For the rest of the one-hour drive from the airport back to Trinity Falls, Darius and Peyton talked about her family visit, the looming end to her university break, and the football games. Peyton wanted details on his parents, the same, their mutual friends, all well, and his take on the football games, great matchups.
Darius pulled into his assigned space in his apartment’s parking lot. He popped the trunk, then climbed out of the car to collect Peyton’s heavy suitcase. “Did you pack your textbooks?”
“Yes.”
Darius stopped halfway across his parking lot to stare at Peyton in shock. “I was joking.”
“I wasn’t.” She gestured toward the suitcase. “I have to write up my lesson plans for next semester.”
Darius continued toward his apartment building. “It’s a good thing your suitcase has wheels.”
“Yes, that helped.”
Darius broke their companionable silence with a question that had troubled him all week. “Did your parents try to talk you into returning to New York?”
“The subject came up.” Peyton’s expression clouded. “But I told them I’d made my decision.”
“And they accepted that?” Darius followed Peyton up the stairs to his second-floor apartment.
“Not yet.” She shrugged. “They’re not used to me having an opinion that’s different from theirs.”
Outside of his apartment, Darius unlocked his door and let Peyton in first. He stood her suitcase near the entrance to his living room and turned to her.
“If this is what you want—being part of this small-town community, teaching at the local university—don’t let them change your mind.” He searched her eyes as he made his plea. Now that he’d found his heart, he didn’t want it leaving without him.
“They won’t.” Her voice erased the ache of his days and nights without her.
“Then welcome home.” Darius closed the gap between them and lowered his head to properly welcome her back to Trinity Falls and his arms.
The kiss was soft, slow, tentative at first. Then Peyton wrapped her arms around his neck. The hunger shot through him like a bullet. Darius pulled her small, slender body against him. She trembled in his arms. He held her even tighter.
Darius released her, stepping back to help her shed her coat, then his. “I missed you.”
Peyton took his arm and drew him toward his bedroom. “Show me.”
Sunday afternoon, Darius refused to think about returning to work Monday morning. He loved his job with the Monitor, but this had been one of the best weekends he’d ever had. He was sprawled on his black leather sofa with Peyton as they watched the college football bowl games, a right of the Christmas season.
Darius scowled as Peyton leaped to cheer the defensive player who’d just forced his team’s interception. “Why are you rooting for Oregon? Before today, you didn’t even know their coach’s name.”
“You’re rooting for Ohio State.” Peyton gestured toward his forty-eight-inch flat-screen television.
“We’re in Ohio.”
“But we can’t both root for the same team. Where’s the fun in that?”
Darius’s doorbell rang. He stood to answer it. “The loser should have to cook dinner.”
“I’d like spaghetti with a small, tossed salad.”
Darius’ smile faded as he checked his peephole. “It’s Ginny Carp.”
“I wonder what she wants.” Peyton sounded as irritated as Darius felt.
He was tempted to ignore their uninvited guest and return to Peyton and the bowl game. But he suspected Ginny wouldn’t go away. He opened the door, angling his body to block Peyton from view.
Ginny wasn’t alone. A tall, well-dressed businessman in a black overcoat stood behind her. Darius nodded to the stranger. The other man didn’t acknowledge him.
Darius turned his attention to his ex-girlfriend-turned-stalker. “Hello, Ginny.”