Make a Wish (Spark House #3)(54)

“We were two peas in a pod, then. I had my head buried in the sand too. When he freaked out about you and all the time I was spending with Peyton, I started questioning what I was doing with him.” I don’t tell him what Chad said about Gavin just looking for a mom for his daughter, or about London worrying that I was interested in dating him in part because of Peyton. This date will give us an opportunity to figure out if the chemistry between us is as real as I think it is.

“As bad as I feel about being part of the reason you broke it off with him, I’m glad we get the chance to explore us,” Gavin tells me.

“Me too.” I hold my clutch with both hands so I’m not tempted to touch my hair or bite my nails. “Is Peyton excited about having a sleepover at her grandparents?”

“She is. My mom is great at keeping her entertained, and she always has fun with them.”

“That’s good. Does she sleep okay when she’s away from you?” I ask.

“Probably not as good as when she’s in her own bed, but my parents have a special room for her in their house, and she really loves it there. My mom will let her stay up a little later than usual, and the next day she can be a bit of a grumpy bear, but you’re absolutely worth it.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

He reaches across the console and squeezes my arm. “I didn’t tell her I was out with you tonight. I don’t want to confuse her or put that kind of pressure on you or us.” He pulls into the parking lot of one of the nicest restaurants in the city. I’ve never been here before, but I’ve heard great things about the food. He pulls into an empty spot and shifts the car into park. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself, though, so let’s enjoy the evening and figure things out as we go.”

“Okay. That sounds reasonable.” I know eventually, if one date turns into more, we’re going to have to talk about what this will look like. I don’t think it’s a good idea to jump right into a new relationship with both feet, not when there’s a child involved. And I have no idea what relationships have looked like in the past for him. I’m aware we want to be very careful about how we address it with Peyton.

Gavin gets out of the car and rushes around to the passenger side, offering me a hand as I climb out. He closes the door, and instead of slipping my arm into his and guiding me toward the entrance, he raises my hand and presses his lips to my knuckle. “Can I make a suggestion?”

“Sure,” I say breathily.

“You look utterly delectable to the point of distraction.” His lips move against the back of my hand.

“Oh. Is that going to be a problem for you?” I’m not sure where he’s going with this, but his eyes are hooded, and they keep roving over me in a way that makes me feel naked.

“Nothing I can’t handle, but I was thinking…”

“About?”

“The order of things.” He keeps rubbing his bottom lip and looking at my mouth.

“Would you like to elaborate on that?”

“Well, usually the kiss comes at the end of a date. I pick you up, take you somewhere nice—” He motions to the restaurant. “We eat and talk and laugh, and at the end—”

“You’ll ask for permission to kiss me.”

He nods. “Exactly.”

“Hmm.” I tap my lip. “Are you thinking that maybe we should be a little … deviant and turn this date on its head? Start with a kiss and work backwards?”

“I love how you think outside the box, Harley.”

I slide my hand along his chest and up over his shoulder, taking a step closer until our bodies are flush. It’s the closest I’ve been to him in years. But so much has changed, and now instead of seeking comfort, we’re looking for something else. The anticipation feels electric. My skin pebbles, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I tip my chin up, gaze meeting his.

His eyes search mine. “You are so beautiful.” He cups my cheek in his palm, thumb brushing back and forth, his lips hover over mine for a suspended moment. And for the briefest, uncomfortable second, I remember what it was like all those years ago. When I’d been this close to kissing him and everything changed. My whole world turned upside down.

But before the memory truly takes hold, he drops his head. And for the first time our lips meet. The kiss is gentle at first. Chaste.

For a moment I think that’s going to be it. That he’s going to drop a PG kiss on me and leave it at that. So I dig my nails into the back of his neck and suck his bottom lip between mine.

He makes a deep, throaty sound and winds his arm around my waist, pulling me tighter against him. We tip our heads, lips parting as our tongues meet. It’s sweet at first, soft and tender. But I bite his tongue, and his hand slides down my back, gripping my ass as his hips press forward and I feel him, hard and demanding against my stomach. The sound of deep bass thumping from a passing car reminds me that we’re standing outside, in the middle of the parking lot.

I tear my mouth from his, and his lips immediately latch onto my neck. I cup his chin in my hand and push him back just enough that he can’t reach my mouth again. His gaze is all fire and his lip curls up in a salacious smile. “You’re a minx under all that soft and sweet, aren’t you?”

“You’ll find that out later.”