Page 64 of Back for More

Me: Yes. But you could fix that in less than one second. However…

Wes: Christ, Lily. You’re killing me. Third question?

Me: Are you asking if I want to stay alone this afternoon or for like ever? Because I think I need to be alone today…but I do want some company, in general.

I am about to hit Send, when it occurs to me that I could add one more thing.

And so I do:Your company. Specifically.

I hold my breath as I send my reply and wait for his response.

Wes: Good to know. Glad to hear it.

I wait for him to send another text. One that says something along the lines of, “I feel the same way,” or “I also want your specific company because you’re the most beautiful wonderful girl I’ve ever known, and I just can’t seem to get enough of you.”

But that reassuring text doesn’t come. Neither does a flirty text. Or a clever text. There are no animated dots telling me that he’s typing out a response. There’s just a terrible nervous feeling in my stomach telling me that I should have quit while I was ahead. I should have stayed an ice queen in my kingdom of isolation and waited for him to bend me over a desk.

I toss my phone onto the rug.

If this is what falling in love feels like, then I think I’ve had enough, thank you very much.

I get up to run upstairs and fling myself onto my bed like a teenage drama queen, but I hear the patio door in the kitchen slide open.

“Lily?” Wes’s voice is deep and hushed.

I stand still and stare at the doorway between the living room and the dining room, through to the kitchen. “Yes?”

He steps into the kitchen doorframe. He’s wearing an old gray sweat-darkened T-shirt and jeans. He’s taken off his shoes. His skin is sun-kissed and damp, and his eyes slowly drink me in, from my bare feet to my bare legs and up past my rapidly stiffening nipples under this white tank top. “You still alone in here?” he asks quietly.

I barely nod my head before he’s coming at me so fast, and his hands are on my face and in my hair and his lips are on mine. “I’m not staying,” he says between kisses, his voice so deep and low that I feel it in that place in my stomach that felt so terrible and nervous just seconds ago, and if this is what falling in love feels like, then I guess I can take a little more of it, sure why not. “I just had to see you.”

“Good.”

“I’m gonna give you all the company you can handle when you’re ready for it,” he whispers into my ear and then kisses my neck, and I am done for and so ready for absolutely anything he is willing to give me.

I don’t realize I’m clinging to his shirt until he suddenly pulls away from me.

“I better go.”

“Uh-huh.” I nod, backing away from him and squeezing my thighs together. “Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge,” I say as I back into the wall and then lean against it, pretending I meant to do that. “See you tomorrow.”

“Eventually.” He grins.

I clear my throat and try to catch my breath. “Was it something I said?”

“Usually,” he says. “But I have to go to the resort tomorrow morning.”

“Right. Ashland. I knew that.”

He stares at my mouth from five feet away. I lick my lips, and I can see his Adam’s apple bob up and down and the muscles tensing as he restrains himself from charging at me. He nods his head and looks away.

“Get back to work,the help.” I smirk.

“Get back to your books, assistant,” he grumbles.

I wait until I hear the patio door slide open and shut again before jumping up and down and running around in circles while quietly squealing.

If this is what falling in love feels like, then I want all of it.