Page 40 of Once Upon A Second Chance

Twilight has settled by the time we unpack and make it outside with a bottle of good Cabernet, the first stars winking to life overhead.

The hot tub steams invitingly in the corner, but we settle for the Adirondack chairs, our shoulders brushing as we take in the view.

Richard tips his head back. "No light pollution out here."

I follow his gaze to the Milky Way stretching across the sky like spilled paint. "It's beautiful."

A comfortable silence settles between us, broken only by the distant hoot of an owl. Then—

"Pen."

I turn to find Richard watching me, his expressionunreadable.

"Yeah?"

He reaches over, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers linger, tracing the curve of my jaw. "Nothing. Just... glad you're here."

The words settle in my chest, warm and heavy.

I lean into his touch. "Me, too."

The fire he’s built crackles in the fire pit, casting flickering shadows across the trees. Richard fills my glass, his fingers brushing mine.

"So," he says, settling into the chair beside me. "Ground rules for the trip?"

I sip my wine. "No mariachi bands."

"Damn."

"No sudden declarations of love."

"Boring."

I set my glass down with a clink. "Andno—"

He leans in, cutting me off with a kiss that tastes like wine and wood smoke. When he pulls back, his eyes are dark. "Too soon?"

I don't answer. Just fist my hands in his shirt and drag him back in.

I moan and arch my body towards him, definitely encouraging more of that behavior. I grab my wine and pull him toward the house, where we collapse onto the couch, setting our glasses on the coffee table.

He lays his hand over one of my breasts and starts moving it in circles, lightly rubbing the nipple.

His breath is warm against my throat, his hands skating under my shirt, pushing it over my head. The heat of his skin makes me dizzy; I fumble with the buttons of his shirt, laughing breathlessly when they refuse to cooperate.

“Need help?” he asks, amused.

“No,” I say, finally managing to tug it off his shoulders. “Yes.”

He grins against my neck, one hand moving to the waistband of my leggings. “These too?”

“Yeah.” My voice catches as he slips them down along with my underwear in one smooth motion. “God, yes.”

His mouth trails a line of heat across my collarbone, down between my breasts. Ishiver despite the warmth.

“You’re sure about this?” His eyes find mine, serious and questioning.

I tangle my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. “I am if you are.”