“Oh, God.” She rolled her eyes. “Is this about the deck? Did you find something else that needs to be rebuilt?”

“It’s not about the deck. It’s about you and me. And your kitchen pantry. And a certain kiss from a couple weeks ago that you haven’t mentioned since.”

“You haven’t mentioned it, either.” Vickie straightened, arching her eyebrow to emphasize her winning point.

He folded his arms, not looking defeated in the least. “Kinda hard to mention something to someone who won’t stay in the same air space as me for more than three seconds.”

That was fair. She had been avoiding him. Half because she didn’t want them to get carried away again. And half because she was hoping they would. And that would be... A disaster? Wonderful? She hadn’t decided yet.

“Well, I’m standing here now,” she said. “What do you want to say?”

His square jaw, covered with salt-and-pepper stubble, moved back and forth as he studied her. “Look, if you don’t want to kiss me again, just say so, Vickie. I can handle it.” He took a step in her direction. “But I get the funny feeling you’re avoiding me because you want to kiss me, and you’re scared. The thing is, the Vickie Mallory I used to know wasn’t scared of anything. So... I’m confused.” He scrubbed his hand over his face, making that stubble sound like sandpaper. “I don’t like this silent treatment you’ve been giving me. Tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”

Vickie pressed her tongue against her top lip and stared at the floor, struggling to hold in her thoughts. And failing. Still looking down, she let the words tumble out.

“I’m a vain woman, Gordon Lexiter. Always have been. You know that. If we kiss again, I’m going to want...more. And I haven’t done more in a long time. I’m not the high school senior you shagged in the back seat of your mom’s Buick. My body has changed. I’ve changed...”

Memories of that long ago night had been keeping her awake ever since they’d kissed in the pantry. Homecoming dance. A warm fall night. A short drive to a dark country road in the hills above Rendezvous Falls.