But he's got a lot of projects in progress.”
“The man's a dynamo.”
“That he is.”
For a moment, he had trouble reconciling the fact that he was in Allen Croft’s Miami mansion. Or that his childhood friend was the gorgeous woman pressing kisses down his spine.
Life just felt so surreal lately. He expected to wake up from the dream any moment.
“He seems really happy about the baby,” she said, coming around to sit on the counter next to him while he brushed his teeth.
“He said they’d been trying for a while.”
“I’m thrilled for them.” She pressed her hands together and squeezed them between her knees.
“You ever think about having kids?” Back in the day he’d seen her with a family, a couple of kids and a couple dogs.
“No. Not really. You?”
“Nope.” He shoved the toothbrush in his mouth and started sawing at his teeth.
“I like kids,” she continued, glancing out the window at the midnight ocean. “I just don’t want them for me, you know. It’s a lot to be responsible for a person. I’d rather just be an auntie Sabrina.”
He could see her as an aunt. She had a youthful exuberance that children would adore.
“You’re going to make a great uncle,” she said, studying his profile. “I bet kids treat you like a jungle gym.”
He grunted past the toothpaste.
Why had he started this topic? He should have kept his mouth shut.
But at least they were on the same page.
“What do you want to do tomorrow?” he asked as he turned out the light.
“Lay on the beach?”
The idea of Sabrina in a bikini sent his blood racing south.
He pulled back the covers, slid into bed and held his arms out to her. “Sounds like a plan.”
“So, I’ve been thinking,” she said, propping her chin against his chest.
“Me too.” Probably not about the same thing.
“There’s no reason I have to be in Atlanta this winter. And it would probably be a little warmer in New Orleans. Maybe I could rent a little studio. Layla and I are already good at working remotely.”
“I like it.” The idea of her moving in with him should have scared him or at least given him pause. But it didn’t. In fact, his heart gave a happy squeeze. She was thinking of ways to keep them together. To prolong their time. “A lot.”
She smiled and blew out a sigh. “Good. I was afraid you would think I was crazy or moving too fast.”
“I think it’s just right.”
For the next while they chatted about things to see and do. Haunted tours were at the top of their list. As they started to fall asleep he wondered how the hell he’d gotten so lucky. And to think, he’d been pushing her away, trying to protect himself. He’d have missed this, missed her.
Her enthusiasm was contagious and made him want a second chance at life.
