Chapter Eight

 

Tessa poked her head around the door of the refrigerator, a frown creasing her face. "So he seriously hasn't been back for seconds?"

"Tessa! Do you have to phrase it like that? You make it sound like I'm some kind of all-you-can-buffet."

"Sorry." She closed the refrigerator door, a fresh bottle of wine in her hand. Savannah frowned, wondering how smart it was to open a second bottle. The first one had disappeared too quickly, and she couldn't exactly blame it all on Tessa.

She peered into her wine glass, studying the mouthful of liquid at the bottom, then shrugged and tossed it back before sliding her glass across for a refill. She was in her own house. She wasn't driving anywhere. She didn't have any place she had to be.

And she was brooding.

Not brooding. Pouting.

If this didn't call for wine, she didn't know what did.

Tessa refilled both glasses then slid into the chair across from Savannah. "Have you at least talked to him?"

"Yes, of course. He lives next door. Of course, we've talked."

"I don't mean that casual neighbor stuff, like a wave or a nod across the yard. I mean like talked. Spent some time together. All that fun stuff."

"I know what you meant." Savannah took a small sip and swished the wine around her mouth. This one tasted different, not quite as sweet. She leaned forward and peered at the bottle, reading the label. No, it was the same kind, a crisp Riesling. So why did it taste different?

She shrugged and took another sip, longer this time.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

Tessa blew the hair from her face with a heavy sigh then reached for Savannah's glass.

"Hey! Give that back."

"Not until you answer me. And maybe not even then."

"Just give me the wine back."

"You're going to have a headache in the morning."

"I don't care. I'm pouting." Savannah snagged her glass and curled both hands around it, just in case Tessa tried to take it from her again.

"No kidding. Are you going to answer the question?"

"What question?"

Tessa stared into her own glass, frowning. "I don't remember. Oh, wait. Yes, I do. Have you talked?"

"To who?"

"To Aaron. You know, the neighbor you've had the hots for? The one you had wild monkey sex with?"

"It wasn't monkey sex."

"Okay, whatever. It was sex. Have you talked to him since then?"

"I told you I did."

"No, you told me there hadn't been an encore performance. What I'm asking is, has he completely ignored you since then?"

"No, we've talked. Kind of. And he took me to lunch two weeks ago."

"But no fun stuff, huh?"

"Nope." Savannah's lips smacked together, turning the p-sound into two long syllables. There hadn't been any fun stuff at all. Yes, he'd taken her to lunch, but it had been a short one because he had to go meet with Brooke's teachers. And then she'd been out of town again for a few days and he'd been busy getting ready for some kind of camp and before she realized it, a few weeks had gone by and—

Savannah took a long swallow of wine, trying to force the depressing thoughts away. Yes, she was definitely pouting—which was silly. She hadn't been looking for a relationship, knew that probably wasn't even a possibility. He had a lot more responsibility than she did, especially with his daughters. And she wasn't looking for a family, ready-made or from scratch.

But she had really been looking forward to more sex. And she had thought that maybe he had been looking forward to the same thing.

She pushed out of the chair and grabbed the wine bottle.

"Where are you going?"

"Outside. It's too nice a night to be cooped up inside."

"But it's chilly!"

"It's not chilly, it's gorgeous. And I can get the firepit going. Come on, let's sit outside."

"Are you sure you don't want to just sit out there so you can watch for him?"

"Positive." Savannah adjusted her grip on the bottle and her glass, using her elbow to open the door. "You coming?"

"Yeah, in a minute. I'm going to raid your refrigerator for some food."

Savannah rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Food would probably be a good thing. Yes, definitely a good thing. Some cheese and crackers. Maybe some of that hard salami, sliced nice and thick.

She ignored the slight rumbling in her stomach and moved out to the patio, leaving the door cracked open because her hands were full. The night air was cool, the heat of summer finally giving way to the crisp weather of autumn. In a few more weeks—maybe just a few more days—she'd need a jacket to sit outside, but right now, it was nearly perfect.

She sat her glass and the wine bottle on the edge of the propane fire pit then leaned down, turning it on and hitting the ignition switch. It finally caught on the third try, small flames leaping to life around the lava rocks. She adjusted the flame then took a seat in the oversized chair, sinking into the overstuffed cushions with a soft sigh. The swivel rocker would have been her first choice, but if she sat there, she'd have a view of Aaron's house and yard. The last thing she needed to do was stare at his house, searching for signs of life, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Sex. She snorted, the sound filled with derision. She could tell herself that sex was all she wanted but she'd had too much wine to lie to herself. No, she wasn't looking for a relationship—she was honest about that much. But she really liked Aaron and had thought…

Well, it didn't matter. They were neighbors. Maybe even friends…who just happened to have had sex. Once. It happened. She'd just have to snap out of this depressing funk she'd been in and deal with it. If it happened again, great. If not…

She reached for her wine, pushing thoughts of if not from her mind as she leaned her head back and stared up at the night sky. Stars winked overhead, glittering points of sharp light against a background of velvet blackness. The small community she lived in was on the outskirts of town and had, at one time, been a sprawling farm. Only the farmhouse remained, the property divided into twenty large lots.

Her house—and Aaron's—were at the very end of the small development, isolated from the others because of the small stream that ran nearby. That was why she had decided on this house when she bought it, although she had at first thought it odd that the builders had placed the two houses so close together. It hadn't been enough of a deterrent to stop her from buying it, though.

Would she sell it in a few years, move somewhere else? Maybe. The house was large enough to grow into, with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths and a den and a full finished basement. Yes, it was entirely too big for one person, she knew that. But the price had been ridiculously low and she had been thinking about the future, planning ahead in case she decided to entertain clients. That was still a possibility, but the longer she lived here, the less inclined she was to invite clients into her personal space.

"Wake up."

"I am awake."

"Then why are you sitting there with your eyes closed?"

"Just thinking." Savannah sighed and lifted her head, her vision swimming just the tiniest bit. She grabbed the chair arm and shifted, blinking until the spinning stop.

"Uh-oh. Here, eat this." Tessa pushed a plate into her hand. Cheese, crackers, salami, fresh cauliflower, and carrot sticks. Savannah stacked some salami and cheese on a cracker and popped it into her mouth, slowly chewing.

"Do you think this house is too big?"

"Yes. I told you that before you bought it. Why? Are you thinking of moving?"

"No. I was just curious." She took a sip of wine then popped more food into her mouth.

"Maybe you should switch to water."

"I'm fine."

"Just remember that when I call you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Ha. Like you'd even be awake."

"Unfortunately, I will. I have to—" Tessa was interrupted by a loud squeal, followed by clear laughter. Savannah jumped and wine sloshed over the rim of the glass, coating her hand. She muttered and put the glass down, wiping her hand on her pants leg as she twisted in the seat.

She could make out several shadowy forms in the yard next door, their silhouettes slightly darker than the surrounding night. Aaron's house was completely dark and for a brief second, she wondered if the power had gone out. But that couldn't be, not when the light from her living room spilled out onto the patio.

"Miss Savannah! Turn your lights out. Hurry!"

"What in the world?" That had been Isabelle's voice, filled with excitement. She squinted and leaned forward, watching as the young girl jumped up and down before darting across the yard. A second silhouette, taller and broader, slowly followed.

Savannah swallowed back a small groan and looked at Tessa, silently asking for help. She didn't want to see Aaron, not now, not after she'd been drowning her sorrows in wine. No, she wasn't drunk, but she was definitely feeling the beginning effects of it.

But Tessa just sat there, trying to hide the stupid grin on her face behind her own glass of wine.

"Miss Savannah, turn out your lights and come see."

Aaron stopped behind his daughter, his hand on her shoulder. He stood just outside the fall of light from her living room, his broad shoulders and chest somehow looking bigger in the semi-darkness. "Isabelle, Miss Savannah's busy, you shouldn't bother her. And she doesn't need to turn out her lights, we can see just fine."

Savannah pulled her gaze from Aaron's face and looked at the little girl. "See what?"

"The space station is going to be flying over and we'll actually be able to see it. We don't need a telescope or anything." Isabelle turned and grabbed Aaron's hand, trying to pull him back into his yard. "Daddy, come on."

"This is so stupid."

Savannah leaned to the side, saw Brooke walking toward them, her steps slow and reluctant. Even in the shadows, she could see the teenager's frown. And she could definitely hear the attitude in her voice.

"Brooke, please." Aaron's voice sounded tired, almost defeated. "Ten minutes. Can you just lose the attitude for ten minutes?"

"But I don't care about any stupid space station. I don't even know why I have to be out here."

"Because I said so, okay?"

"Then what are we doing over here?"

"I just wanted to see if Miss Savannah wanted to watch it with us."

"Sweet Pea, Miss Savannah is busy. I don't think—"

"Savannah would love to watch it with you. Wouldn't she?" Tessa narrowed her eyes at Savannah, her unspoken message not quite as clear as she probably thought it was. That didn't matter because Savannah was able to decipher it anyway. She started to shake her head, to tell her friend that her lame attempt to do whatever she was trying to do was a bad idea—a really bad idea.

"I don't think—" But Tessa was already moving. She grabbed Savannah's hand and pulled her from the overstuffed seat, causing her to stumble before catching her balance.

"Tessa—"

"I'll just go turn out the light and hang out inside while you guys watch. I was getting chilly anyway."

"Tessa—"

"In fact, it's about time for me to head home anyway. I've got an early day tomorrow."

"Tessa—"

"Come on, Miss Savannah. I already picked out the perfect spot." Isabelle grabbed her hand and tugged, leaving Savannah no choice but to follow. Her toe caught on the edge of a paver and she stumbled again, would have fallen if Aaron hadn't caught her with one steadying hand on her arm.

"Great. She's drunk."

Savannah opened her mouth to deny the accusation but Aaron spoke first, his voice harsh. "Brooke. Enough. She just tripped."

"Yeah, right." The girl didn't say anything else, which made Savannah wonder if Aaron had given her some kind of silent warning. She glanced over her shoulder but couldn't make out his expression in the dark—because it truly was dark now, the only light coming from the small flames of the firepit on her patio.

Isabelle lead her across the yard then stopped and released her hand. "Right here. Now all we have to do is wait. How much longer, Daddy?"

"Just a few more minutes." Aaron's voice was right behind her, so close she imagined she could feel his breath on her neck. She closed her eyes, refusing to let her thoughts stray down that particular path, and focused on the feel of the grass under her bare feet. Cool, damp, just rough enough to tickle the soles of her feet. She wiggled her toes in the short blades then caught herself as she swayed to the side.

No, it was Aaron who caught her, his large hand resting on her waist and steadying her. She glanced over her shoulder, saw the brief flash of his smile in the darkness. He leaned toward her, his mouth close to her ear, his voice pitched to a low whisper.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Mhmm."

"A little buzzed?"

Savannah raised her hand, thumb and forefinger spread a half an inch apart. "Maybe a little."

He chuckled, the sound dangerously low and warm. Her skin pebbled and heat unfurled in her belly, traveling through her body and settling between her legs. She pulled in a deep breath and tried to put more distance between them. Aaron's hand tightened around her waist and pulled her against him, her back flush against his body. Warm. Solid. And tempting. God, so tempting. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of him, reveled in the touch of his hand as he traced small circles against her hip. It would be so easy to lean her head back, drape her arm around his neck as he kissed her, touched her. Dampness spread between her legs as she imagined the feel of those large hands dipping down the front of her pants, the feel of those long fingers teasing her hardened nipples.

"Okay, look west. It should be any second now."

Savannah's eyes snapped open, her body stiffening at the sound of Aaron's voice. Dear God, what was she doing? They were standing in his yard, with his daughters not three feet away, looking for a flash in the night sky, and all she could think about was his hands on her naked body? Savannah uttered a silent prayer of thanks for the blackness of night, knowing it hid the embarrassment burning her face.

"There it is! I see it! I see it!" Isabelle jumped up and down, her finger pointed skyward, following the trail of the steady dot of light as it moved overhead.

And quickly disappeared.

"That was lame."

"Was not!" Isabelle turned toward her father, excitement still clear in her voice. "Daddy, can we go to the Air and Space Museum this weekend? I want to see all the spaceships and stuff."

"Maybe Sunday, we'll see."

"Miss Savannah, do you want to go with us?"

"No, stupid. Why would she do that? She doesn't care about stupid space stuff. Nobody does."

"I'm not stupid!"

Cool air washed over Savannah's back as Aaron stepped away from her. "Both of you, enough. Get inside and get ready for bed, I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to walk Savannah home."

"That's okay, I don't need—"

"I said, I'll walk you home."

"You heard her. She said she didn't need you to." Brooke's voice was laced with bitterness. Savannah couldn't make out the expression on the girl's face, but she had no trouble imagining it: the unseen scowl was as clear as the displeasure in her voice.

"Doesn't matter, because that's what a gentleman does. Now inside, both of you. It's already past your bedtime."

Both girls groaned but the argument Savannah expected didn't come. That didn't stop either one of them from muttering under their breath as they headed toward the house and disappeared inside.

Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, his muttered words too low to make out. Savannah bit back a grin and started walking back to her house. "I take it that means progress is being made?"

"Maybe. I'm afraid to get my hopes up, though."

"Like I said, it just takes time." The pavers of her patio were cold under her feet as she moved to the firepit and turned it off. Pitch black darkness surrounded them and she blinked, trying to restore her night vision. She turned and collided with one of the chairs, stubbing her toe in the process. Aaron's hand wrapped around her elbow, his warm chuckle echoing in the chill air around them.

"I guess it's a good thing I did walk you home."

"You didn't have to. I'm fine." And she was—she even found the back door with no problem. She curled her hand around the handle and started to push the door open. Strong arms wrapped around her, spinning her around. And then Aaron's mouth was on hers, the kiss hot and wet, demanding. Needy. She sighed and leaned into him, her hands clinging to his arms for support.

He pulled away too soon, leaving her breathless and needing more. She felt his hand caress her face, felt his fingers trail through the strands of her hair before tucking them behind her ear.

"That's why I walked you home."

"I—" She swallowed, nodded, swallowed again as she tried to catch her breath. "Okay."

She saw the quick flash of his grin then his mouth was on hers again, just as demanding, feeding the frantic desire spiraling out of control. She leaned into him, ran her foot up his leg and back down, wanting to leap into his arms. Wanting to wrap her legs around his waist, wanting to feel him deep inside her.

Needing to feel him.

But once again he pulled away, his breathing harsh and ragged. She heard him swear, the soft words disappearing into the surrounding night. "I need to get back."

"Oh." She swallowed her disappointment. Of course, he needed to get back. She knew that. Of course she did.

But God, how she wished he didn't.

"Our home opener is Saturday. Did you want to go? I can get tickets."

Savannah blinked, her hazy mind not making the connection right away. His game. He was talking about his game. "Oh. Um, sure. Okay."

"Did you want me to get a ticket for Tessa?"

"For who? Oh. Yes. I mean, if it's not too much trouble."

"It's not." He leaned forward, kissed her again, slow and deep. "About Sunday."

"Hm?" And God, why was she having such a hard time following his conversation? It had to be the wine, even if she wasn't drunk.

"Would you mind hanging out with an old man when he takes his two daughters to the Air and Space Museum?"

Was it her imagination, or was that hesitant hope she heard in his quiet voice? It must be her imagination. Or maybe the wine again.

And she should say no. She really should. This was different than going to lunch, or sneaking a kiss in the darkness on her patio. This was almost like…she wasn't sure, didn't know if she really wanted to analyze it that closely.

It didn't matter because she should still say no.

"Okay, yeah. That'll be fun."

Aaron chuckled, the sound just a little surprised. "I don't know about all that, but we can always hope." He caught her mouth again, the kiss entirely too short before he stepped away.

"I'll bring those tickets over tomorrow."

And then he was gone, leaving Savannah standing there in the darkness, wondering what she had just agreed to.

And cursing herself for having that fourth glass of wine, even if she hadn't finished it.