The chemistry between us is electricity over an open flame. It destroys reason, and I want her as clear-eyed and level-headed as possible if and when she agrees to try with me. As clear-eyed and level-headed as you can be after a bottle of Mona’s wine and an undisclosed number of edibles.

Kimba looks steady and sober enough when she stops in front of me on the row of collards.

“So, Noah was good?” she asks.

“Yeah.” For once, I don’t want to talk about my son.

“And your mother? She was okay?”

I for damn sure don’t want to discuss my mother when I’m sporting a semi in front of the literal girl of my dreams. “She’s good,” I reply tersely. “Did you need something, Kimba?”

Like me? Do you need me? Because I need you, and if you keep standing here in my garden looking like this, smelling like summer and seduction, I’ll take you, so get on with it.

“Oh.” She glances down at her expensive shoes, covered in dirt. She clutches her clutch, pressing the little purse to her waist. “Yeah, well…I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

“What I said?” Endangering my good intentions, my legs carry me a step closer to her. “What I said about what?”

She huffs an exasperated breath and slides a glance to the side, over to the squash. “About us…giving this a try. Since I’m here in the city and you’re…” She glances up at me and then quickly back down. The fairy lights we strung around the garden streak shadows with her eyelashes on the tops of her cheeks. “…available.”

“Available?” I risk a step closer, not wanting to hope, but liking where this is going. “Yeah, I’m available.”

I pause, holding my breath and balling my fists in the pockets of my jeans.

“Well, since you’re available and so am I…” She gives me a level look and draws in a bust-lifting breath. “I’m saying yes.”

That magic word sets me into immediate motion. I reach for her, scooping her close and wrapping my arms around her waist. I bend my knees so I can bury my nose in the silky sweep of skin from her shoulder, up her neck and behind her ear. Her fingers in my hair are the most delicious kind of torture.