For a moment, neither spoke. They didn’t move as they stared deep into each other’s eyes. It was just as well that he didn’t say a word, because she’d have never heard him over the pounding of her heart. In fact, it was so loud that it drowned out any common sense.
She was in the arms of Jackson Bennett—her morning eye candy. He was the man that she had had a secret crush on for years now. How was it possi
ble that it took them both traveling to Europe for their paths to cross? When people said that life was stranger than fiction, they were right.
And then his gaze dipped down to her lips. He was going to kiss her. The breath caught in her throat. She’d always wondered what it would be like to be kissed by him. And this was her one and only chance to answer that question.
With the Christmas lights twinkling in the background, Serena’s eyes drifted closed. Letting go completely of the ramifications of her actions and just giving in to what she wanted, she leaned forward. His lips pressed to hers.
The kiss was slow and tender. After being unceremoniously groped in the past by eager suitors, this cautious approach caught her off guard. As the kiss progressed, she realized that Jackson was unlike any of the other men in her past.
She wondered what it would be like to have a real relationship with a mature, self-assured man like Jackson. While she could never picture herself long term with Shawn, she could envision a life with Jackson—marriage, kids, the whole nine yards!
The image was so real—so vivid that it startled her.
She pulled back. Her eyes fluttered open. As soon as his gaze met hers, heat rushed to her face. She felt exposed and vulnerable.
She knew that there was no way he could read her thoughts, but that didn’t ease her discomfort. Of all the men to imagine a future with, Jackson wasn’t the right one. He still loved his late wife.
Jackson didn’t say a word as he lowered her legs to the floor. He went to straighten the ladder before he retrieved the Christmas ornament from Gizmo. And all that time, Serena stood there trying to make sense of what had just happened.
That kiss had been like a window into the future. But how was that possible? She immediately dismissed the ludicrous thought.
But she was left with one question. Now that they’d kissed, how did they go back to that easy, friendly coexistence? Because every time her gaze strayed to him, she’d be fantasizing about what would have happened if she hadn’t pulled away.
CHAPTER NINE
THE NEXT MORNING, Jackson made his way to the kitchen. He yawned. He’d been restless most of the night. All the while, he’d been plagued by memories of the kiss. It had been an amazing kiss. The kind of kiss that could make a man forget his pledge of solitude—forget the risk he’d be taking with his heart if he were to let someone get close.
Even knowing the risks, there was a part of him that wished it hadn’t ended. Chemistry like that didn’t happen every day. In fact, he’d be willing to bet that it only happened once in a lifetime.
His thoughts had circled around all night, from how much he wanted to seek out Mae and pull her close to continue that kiss to wondering why he’d let his resolve weaken. What had he been thinking to kiss Mae? And what did that say about his devotion to June?
He still loved June. He always would. That acknowledgment only compounded his guilt.
And now what must Mae be thinking? She hadn’t seemed interested in him. In fact, in the beginning he wasn’t even certain that she was going to let him seek shelter from the storm in her cabin. But had that kiss complicated their relationship?
He paused at the kitchen doorway, not sure what to say to her. Perhaps it was best to act as though the kiss had never happened. With that thought, he pushed open the door.
An array of cereal boxes sat on the table next to an empty bowl and fresh orange slices. It appeared Mae had been up early that morning. He wondered if she’d had problems sleeping, too. He scanned the kitchen but didn’t find any sign of her.
Gizmo came wandering into the kitchen.
“Hey, little guy, where’s your momma?”
For once, the pup didn’t say anything. Instead, Gizmo yawned. It appeared no one in the cabin had slept well. Maybe it was just from being cooped up for so long. But he knew that wasn’t the case. It was the kiss...
Every time he’d closed his eyes, Mae’s image had been there. It wasn’t right. He shouldn’t have done it. He shouldn’t have gotten caught up in the moment.
He knew that June was gone and was never coming back, but he’d promised to love her forever. He also recalled how June had made him promise to move on with his life—to love again. The painful memories came flooding back.
June had been so unwell and yet her last thought had been of him. He hadn’t kept his promise—at least not until now. Not that he was going to pursue Mae. He just couldn’t move on as though June had never been a huge part of his life. How could he put his heart on the line again?
The grief of losing June had cost him dearly. The thought of being so vulnerable again had him withdrawing from friends and social settings. Until Mae...
She made him remember how things used to be—think of how things could be if he’d let himself go. She made him feel alive again. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, but it didn’t work. Mae was still there in the front of his mind.
With a sigh, he sat down at the table and filled the bowl with corn flakes. He didn’t really have an appetite, but his stomach growled in protest. Perhaps some food would help his attitude.