Wait. Did he think I’d closed my eyes because of his fingers? I forced my lids open and peered at him through my lashes. I saw the dart of insecurity in his expression.
“Oh no, Will. Never that,” I whispered. Instinctively, I reached up and put my hand on the outside of his, pushing his palm back against my face. With purpose. I turned my nose to press into the center of it, feeling its heat even as I registered the jagged silvery scar tissue. “You’re beautiful.”
My words were quiet, but their effect was immediate. His features clouded as he scraped his thumb along mine, mimicking our actions from earlier tonight. He moved his hands to lace his fingers behind my head. With our near-equal heights, the action brought us face-to-face. I stared into his tender gaze. The raw desire I saw reflected there forced caution to the back of my mind. I licked my lips, and my palms drifted to his lean hips.
He inhaled sharply, resting his forehead against mine. “Goddamn, Maureen. Tell me this means you want to start over.”
The distinct sound of a boot sole squeaking against the hardwoods reverberated like a cannon shot.
“Oh shit! Sorry, guys. I didn’t mean to, uh, interrupt.” The abrupt sentiment came from Leo, standing slack-jawed on the edge of the kitchen, carving himself into the moment with the subtlety of a chainsaw.
Will and I jerked back from one another.
Oh my god. What had Leo just caught us doing?
“You’re not interrupting.” Will recovered faster than me. “Maureen and I were just talking.” He looked pointedly at the other man. “And I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone else.”
“No problem.” Leo put his hands up and walked backward out of the kitchen. “I never saw a thing.”
My body trembled as Will and I found ourselves alone again. Jesus. What if that had been Miranda who’d caught us? Or Marley? While I trusted Leo not to say anything, his seeing me with my arms around Will made the situation real. Made my weakness for Will real. I wasn’t ready.
“Don’t worry. He won’t say anything.” Will squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. “Now, where were we?”
“Nowhere, Will. We were absolutely nowhere.”
I untied my apron, threw it on the counter, and ran out of the kitchen.
Chapter fifteen
Will
Maureen opened the front door and flew outside. I grabbed my coat from near the front entrance and raced after her.
Her fists tightened into balls at her sides as she stomped down the front stairs, muttering incoherently. She paused when I shouted into the chilly night air. “Maureen!” I caught up with her on the front walkway, compelled to take a step back when she turned and directed her wild eyes at me. In a quieter tone, I asked, “What happened back there?”
She unclenched her palms and placed her hands on her hips, glancing up at the sky before speaking. “When I said I could be nicer to you, I meant I wanted us to co-exist. I didn’t mean I wanted…”
She trailed off, looking somehow both angry and resigned. When she didn’t pick up the thread after ten achingly silent seconds, I prompted, “That you wanted…?”
The white-gray mist of her harsh breaths hung in the air. “That I wanted… Shit!” She pushed one fist into the other, shaking her head as she regarded the frozen ground. “I don’t know! I’m not ready to forgive you… And you touching me back there—it’s too confusing right now. Too much.”
I reeled back. When she’d called me beautiful and pushed my hand to her face, it lit me up inside. I honestly thought we’d been working our way somewhere. But whatever I’d seen in her eyes, she was afraid of it.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Truly. I thought we were having kind of a moment.”
A car honking blared in the distance, causing us both to startle.
“We were having a moment. There’s no point in pretending otherwise.” Sighing, she dropped her arms to her sides. “I’ll admit you make me…feel things.” Softly, she murmured, “I wish you didn’t.”
Even with the disclaimer that she didn’t want to want me, her words gave me hope—because she was acknowledging something between us. But I’d also upset her again. Fuck.
She shivered, and I pulled off my coat. I held it at the end of my arm like a white flag, keeping a foot of distance between us. She hesitated a moment before taking it from my grip and throwing it over her shoulders.
Selfishly, I wanted to ask what she’d been thinking when she pressed her nose to my scarred palm. But of course, I’d never do that. Not when she’d already given me more than she’d intended to. I settled on, “I feel things for you too, Maureen.”
Our gazes locked. She nodded resignedly. “I know you do.”
Naturally, she knew. I hadn’t been subtle tonight.
