Leaning over, Gage fished the puck out of the machine and stole a glance at the table nearby, where Skye sat with her friends. Supposedly, everyone was here to give Bethany and her husband—Dane’s most recently defeated opponent—a proper send-off before they left for Arizona.
Right now, it felt more like a power move on Dane’s part to maintain his title as unofficial air hockey champion. No wonder Drew had volunteered to stay with Connor and Mrs. T tonight.
“Quit stalling, man.” Dane’s face tightened with concentration.
“All right, all right.” Gage set the puck on the smooth surface and smacked it against the left edge of the table, hoping it might ricochet into Dane’s goal with sheer speed alone. Hoping that he might win the game and Skye might notice.
Dane smirked and blocked the shot effortlessly. “Why don’t you challenge me a little?”
Gage bristled inside. Dane had been polite, friendly and professional during both orientation sessions. Gage had no reason to believe Dane’s motivation was anything more than a drive to keep his winning streak alive. But the fierce look in his eyes, dogged determination to beat Gage as well as his appreciative comments about Skye when they were at the diner, made Gage suspect this might be something more.
He wanted to win this stupid game, too. If this was an unspoken turf war, he wasn’t going down without a fight. Another volley sent the puck zinging back and forth between them, and Gage managed to defend his goal. He sneaked a glance at Skye to see if she was paying attention to this ridiculous showdown, then quickly sliced his paddle to deflect Dane’s next shot.
“I see you looking at her,” Dane scoffed. “How about winner asks her to dance?”
Gage’s heart sped at the thought of holding Skye close. He fired another shot across the table.
“Yeah, you heard me. Winner asks her to dance.”
The spectators ringing the table murmured to one another. Jack stood alone, just behind Dane, his expression unreadable. Gage hesitated. Skye wouldn’t be happy if she found out about their competition.
“What’s wrong?” Dane taunted. “Afraid I might win?”
He’d heard enough. There were plenty of women here they could both dance with, but if he didn’t win and had to watch Dane dance with Skye—if she even said yes—he’d never hear the end of it.
“Deal.” He flicked his paddle against the puck and it bounced off the right edge and sailed into Dane’s goal unobstructed. Tied 7–7.
A fierce volley ensued, and the crowd around the table pressed in while the puck zipped back and forth. Gage was in the zone, blocking Dane’s shots and firing back repeatedly. His arm ached from exertion, and a droplet of sweat trickled down his spine. Finally, he managed to slam one more shot across the table and it slid into Dane’s goal for the win. Final score: 8–7.
“Congratulations.” Dane tossed his paddle onto the table, then pushed through the crowd.
A smattering of applause broke out, but anxiety clenched Gage’s stomach as he stared after him. He’d hate to do anything that might impact his local job prospects. Dane didn’t have that kind of influence, though, did he? Besides, it was just a game.
“Don’t worry about him.” Jack clapped him on the shoulder. “He needs to lose every once in a while.”
Gage offered a weak smile. “Yeah, probably.”
“Here.” Jack held up a quarter. “Go ask my sister to dance. I’ll pick a nice slow song from the jukebox.”
Gage sneaked a peek at Skye, who’d stood and put on her jacket. “It looks like she’s leaving. Let me offer to walk her to her car instead.”
“Good plan.” Jack pocketed his quarter. “Thanks for looking after my sister.”
“You’re welcome.” Gage grabbed his jacket from a stool nearby and worked his way toward her, trying not to shove past anyone. He didn’t want to seem too aggressive, yet he didn’t want her to leave before he could at least offer to walk with her.
“Skye?” He gently pressed his hand against the sleeve of her jacket.
Laramie met his gaze, then exchanged a glance with Bethany as Skye turned to face him.
“Oh, hey.” Surprise flashed in her eyes and her lips curved in a friendly smile. “How’s it going?”
“Not bad. Just beat Dane in a game of air hockey.” He couldn’t help but brag a little, although he didn’t mention that was the catalyst for crossing the restaurant to speak to her.
“Good for you.” Skye shouldered her purse. “We were just getting ready to go. I promised Drew I’d be home by nine thirty.”
“Mind if I walk you out?”
“I rode with Laramie, so—”
“That’s all right,” Laramie interrupted. “You can take her home, I don’t mind.”
Thank you. Gage owed her one. He studied Skye’s expression, half expecting her to object.
“Oh.” She hesitated. “I—I guess that would be fine.”
“I’m ready when you are.” He put on his jacket and waited while she said goodbye to her friends.
The crowd had shifted away from the air hockey game, and Jack or someone else must’ve dropped a quarter in the jukebox, because a familiar country song played, drawing several couples onto the black-and-white-checked linoleum floor. Gage let Skye lead the way to the front door, resisting the urge to press his hand to the small of her back and guide her.
Outside, the neon glow from the restaurant’s sign cast a purple hue onto the sidewalk at their feet.
“I’m parked down the street. Hope you don’t mind the walk.” Gage’s hand itched to reach for hers. Instead, he balled his fists in his jacket pockets. What was he thinking? Winning that game must’ve given him a shot of courage.
“I don’t mind. The fresh air feels good.”
The streetlights did little to detract from the stars dotting the inky black sky above. A group of ladies spilled out of a tavern nearby, their laughter puncturing the night air. Snow crunched beneath their boots as Skye walked beside him toward his truck.
He reached for the passenger door and opened it.
She hesitated and gazed up at him. “Thank you for driving me home.”
The subtle curve of her smile drew his gaze to her lips. His mouth felt dry. “You’re welcome.”
Still she didn’t move past him. They were inches apart now. His heart rate quickened as he searched her face, noticing not for the first time how her long thick eyelashes rimmed fathomless blue eyes.
Unable to resist any longer, his knuckles gently grazed her cheek as he dragged his thumb across the fullest part of her pink lower lip.
Her sharp intake of breath made him hesitate. She didn’t back away, though.
“We probably shouldn’t,” she whispered as her hands twined around his neck.
“That doesn’t feel like a no.” He held back for an excruciating instant, struggling to rein in his thoughts. She had her reasons for saying they shouldn’t kiss, and he’d never force her.
“Kiss me.” Her breath feathered his cheek as she went up on tiptoe and leaned into his embrace.
* * *
It was bold—asking him to kiss her. Skye knew it, yet she couldn’t resist. As Gage’s lips brushed hers, her defenses weakened further and she let herself get lost in the moment. He deepened the kiss while cupping her face gently in his hands. His aftershave or cologne or something, woodsy and crisp, enveloped her and teased her senses.
Wait! What are you thinking?
Her cautious nature battled with her senses, and for once she tried to ignore the voice of reason and savor Gage’s mouth moving against hers.
What about Connor? Your life back in Denver?
She pushed her palms against his broad chest. “Stop. We have to stop.”
His fingers skimmed the length of her jacket sleeves as she stepped back. Hurt flashed in his eyes. “Skye, what’s wrong? What did I do?”
/>
“Nothing.” She bit her lip and looked away.
“Please. Talk to me. What happened?”
She shook her head. No. He’d only try to convince her that she was wrong. Just like her ex-boyfriend had twisted her words and made her question her logic, all because he wanted to control her.
“We shouldn’t have kissed.” Her voice wobbled, and she fought to keep her composure. Lifting her chin, she narrowed her gaze and forced herself to look him in the eye. “Please take me home.”
“Okay.” He waited while she got in his truck, then closed the door. She pulled her phone from her purse and quickly texted Drew to let him know she was on her way.
Gage slid behind the wheel and put the key in the ignition, but didn’t start the engine. The warmth of his gaze made her twist in her seat and stare out the passenger window.
“Skye, I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, right?”
The tenderness in his words brought tears to her eyes. She dug her fingernails into her palms. “I said take me home.”
Wordlessly, Gage started the truck and left the parking lot. A heavy silence filled the cab and she kept staring out into the darkness. She was an idiot. Succumbing to her selfish desires and completely losing focus on what really mattered. Connor. It might’ve been an amazing kiss, but it was a reckless choice, and it scared her to death. She couldn’t risk being so vulnerable. Because vulnerability meant admitting she needed Gage. And the risk was too great and the pain still too raw from the last time she allowed herself to fall in love.
Chapter Nine
Why? Why had he kissed her?
Gage had asked himself that question a dozen times in the last three days and the answer hadn’t changed—Skye was beautiful, they’d been alone under a star-filled sky and she’d asked him to.
Right? He’d certainly been caught up in the moment—her husky voice and slender fingers warm against the back of his neck had made him dizzy—but he hadn’t imagined her request.
Connor interrupted his thoughts by handing him a blue-and-orange foam block decorated with pictures of animals and instruments, then clapped his hands awkwardly.
“Thanks, buddy. Nice clapping, by the way.” Gage took the block and stacked it on top of the short tower he’d assembled in the middle of the living room floor. While the baby had napped for only an hour, Mrs. Tomlinson was still sleeping in her room after what she’d declared her toughest day at physical therapy yet. Gage didn’t want to wake her. Connor squealed and kicked both feet with excitement, sending the blocks tumbling across the carpet. Instead of waiting for Gage to collect them and make a new stack, Connor got on all fours and crawled after a plastic airplane wedged under the love seat.
Gage quickly reached for his phone to record the activity. While Connor had crawled a little bit in the short time they’d spent together, Gage hadn’t seen him move quite that quickly before. Skye and Mrs. Tomlinson would want to see the replay.
Skye had ignored all his efforts to interact in the three days since they’d kissed. His texts went unanswered, and she let both his calls go to voice mail. Maybe she’d respond to a cute video of Connor. While he filmed Connor in action, his thoughts cycled back to the kiss and he rehashed the whole encounter. As first kisses went, it was incredible, but he hated that he’d obviously done something to upset her.
Connor sat beside the love seat, sucking on one of the airplane’s wings, so Gage stopped the video and quickly sent it to Skye, then put his phone away.
Dating hadn’t been on his radar when he’d arrived in Merritt’s Crossing. Finishing up his wind energy technician certification through the local community college and finding Connor were his priorities. Those objectives hadn’t changed. His role in Connor’s life turned into a much bigger blessing than he’d expected—and meeting Skye had made him revisit his previous failures in dating relationships. He hadn’t had many healthy role models growing up. Dad left before Gage’s third birthday, and when he had lived with his mom, she paraded an endless string of boyfriends in and out of their lives. His grandparents had stayed married, but Gage hadn’t seen them often.
His chest tightened. Intimacy still scared him. Vulnerability seemed like a huge risk. Even with the mistakes the Tomlinson family admitted they’d made, Skye and her brothers and their mom still stuck together. He was in awe of their willingness to restructure their lives to meet Connor’s needs, and still terrified about what it meant to be part of a family.
Maybe that was the problem. Skye sensed he was destined to be an outsider—a drifter—and she didn’t trust him to stick around. Or maybe she thought he’d advocate for Ryan’s parents to become Connor’s legal guardians, which would only drive a wedge between them anyway. That certainly seemed more in line with her cautious, pragmatic nature. Whatever her reason for getting so upset, they needed to talk about it. Even if the kiss was a mistake, he couldn’t leave things so unsettled. They needed to be able to work together for Connor’s sake—especially when he told her about Gerald and Irene’s plans.
Connor abandoned the airplane and crawled back toward Gage.
Gage had expected Skye to come home early from the store—barreling in the door and quizzing him about Connor’s care. Instead, his afternoon shift had passed uneventfully, and his phone remained silent. Connor climbed into Gage’s lap, then popped his thumb into his mouth. At least one person in this family trusted him.
“Want to read a book?”
Connor kicked one leg up and down repeatedly.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Gage slid a stack of board books closer. “Let’s see what we have here.”
Resting his back against the love seat, Gage opened the book about race cars and counting to ten. As he turned the thick pages, he talked about each color and pointed out the numbers, enjoying the warmth of Connor’s little body snuggled against his chest. Whatever happened in the future, he’d never forget these tender moments.
He was almost to the end of the book when a key turned in the lock and the front door opened. Skye came inside, her face drawn and smile tight.
Connor squealed and bounced up and down in Gage’s lap.
“Hey, buddy.” Skye’s expression brightened a little, but she avoided eye contact with Gage.
His palms felt clammy and his mouth dry. “How was your day?”
“Good. Finally sold some furniture—a recliner.” While she tugged off her boots and hung up her jacket, Connor chattered a string of nonsensical sounds. Gage had never been more grateful for the baby’s ability to defuse the awkward tension.
“Where’s Mom?” Skye padded toward them in her socks, then sank cross-legged on the floor. Connor wiggled and squirmed to get to her.
“She’s taking a nap.” Gage helped Connor off his lap so he could crawl to Skye.
“Look at you go.” Skye held out her arms and Connor giggled as she scooped him up and pressed a juicy kiss to his cheek.
Gage looked away. Too bad she wasn’t nearly as excited to see him. In her bright green sweater and dark blue jeans, gold hoop earrings and a hint of lip gloss on those kissable lips—meaningful conversation was the last thing on his mind. But her rejection stung, and he couldn’t forget the look of regret he’d seen in her eyes. And they still had to talk—really talk—about their kiss and Ryan’s parents’ request.
“Do you have a few minutes?” He collected the blocks and put them back in the toy bin. “There’s something we need to discuss.”
She ran her hand along the length of her ponytail, then flipped it over her shoulder and out of Connor’s reach. Her cool, determined gaze lacked the spark he’d admired when she was in his arms. “If it’s about our... If it’s about Saturday night, then I think we can both agree it shouldn’t have happened.”
Oh. He rubbed his fingers along his jaw. So she still felt the kiss was a mistake? “We got caught up in the moment.”
>
“Right.”
Wrong. He wanted to argue, to distract Connor with a toy and pull her close for another kiss.
“We both know this is a temporary arrangement.” She shifted Connor to her shoulder and patted him on the back gently with her palm while he sucked noisily on his fist.
“Absolutely.” He despised anything temporary. It implied chaos and a lack of uncertainty—more scenarios that he despised. Sure, he didn’t have a permanent job yet, although his advisor indicated Alta Vista would probably hire him. If not for a job in Merritt’s Crossing, then for their new wind farm in Wyoming. Did she care if he left town?
Connor twisted in her arms and strained for the airplane he’d left on the floor earlier. His babbling escalated until she relented and set him on the floor beside her.
“I—I think it’s best for all of us if we focus on Connor and try to be just friends.” Her brow furrowed as she smoothed her hand across the top of Connor’s head.
Just friends. The death spiral of all romantic relationships. Gage gritted his teeth. While he’d hoped the conversation might play out differently, he wasn’t going to let her see she’d crushed his hopes. “You’re right.”
Oh, it about killed him to agree with her.
“It was just one kiss—hardly a commitment.” Her casual words felt like another knife to his heart. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was quite possibly the best first kiss of all first kisses. How could she dismiss it so easily?
“I’m genuinely sorry if I did anything that made you feel uncomfortable.” Didn’t he get credit for falling on the proverbial sword?
“I didn’t feel coerced.” Her tight smile returned, along with her impenetrable shield. Man, keeping him at arm’s length was definitely her superpower.
“Good.” He linked his arms across his chest. While he’d put off telling her about Ryan’s parents because he thought it might hurt her, now he didn’t care. If she morphed into all-business mode, then he’d do the same. All he wanted to do now was deliver the news and get out of there as quickly as possible.
Their Baby Blessing Page 10
