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Hearing that hit me with an unexpected tenderness.
She was finally letting her guard down, and I wanted to make sure she knew it was safe with me.
Gently, I turned her to face me, one hand sliding to rest on her waist.
Her gaze flickered up to meet mine, a mixture of vulnerability and anticipation in her eyes.
“Can I kiss you, Tori?” I asked.
She nodded, her breath catching, and I didn’t waste a second.
I leaned in, brushing my lips against hers, savoring the moment as the world faded away.
She pressed closer, her hands finding my shoulders as our kiss deepened.
When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers, my heart pounding.
“You have no idea how much you mean to me,” I murmured.
Her fingers brushed lightly against my cheek, and she said, “I think I’m beginning to understand.”
Just as things were starting to heat up between Tori and me, I heard Keir calling us in from the porch.
He and Lacey had taken it upon themselves to declare a family card game to end the night.
Tori smiled, pulling back slightly. “Guess we’re needed.”
I brushed a thumb across her cheek, reluctant to let the moment go.
“We’ll have plenty of time tomorrow. I can’t wait for our hike,” I told her.
Her face lit up, though she shook her head with a laugh.
“Just a fair warning—I haven’t hiked since college,” Tori said.
“That’s alright,” I assured her. “We’ll take an easy trail and enjoy the views.”
She grinned, her eyes shining, before taking my hand, and we headed back inside.
Lacey immediately pounced on her, dragging her over to the couch, apparently needing her opinion on a dispute she and Keir were having.
Dad had retired to bed, but Christian was in the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge.
As I stepped in to grab a beer, he glanced over, raising an eyebrow.
“So things are going smoothly between you and Tori, huh?” Christian asked.
I nodded, twisting open the cap on my drink. “Yeah, they are.”
Christian leaned against the counter, crossing his arms with a knowing smile.
“And…does she know about the bodyguard?” Christian asked.
I sighed, taking a long pull from my beer.
“Yeah, she found out after her ex showed up at her shop, and Aden stepped in. It wasn’t exactly the way I’d wanted her to find out, but…we talked things out,” I said.
“So, she’s cool with it?” He looked skeptical, scratching his chin. “Most women would’ve been put off, I think.”