“She’s pretty cool. Nate liked coming to the shop to see her, but she never looked at Nate the way she looks at you.”
Another silent pause before he spoke again, “What do you think that means?”
“She likes you, but I don’t think I want you to date her.”
Instead of another pause, Stephen began to cough to stifle a laugh. “What?”
“C’mon, Uncle Stephen, you like Lexi. But you are not the boyfriend-girlfriend kind of guy.”
“I’m not?” Stephen’s voice rose with curiosity.
“Lexi is the best thing ever.”
“You’re sixteen, little girl. What do you know?”
For the rest of the drive, Lexi kept her grin to herself and focused on keeping her eyes closed to stay out of the rest of their conversation. Sleep and dreams of Stephen’s lips on hers took over. She dreamed they were on River Street with the Savannah River as their backdrop, and his lips were caressing hers—his soft, sensual lips. The back of his fingers brushed against her cheeks; the warmth fueled her soul. His touch felt so real. Stirring, Lexi’s eyes opened slowly and she realized she hadn’t been dreaming. Stephen’s face hovered over hers.
“Did you enjoy your nap?”
Still disorientated, Lexi struggled to sit up with Stephen’s help. At some point on the ride back, she had laid her head in his lap. Her hands went to her disheveled hair and she tried to maintain some calmness. “How long have I been asleep?”
“About an hour.”
“Where are all the kids?”
“Everyone made it home.” Stephen moved to his side of the seat. “This is our last stop before we head back.”
Lexi glanced around the space, empty except for Philly and Kimber curled up next to each other across from them. The leather seats were covered with plastic tiaras, gum and candy wrappers, soda bottles and a massive amount of glitter.
“We’ve been driving around town for the last hour while you slept and called out my name.”
“I did not!” Her hands flew to her mouth in embarrassment. Any trace of the lip gloss she had applied earlier had disappeared. “Oh, my God, what did I say?”
“You asked me to kiss you, but other than that you behaved.”
The shadow of the driver blocked the streetlight. Lexi peered across Stephen’s chest. “I did not,” she said back to Stephen.
Stephen tapped on the window and miraculously the back door opened. He stepped out to thank his driver, then reached his hand back inside to help her out. Together they walked back to the double doors of her building. Stephen entwined his fingers with hers.
“I’d invite you in, but well, you know.” Lexi nibbled on her bottom lip, not sure if she needed to be completely honest with Stephen at this point. She inhaled deeply when he leaned forward and tugged her hands close to his body. Lexi shifted her weight to her tiptoes and he leaned down to meet her lips. They shared a kiss—a deep and knee-buckling, but brief, kiss.
“No, it is late, and I’ve got to get my nieces home before Nate starts yelling at me.” Stephen nodded.
They found themselves facing each other underneath the light. Lexi’s heart slammed against her rib cage. “Yes.”
“Plus,” he nodded and cocked his head to the side. “I don’t want everyone to get the wrong impression of us.”
The word us rolling off his lips set a quiver in the pit of her stomach. Lexi began to giggle. Stephen’s brows went up in question. “Yes, I am not sure how to explain to anyone we’re dating after I’ve turned down a lot of single fathers.”
“So we’re dating now?” he asked.
Lexi’s mouth gaped in a moment of horror; then it was Stephen’s turn to grin.
“I’m messing with you.” His onyx eyes bore down on her. “Damn straight we are.”
He braced her shoulders and dipped his head for a kiss. Somewhere in the distance there had to be birds chirping or some sort of Disney moment when the prince and the princess kissed and fell in love. In love?
Lexi broke the kiss. She gulped for some air.