Grayson held her hand as they drove through town, a small thing that was exciting to her after being alone for so long. The sense of connection she felt to him after such a short time both frightened and exhilarated her. With her better judgment warning caution, her hormones had a whole other agenda. Her very own civil war.

“You’re quiet,” he said. “What’re you thinking about?”

“Civil war.”

When he shifted his gaze to her, she could see his confusion. “My brain is telling me one thing about what’s happening here. The rest of me has a whole other opinion.”

“Talk to me about the rest of you. I think I’ll like that opinion better than what your reasonable brain is telling you.”

“You’re right about that. If I were to listen to reason, I’d get out of this car at the next intersection and walk away.”

“But…”

“I don’t want to do that.”

“Which is good, because I’d follow you.”

She looked over at him, taking in the handsome face and smooth jaw. He took her breath away. “Even if I asked you not to?”

“If you asked me not to, I’d let you walk away, but I’d always be sorry I didn’t try harder to convince you to stay.”

“I have to go home on Friday.” Three more days. That’s all they had. Simone had a birthday party to go to on Saturday that she’d been looking forward to for weeks. As much as Emma might want to extend their time in Vermont by a few days, she couldn’t and wouldn’t disappoint her daughter. Not to mention she had to work on Saturday.

“I know.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t…” Her throat tightened, and tears filled her eyes. The idea of missing out on something she wanted so badly devastated her. But the thought of being flattened in the aftermath was worse.

Grayson pulled into the driveway at a three-story Victorian. He left the engine running so they’d have heat but turned in his seat to face her, keeping his grip on her hand. “I want you to know I’m as surprised by this as you are, and I understand the many reasons why it’s a seriously bad idea to allow this to become even more complicated than it already is.”

Emma waited breathlessly to hear what else he would say.