The spark of desire returns, burning brighter and hotter than two nights ago when I begged Pat to take me to bed. Now, the desperate need for closeness, to feel his skin on mine, is pure, and it’s about cementing the commitment we made to each other, in that courtroom and again, today. I’d happily make vows to Pat every morning and renew them again at night.
Because this? This is everything.
We’ll probably make a lot of mistakes together. But together, we’re better than we are apart. We’re more.
A throat clearing has us jerking apart, both breathing heavy. The flowers Pat held in his hand, probably meant for Mama’s vase, are crushed between us. This is … totally awkward.
Mama raises one white brow, her expression both mischievous and disapproving. “As happy as I am for you two, I’d prefer a little distance from the full show.”
Pat and I mutter apologies, exchanging sheepish glances as we pull apart.
“Do we need to have the talk again?” Mama continues, and I remind myself she thinks I’m years younger than I am.
“Nope. No talk necessary,” I tell her, my cheeks flaming. Pat chuckles, and I shove him.
“I might need the talk,” Pat says to Mama. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever had it.”
I go to shove him again, and he darts out of the way, giggling. Mama eyes him like she’s totally got his number.
“Boy, with the way you kiss, it looks like you’re well versed.”
“Mama!” I hide my face behind my hands, because I don’t want to have any more of this conversation.
Pat does his best to revive the flowers, which is pretty much a lost cause. Petals litter the floor and I kneel to pick them up, counting each one as I try to cool down the raging heat flooding my bloodstream. We set what’s left of the daisies in a vase, wave goodbye to Mama, and practically sprint down the hallway. We don’t stop until we reach his truck, which is parked beside my car.
“Can I take you home?” Pat asks. “To our home?”
“Where exactly is our home?” I ask. “We’re weird sort of nomads right now. Like, are we going to stay permanently at the loft? Fix the house?”
Pat rubs a hand down my back. “Slow down, darlin’。 We’ll figure out the long-term plans as we go. The location of our home isn’t the most important part. The person—the people involved—are. Where’s Jo, speaking of?”
“She’s with Val and Winnie at the loft.” I pull my phone out, realizing I haven’t checked it since I left. “But, it looks like they’ve taken her to Val’s to see the dogs.” I clear my throat. “That means we have some time.”
It doesn’t take him more than a second to catch my meaning and my heated gaze. “Then it seems like we best get home. And quickly.” He leans closer, his lips tracing over my ear and sending shivers in a straight path up my spine. “I might need a lot of time.”
I clutch his shirt, holding him close and speaking into his neck. “How’s the soundproofing in the loft? Asking purely as a rhetorical question. For later tonight. And the night after that.”
Pat pulls back, and the look he gives me makes my knees tremble. “I made sure the soundproofing is excellent, wife.”
“Let’s give it a test run later, husband. But first, I think I need to do one thing.”
I pull a piece of paper out of my purse, one I’ve kept there for weeks. Pat grins when he recognizes the rules he signed, before doing his very best to skirt around each one. I start to tear it apart, but his hand stops me.
“Can I keep it?”
“Why would you want to?” I ask.