He was such a sweet man. A kind man. Sexy, too. She stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
He wrapped his arms around her. “You really weren’t walking out on me?”
She shook her head. “No. Last night, you made me think about things. I felt so bad. Really depressed. You helped pull me out of it, but I’ve let Mom Mad railroad me for years when it comes to my relationships. I need to take responsibility for that. I have to stop letting her do that to me, or else...”
“What?”
“I might lose you, Bruno.”
“You’re not going to lose me.” He smiled. His hand traced the lapel of the coat. “Listening to you spin all those irreverent holiday songs in Boondocks brought me out of my own funk, too, you know.”
“Guess good things can happen around the holidays sometimes.”
“This year they did.”
“Maybe next year, too,” she promised, feeling a sudden explosion of butterflies in her belly. There was a real chance they’d still be together then. She could feel it in her bones. They’d both changed. And they wanted each other. She could only marvel at the unstoppable heat rising between them. “I saw the generator in your garage this morning, by the way.”
“I didn’t want you to leave last night. I figured I could keep you warm.”
“You do keep me warm.”
“So, let’s get out of here. Why don’t you follow my Road Rover.”
“And get off the grid?” Inside the house, a whole new Chapter was unfolding for the Maddens. Who knew? Maybe The Dentist would wind up with Cheryl again, and Gavin would close the deal with Lizzie, after all. That was none of her and Bruno’s concern, however. Especially not now, when he was doing his hot lean-dip thing again. He pressed his lips to hers with slow, steady pressure, then plundered with his tongue, making heat tunnel through her veins. As it spiraled deliciously, she whispered, “I don’t know all detours, but it’s a foregone conclusion where we’re going to wind up next.”
“Bed?” he ventured before claiming her lips once more.
Very good guess, Mr. Electricity, Ari thought, but she didn’t say it out loud. She was way too busy kissing him back.