The Match (It Happened in Charleston 1)

I take in a deep breath. “Yeah. I’ve thought that before, though.”

“True. But you were just a kid back then when you met Natalie. You didn’t know the first thing to look for in a woman besides her bra size.”

I grimace. “That was disturbing to hear. You’re starting to sound like June.”

She chuckles and rolls her eyes. “You kids think I’m so out of touch, but I’ll have you know that I watch The Bachelor every week.” She says it like that fact in itself should knock fifteen years off her age. “But that’s not the point. The fact is, you’re a grown man now who’s lived a lot of life, and you know what kinda woman it’s gonna take to hold your hand through the rest of it.” She pats my back and then shimmies off the edge of the pool into the water to go swim by my dad who, at this moment, has approximately five grandkids leached onto him in the shallow end.

I turn my eyes back to Evie just in time to see her stand up, empty glass in hand, and head toward the house.

Next thing I know, I’m on my feet and striding after her. I suddenly feel like there is some unfinished business between us.

I step into the house, and the cool air hits my bare chest. I probably should have grabbed a shirt, but there was no time. Everyone else is outside, and Evie’s alone in here, and I didn’t want to waste this moment.

Turning the corner, I find Evie in the kitchen, pouring herself a new glass of lemonade and shoving a brownie into her mouth. She spots me and covers her mouth to keep her crumbs from spewing out with her laughter. “Caught red-handed,” she says from behind her fist.

I round the island to get closer to her, and I notice her chewing slows and her body straightens a little. I stop just behind her, hoping she’ll turn around to face me. “You’re allowed to eat brownies, you know.”

My plan works, because Evie turns around, and now she’s trapped between me and the counter, and I’m loving how close we are. I can see the freckles dotting the bridge of her nose and the perfect bow of her full top lip.

“Yeah,” she says with a final swallow, “but am I allowed to have four brownies?”

My eyebrows lift. “Did you really eat four brownies?”

“What?? Me? No. I was kidding. I’d never eat that many. That would be soooo unhealthy.” That means she actually ate five.

I smile and lean in and set my hands on the countertop behind her—one on either side of her, pinning her in. Her eyes widen. I know this is bold. Other than that ridiculously tiny kiss we had the other night, our relationship has looked nothing like this. And speaking of that kiss, neither of us even acknowledged it after. I just kinda swept it under the rug because my body had gotten away from me and started something that I wasn’t ready for yet.

I’m ready now.

I’ve been watching Evie all day, and there’s not a chance that I’m letting this woman leave my house with us stuck in the friend zone. I get closer and breathe in the scent of Banana Boat suntan lotion mixed with the sweet brownie on her breath. Let me tell you, it’s a ridiculously good combination.

“Jaaaaaake,” says Evie in a slightly nervous, playful voice as she looks backward toward my hands. She takes a tiny step back toward the counter and puts her hands behind her to grip it. “What’s going on right now?”

I smile because I like how frank she is. She doesn’t try to play games. She’s straightforward. What you see is what you get—and goodness, I like what I see.

“What’s going on is…I think our kiss was way too short the other night.” I can be frank too.

She sucks in a breath and blinks before pursing her lips together. She looks over both of her shoulders before her green eyes hit mine again. “Do you think THIS is the place to discuss that?” She’s cute when she’s nervous.

“Yeah. I do.”

“But what if Sam walks in here?”

“She’ll probably be scarred for the rest of her life.”

“Jake! I’m serious.”

I smile and inch closer so our bodies are touching. “Me too.”

Evie’s eyes drop to my mouth and then lower to my chest. She swallows, and her cheeks pink, and I swear I’ve never felt more cocky than at this moment.

She looks back up at me. “You can’t just switch gears on me like this in the middle of the day at your family pool party. I mean…all week, we’ve been friends. And now you’re going to pin me against the counter and kiss me while you’re half-naked? You’re not allowed to do that. I think that’s skipping a few steps.”

I smile bigger and move my hand up to her neck, enjoying the way her skin is still hot from the day in the sun. “It’s been a little while since I’ve brushed up on the rules, so you’ll have to forgive me. Because, yeah, I’m going to skip some steps now.”

She smiles, and I can’t stand it any longer. I’ve gotta kiss her. I’m leaning down, and her hands move up to rest on my bare chest. The sudden skin-to-skin contact is electric, and it short-circuits my brain. I’ve been dead for the past year, and she just put two paddles to my chest. I’m alive now.

My lips touch hers, and then I’m having terrible déjà vu, because we get interrupted.