Part 32 (1/2)
”Hey,” she said, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.
He looked delectable this afternoon in his faded jeans and sweater. He had a bouquet of wildflowers in his hands.
”Hey yourself.”
”Are those for me?”
”No, they're for your mother.”
Her dad cast a big grin in her direction.
Her heart tumbled over and over. ”Oh. Well, come on back to the kitchen.”
”Don't keep him in there with you women too long,” her dad said.
”I won't.”
They walked down the hall and Ty stopped her midway, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her until she was breathless. When he pulled away, he said, ”I figured that might be my only chance today.”
Her body opened to him, warmed by the kiss and being near him. ”Thank you. You've made my day.”
He took her hand and they walked into the kitchen, but she released his hand as soon as three sets of very curious eyes landed on them.
”Tyler. How nice to see you again,” her mom said.
”Mrs. Riley. I brought these for you.”
”Suck-up,” Liz whispered.
Tyler turned to her and winked.
”Oh, they're beautiful. Thank you. And call me Kathleen.” She went up to Ty and placed her hands on his face, then kissed his cheek. ”Why don't you reach up above the cabinets and grab that vase for me.”
”Yes, ma'am.”
He got the vase and her mother filled it with water.
”I'll arrange them for you, Mom,” Tara said, taking over for her.
”Tyler, why don't you go on into the living room with the guys. We'll be eating in a little while.”
He looked at Jenna, who nodded. Then he shocked the h.e.l.l out of her by leaning over and brus.h.i.+ng his lips across hers.
”See you in a bit,” he whispered against her lips before disappearing.
”Well.” Her mother crossed her arms, wooden spoon in hand. ”Just seeing each other, huh? No big deal, huh?”
”I don't know about the rest of you, but it just got a little warmer in here,” Tara said.
”Told you so.” Liz planted a smug smile on her face.
Jenna looked at all of them and shrugged. ”Okay, maybe it's a little more than that.”
”Oh, it's a lot more than that,” her mother said.
”I'll say. You nearly swooned right off the stool when he kissed you,” Tara said, fanning herself with a napkin. ”And the rest of us were swooning right along with you.”
Liz narrowed her gaze at Jenna. ”You're in love with him.”
”No, I'm not.”
”Why the denial, Jenna? What are you running from?” Her mother came around the island and turned Jenna around to face her. ”Is there some problem with the relations.h.i.+p? With Ty?”
She so didn't want to have this conversation. Not now, and especially not with her mother. ”There's nothing wrong with the relations.h.i.+p, or with Ty. We're just not in love.”
”De-ni-al,” Liz said, enunciating each syllable slowly. ”Ty sure acts like he's in love.”
”He does? How can you tell?”
”A man does not kiss a woman in front of that woman's mother unless he has genuine, serious feelings for that woman,” Tara said.
Liz nodded. ”Totally.”
Jenna's gaze s.h.i.+fted to her mother, who was nodding right along with them. ”I'd have to agree with the girls. That boy has it bad for you.”
She couldn't help the little thrill that snaked its way through her nerve endings.
Ty, in love with her?
No. That was just something Mom, Tara, and Liz inferred from the kiss. It wasn't true. He'd never said a word about love.
Then again, neither had she, because she wasn't going to be in love with a hockey player.
When they'd fixed the snacks, Jenna took them into the living room. The guys were watching the race. Tyler was sitting on the sofa, his forearms on his knees, just as intent on the action on the screen as her dad, Mick, and Nathan.
”Number thirty-six looks good this year,” her dad said.
”No way,” Ty said. ”Rumor has it he and his crew chief don't get along well and the owner's looking to make a change there. He'll be lucky to make it the season in his car.”
Her dad glared at Ty. ”Just because you're one of those number forty-seven b.u.t.t kissers doesn't mean you know all, son.”
Tyler laughed at him. ”Mark my words. He won't make it half the season.”
”You're both wrong,” Mick said. ”The number fifteen is the car to beat this year.”
Jenna rolled her eyes. ”Now, boys. Don't fight. I brought snacks.” She laid them on the coffee table. Ty grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to him on the sofa.
Not one of the guys, including her father, made mention of the fact she and Ty were snuggled up together. No one even looked at them since they were all too absorbed in the race. Two hundred miles an hour was obviously way more exciting than Ty's arm around her. Plus, they were guys. They didn't care.
She was making entirely too big a deal out of this. She needed to relax.