“On your way to work or heading home?” he asked, leaning against the beam next to the pump.
“Home. See the bags under my eyes?”
“Did you help bring a tiny human into the world last night?”
“Seven this morning. Little boy. Grant. Eight pounds exactly. How about you? Working today?”
“Just finished installing shelves in a pantry.”
I returned the nozzle to the pump and took my receipt. “Well, I’m going home to crash for a few hours.”
“Reese …” He studied me for a few seconds. “We’re not strangers. And I’ve been biding my time for three weeks. Sorting these memories as they come back. But I miss you. And I’m not going to let you get in your car and just leave with a friendly smile and tiny wave.”
“What memories?” Rory and Rose hadn’t said anything.
“Come here.”
I shook my head. “What memories?”
“Come. Here.” He wet his lips.
I tried not to look at his lips, but they were right there, full and recently touched by his tongue. I took a few steps closer.
He pushed off the beam and slid his hand through my hair. “I love you today.”
“Fisher …”
He kissed me. And I couldn’t stop him because I didn’t want to stop him. His proximity fed my soul. His lips awakened my heart with possibilities.
Then it ended.
It was just a kiss. We had control.
Until he kissed me again.
Harder. Longer.
His hands slid to my butt, and he moaned, gripping me hard. “Fuck …” He pulled his mouth away from mine and buried his face in my neck. “Follow me to my house. Please just …” His desperation fueled my need.
I was so tired, and it weakened my resolve because there was nothing I wanted more than to go home with Fisher. Let him make me feel good. And fall asleep in his arms.
As another car pulled in behind my car, I broke away from Fisher’s hold and cleared my throat. “What memories? You said your memories came back.”
He sighed, adjusting himself. “I remembered Angie. Well, one memory of her. Of us.”
“What memory?”
“A party at her parents’ house. Her twenty-first birthday.”
“What triggered that?”
He glanced over my shoulder, off into the distance. “I’m not sure.”
“Where were you when you remembered it?”
His lips twisted as he continued to stare off into … the past? “She came over last week for dinner. And we were talking about her cousin’s wedding. And she said her cousin just found out she’s pregnant.”
I nodded slowly. “Was her cousin at Angie’s birthday party?”
“No.”
“Hmm. That’s weird. But it’s a memory. That’s good right?”
Fisher seemed anything but feeling good about his recent recalled memory. “I’ll let you get home to sleep.”
He went from insatiable to listless in a matter of minutes.
“Are you okay?”
He returned a single nod, more of a tiny drop of his chin. Then he stared at me for a long moment before a sad smile tugged at his lips. “I miss you.”