I blink the fog of the past out of my eyes and say, “I’m sorry. That’s awful first date conversation, isn’t it? I’m a bit rusty.”
“It’s okay. I mean, I obviously knew you were married before, and Elle has told me some things, but her experience as the daughter is very different from yours as the husband.”
“It was a long time ago, and mostly, I don’t even think about it—about her—anymore. Other than the fact that she’s missed out on knowing Elle and Neve, and that’s the worst thing I can imagine. But back then, some days were harder than others,” I admit. “After she left, I buried myself in my work and my daughter. I haven’t had . . . well, anyone serious since she left. That’s a lot of years.”
“Why?” she asks. “I mean, not being serious?”
“I don’t really know,” I admit. “At first it was because it hurt too much. Then I told myself it was because I didn’t want things to be weird for Elle. After that . . . well, I guess it was just habit. Or at least that’s what I told myself.” That’s an uncomfortable thought I’ll have to unpack and examine later, so I purposefully move the spotlight to Tiffany. “Uhm, what about you? I heard you haven’t been dating seriously either.”
Tiffany lifts an arched brow. “Oh, you heard, did you?”
“Let’s just say it wasn’t so much a little birdie as two big peacocks who told me.”
“Hmm, well I might have to pluck some peacock feathers and wear those as earrings if Ricky and Billy can’t keep their mouths shut,” Tiffany jokes. Or I think she’s joking. “But no, they’re not wrong. I haven’t exactly been sitting at home like a nun. I’ve dated here and there, but I . . . well, once I met a certain someone, I knew he was the right man for me. That was years ago. It just took me awhile to say something about it.”
The look in her eyes flattens me. “I’m sorry. I had no idea you thought of me as anything other than Elle’s dad.”
“That’s low on the list of things I’ve thought about you. I guess you’ve always thought of me as Elle’s friend, though,” she says.
She pauses, but I don’t contradict her because that’s the truth.
“Maybe it’s a good thing that it took us this long to get to this point,” she says. “I think I needed the time to grow up, and you needed the time to let go.”
I pull her into my arms, her body pressing against mine as she lifts her chin to look at me. “I think you’re right. We both needed time. But I see you now.”
“Finally.”
We simply stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment, and I’m surprised at how much I missed about this amazing woman. But no more. I want to learn everything, so we begin walking once more.
Up ahead, there’s a picturesque dune that’s gently sloped on top, and we climb to the top before sitting down. I shift, and she sits between my legs, her body leaning back against mine as we watch the sun go down.
It’s amazing. For a few minutes, there’s no thought of the future or the past, of work or family, of anything at all. There’s only this moment, the feeling of Tiffany in my arms, her back pressed against my chest, the rumble of the waves, and the colors of the sky.
The sun finishes going down, and I realize how late it’s gotten. Checking my watch, I whistle softly. “Wow. I didn’t think we’d be out this long. We should probably head back. Want me to drive?”
Tiffany looks over her shoulder, giving me a seductress’s smile. “Or we could find a hotel?”
Her meaning is obvious, and sexual tension reignites between us. Nervously, I swallow. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Why? Because you know I’m going to attack you as soon as I get you alone in a room with a bed?” she asks aggressively, running her hands along my arm. “That’s not a bad thing, Daniel.”
“Maybe. Or maybe I don’t trust myself to not do that,” I reply as my body instinctually arches into her touch, feeling a deep yearning. “But I’ve got an admission. As long as it’s been, I might . . . lose control too quickly.”
I hate having to say that, but it’s up to me to manage some expectations here. I’m a bit afraid that one thrust into her and I’ll be a goner.
Tiffany’s smile gains approximately one hundred watts of pure ‘challenge accepted’, and she wiggles in the sand. “I am ridiculously excited about the prospect of making you lose control. And if it is fast? Then we’ll go again . . . and again, if need be.”
“Then hotel it is,” I tell her, and Tiffany claps her hands in anticipation. “I hope I live up to that round of applause,” I tease.