“Hayden,” she whispered.
“Yes?” His eyes didn’t leave hers.
The attraction, the desire she saw in his eyes stirred her. Was this part of getting to know Hayden better? She knew it wasn’t,not in the casual way she and Mimi had discussed.
No, there was nothing casual about this moment.
Even if she wanted to stop herself, she couldn’t . . . and she absolutely did not want to stop. She slid her arms around hisneck, threaded her fingers through the damp ends of his hair, and tilted her face to his.
Then she kissed him.
Chapter 13
Hayden couldn’t think. He threw the water bottle to the side and pressed Riley against him, accepting the gift of her kisswhile trying to hold himself back. It wasn’t easy, but he managed, letting her take the lead as she explored his mouth withhers. Heaven. This was pure heaven.
When she eventually pulled away, he searched her face, unsure what to expect. Her kissing him hadn’t even been on his radar.He told her the truth about using the talk with his parents about the store as a ruse to see her again, and he’d intendedtheir run to be relaxed and friendly. But holding her in his arms, reeling from a kiss he hadn’t wanted to end . . . He hadno idea how to react.
“Riley,” he murmured.
“I . . .” Her eyes were wide with shock, but she didn’t move away. He could also see the satisfaction on her face.
That boosted his ego. “What?” he asked, running the back of his fingers over her hot cheek.
“I’m all sweaty and stinky and—”
“I don’t care.”
She couldn’t face him. “I don’t know why I did that.” When she started to squirm in his arms, he reluctantly let her go.
“I hope it was because you wanted to.” He held his breath, because there was a chance she could devastate him now and noteven realize it. When Riley had her guard up, she couldn’t be budged.
But that guard was nowhere to be seen. “I don’t like being confused. I don’t like not understanding how to act or react. ButI do like how I feel with you.” She shook her head. “You probably think I’m crazy or silly. Or both.”
“How about neither? This is new territory for me, too, Riley. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
“Then you’re not confused like I am.”
“I didn’t say that.” He put his hands on his waist. “How about we stop analyzing this and just live in the moment? Why don’twe just enjoy the time we spend together, without worrying about what comes next?”
She shook her head. “I thought I . . . I’m not sure if I can. Not when I feel this way.”
He dropped his hands and went to her, tilting her chin so he could meet her gaze. “Do you want to try?”
To his surprise, she put her hand on his but didn’t move it away. “Yes. I do.”
Hayden kissed her forehead, then looked at her again. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
He smiled. “For being you.”
She scoffed. “Yes, because I’m such a prize.”
“You are to me.” He hoped she wouldn’t think the words were too much, but he meant what he’d said. They couldn’t keep goingaround in circles like this. They both liked each other and wanted to spend time together. It shouldn’t be that complicated.
Her gaze softened. “Thank you.” Then she surprised him again. “Come over for supper Saturday night after the softball game.”
“To talk about the house?” When she nodded, he felt the sting of disappointment. It disappeared when she added, “Maybe wecould play cards or something too.”
“That sounds great.” He grinned, then walked over and picked up his discarded water bottle. “I’ll be over as soon as I showerand change after the game.”
Riley nodded, and then got into her car. He waited until she drove away before he started grinning like an idiot. Saturdayevening couldn’t get there fast enough.
* * *
As soon as Riley pulled out of the parking lot, she put in her earphones and called Melody. “You won’t believe this,” shesaid as soon as her friend picked up.
“And hello to you too. Hang on. Let me turn down the TV.” A few seconds later, she said, “All right, lay it on me.”
“I kissed Hayden.”
Silence. “Who’s Hayden?”
Riley had been so caught up in her excitement about him that she’d forgotten she never told Melody about him. She quicklygot her friend up to speed.
“And you kissed him,” Melody said.
“Yes.” Riley grinned with pride.
“Have you never kissed a guy before, Riley?” she asked, her tone tinted with shock.
“I’ve been kissed.” Even by Hayden, but she wasn’t going to mention that or her friend would be even more confused, not to mention offendedthat she was only hearing about all this now. “But I’ve never kissed anyone. Until now.”
“If you weren’t the one telling me this, I would find that hard to believe.”
“What is that supposed to mean? That was kind of insulting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be. I’m glad you let loose enough to kiss him.” She chuckled. “Was it good?”
“Very. And that’s all I’m saying.”
Melody laughed again. “I haven’t had a conversation like this since junior high. And no, that’s not an insult either.”
Riley turned down her grandmother’s street. “I just needed to tell someone—someone who doesn’t live in Maple Falls. If I toldanyone here, it would be in the newspaper by morning.” She remembered how Harper said she and the girls wanted a full report.She’d tell them something the next time she saw them, but she wasn’t ready for them to know about this. She’d done more gutspilling in the last few days than she had in her entire life, and she wasn’t used to it.
“Then you like this guy, huh?” Melody asked.
“Yes.” Now that she was allowing herself to feel the emotions Hayden brought out in her, she was filled with happiness.
“Do you think it might be going somewhere?”
Melody’s question tempered her joy. “I don’t know. Right now I don’t care.”
