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“Eek!” Kelly hugged her. “You and Cam got back together?”
“No,” his deep, sexy-as-sin voice answered from the other side of the counter. “They didn’t.”
She and Kelly turned around at the same time to find him casually leaning against the distressed wood bar wearing a leather jacket and a lazy smirk. Katie handed him his coffee. Brendan popped off the lid to look at his heart. That smirk of his widened into a full-blown smile.
“Brendan is your date?”
“Hey, Kelly.” He winked. “Car’s parked out front, baby. Ready to go?”
Katie smiled wide to match him. “I’m ready.”
Brendan brought her to the city zoo.
Katie had always loved coming here with her mom, her brother, and Kelly on their summer trips to the city. That this was one of Brendan’s favorite places, and that he shared that with her, made her feel closer to him somehow.
They strolled by the lily pool. Brendan held her arm that was linked through his. The water, dotted with fallen leaves, reflected the trees with their brilliant foliage like glass. It was breathtaking and they stopped to take it all in.
“It’s beautiful here.” Katie glanced up at Brendan and smiled.
Brendan smiled back, his eyes sparkling even bluer than the brilliant November sky. He tucked her hair behind her ear. “So beautiful.”
He gathered Katie in his arms and hoisted her up like he had on that magical Midsummer’s Eve night. It felt like it was just yesterday yet seemed like forever ago. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He kissed her, right there in front of the lily pool, and she felt them.
Butterflies.
A kaleidoscope of wings took flight in her belly at his soft, tender kiss. Katie held onto him tightly. She found it difficult to catch her breath and inhaled deeply through her nose. Bergamot. Sandalwood. Amber and musk. Brendan. She kissed him like his breath gave her life and his lips nourished her soul. Because they did.
Her breasts pressed into his chest. She could feel her nipples harden beneath the delicate silk and wanted them in his hands. His mouth. He held her with one hand splayed between her shoulders and slid the other up her thigh, past her belly, to cup her breast over her sweater. He gently squeezed and then lowered her feet to solid ground.
He didn’t let her go, though. Brendan held her close and kissed the top of her head, rubbing his nose in her hair. Katie closed her eyes. If this was just a daydream, she’d joyfully stay lost in it forever.
It was no dream, though.
It was blissfully real.
“C’mon.” He took her arm and they left the lily pool behind them. “Let’s go see the lions.”
Brendan got them a table in the warmth of the sun with a view of the lion’s den, though the lion himself was nowhere to be seen. He handed her a burger and sat down beside her. They shared a big basket of fries. He threw a fry up in the air and caught it between his teeth. Katie laughed.
He chewed it, then swallowed and grinned. “We used to have contests to see who could throw their food the highest and catch it.”
“Oh, so it’s not just French fries then?”
“Nope. Popcorn, peas, noodles, chips. Whatever was on the table.” He laughed. “Dillon tried it with mashed potatoes once. Didn’t turn out so well.”
She snorted and Brendan laughed even harder. “Go on. You try it.”
“Me?”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
Katie tossed a French fry in the air and caught it. Half of it dangled from between her lips. Brendan leaned in and kissed her. He ate the dangling half and she swallowed the other.
“Good catch.”
A cloud blocked the sun and Katie shivered. Brendan dumped their trash and took her hand. “Are you cold, baby?”
