Dexter gave a derisive shake of the head and pointed at himself.
She lurched up from her seat and flung her arms around him. ‘Thank you. Thank you so much. I owe you one.’
He laughed. ‘I’ll add it to your tab, shall I?’
Without answering, she yanked open the front door and let it slam behind her, then set off running up the road towards Archie’s.
* * *
When she reached the door of Archie’s cottage, Caitlin was out of breath but managed to hammer on it regardless whilst gulping in the fresh evening air.
Archie opened the door and widened his eyes with horror. ‘Shit! Caitlin, whatever’s happened?’
Without saying a word, she launched herself into his arms and planted her lips on his. It wasn’t subtle, but she hoped it would get the message across.
He stumbled backwards and pushed her away, holding her at arm’s length. ‘What the hell, Caitlin? Have you been drinking?’ The look of consternation on his face made her stomach lurch.
What had she done? She covered her mouth with her hands. ‘Oh god, I’m so sorry, Archie. I was… just… out of breath and… words…’ Her chest heaved.
He shook his head and touched his fingers to his lips. ‘I don’t understand what just happened.’
She swallowed hard and tried to catch her breath. ‘I’m sorry. I’ll go.’ She pointed back towards the bakery and turned, but he grabbed her wrist.
He scowled. ‘Wait a minute. No explanation? Just some random knock-my-socks-off kiss, and then you do a runner?’
Her heart pounded at her ribs and her head swam.God, I’m so bloody unfit. I’ve only run five hundred yards!She nodded. ‘Sorry.’
His frown remained in place. ‘Sorry for the kiss, or for attempting to run away?’
She managed a small smile. ‘Both?’
He let go of her wrist and folded his arms across his chest. ‘Right. I see. Well, if I was to give the kiss marks out of ten, I’d say it was a definite seven.’
She widened her eyes, suddenly a little indignant. ‘Excuse me?’
‘I think you’d better come in and see if you can improve on it.’ He tried to stop a smile from forming. ‘And while you’re at it, you can explain what the Dickens is going on. Deal?’
She nodded. ‘Deal.’
He stepped aside to let her in and the moment the front door was closed he pulled her into his arms and crushed his mouth to hers, one hand scrunched in her hair and the other held her in place at the small of her back. This time he was in control, and it was magnificent. Her legs jellified and her skin vibrated with desire. She slipped her arms up and around his neck and relished the feeling of his muscular body flush against hers. She inhaled the familiar scent of him and suddenly she knew what it felt like to see stars when being kissed. Kissing Archie was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It felt right, it felt wonderful, it felt like a Hollywood screen kiss, but it was real.
When he pulled away, she gazed up into his dark, chocolate eyes where so many questions lay. He smiled and softly said, ‘Now that was definitely a fifteen out of ten. Come on. Let’s go sit and talk, something I think we should’ve done a long time ago.’ He took her hand and led her to the black leather sofa.
They sat and he kept her hand in his. She felt suddenly shy and couldn’t pull her attention away from their entwined fingers. She had forgotten how amazing it felt to be touched in such a way.
After inhaling a calming breath, she managed to lift her chin and lock her gaze on his. ‘I owe you a massive apology.’
With a look of confusion in his eyes, he tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘How so?’
‘I thought… I thought you’d met someone else. I’d seen the blonde woman at your house and the way you hugged her. I put two and two together and came up with a mess.’
He closed his eyes. ‘Kristine.’
She nodded. ‘Archie, I’ve had feelings for you for a while now, but the timing has always been rubbish. First Lyle, then Wozadeath—’
‘Eh?’
‘Erm. Rosabeth?’ she replied, hoping he would think he had misheard her the first time. ‘Then Bram… But even he noticed my feelings for you. Said he could see it in my eyes. But then, when you kissed me, I felt so bad. I’d seen you with Kristine and I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of a cheater, no matter how new the relationship.’
