Page 6

HUXLEY

W illa insists on helping clean up after dinner, so I load the dishwasher while she scrubs the stove and counters. Who knew that cleaning the kitchen with a woman could be such a blast? Not me.

"How does a person manage to spill so much pasta sauce on the stove?" she laughs.

I wipe my hands on a dish towel, then stand behind her and cup her luscious ass. "Maybe somebody was walking around with this and distracting me?"

She laughs again, spinning in my arms to face me. "Wait! My hands are all dirty."

"Good. Then you can't defend yourself."

I dip my head and kiss under her ear and along the side of her neck. Her soft, uneven breath sends my blood south until my jeans feel way too tight. Then I release her, spinning her around to face the sink so she can rinse off.

Maybe I came on too strong when I mentioned making her fall for me before she left at the end of the summer, but I need Willa to know I want her to stay – even though everything is happening too fast. I'm just getting settled here myself.

I'm not going to risk losing her. I already know in my heart, my soul…

and certainly the rest of me…that Willa is the one.

I put the last few things away, then Willa grabs a cabinet door before I can close it. "Oh! That teapot." She stares up at the yellow flowered china. "My grandmother had the same one."

"Was she a doctor too?" It was meant as a joke, but she sighs.

"Close. She was a nurse. My grandfather was a doctor as well."

I swing her up onto the kitchen counter. "Your parents are doctors. Your older sister is a doctor. And now your grandpa too? I feel like your family has had quite enough of those. Much more than their fair share. So you should feel free to do whatever you like."

Her eyes light up. "Wow. I've never thought of it that way."

"And as for that diploma… Did they ever say there was a deadline?"

"Everyone else went straight into?—"

My finger lands on her lips. "We're not talking about anyone else. We’re talking about you. Have your parents ever explicitly told you that they will disown you if you don't get a diploma before you’re, say, twenty-five?"

"N-no."

"So while you're here for your self-guided summer school, maybe we can toss some ideas around." Lifting her by the waist, I hoist her over my shoulder and march into the living room. "In fact, I’m going to start by tossing you around right now."

She dissolves into fits of giggles as I sit on the couch, pulling her down into my lap.

"I'm really grateful that you want to help me solve this problem," she says softly. "I guess I'm just so used to doing what's expected of me."

"Hmm. One of the amazing things about being twenty-one and living on your own is that you can make your own decisions."

My fingers walk up from her wrist to her elbow, then slide back down to hold her hand. "I'm older than you are, Angel. But I don't want it ever to sound like I’m telling you what to do. Anything I say is simply a suggestion. Is that okay?"

"Totally okay."

I nuzzle her neck gently, loving the way she cuddles right into me.

The feeling of her soft breasts against my chest sends another deep wave of lust surging through my system.

"I can't wait to see what kind of charms you make with that beach glass," I murmur, kissing along the top of her hair. "I love that you're so creative."

"You must be creative, too. I mean, who designs the interiors when you flip a house?"

I shrug. "Huh. I've never thought of it like that. I just kind of stick to whatever open, neutral layout those home design websites are currently featuring."

"Still, you're the one assembling everything."

"Beautiful, if you want to think I'm some sort of creative interior designer, you go right ahead. Honestly, I just think of myself as a trend follower. Plus Mom sends a lot of links when I’m starting a new house."

“Aha. You take direction well. Good to know.”

We both laugh for a moment, then grow quiet. Staring deeply into each other’s eyes, we both lean in. The kiss is slow and soft, hesitant at first, then her lips open and her fingers thread into the back of my hair as she pulls me closer. Gradually our kiss develops, opens, becomes a blur of heat.

After several minutes, I force myself to pull away. "Decision time, beautiful. Shall I be respectable and drive you home?"

"What's the other option?" Her sweet voice is barely a breath.

"Well, you do appear to love the lake. And I have a very large bed. Plenty of room for two. If you want to stay over, I can open the window and we can listen to the waves all night."

Her bottom lip disappears between her teeth for a few seconds. "You know, I do have the day off tomorrow…"

"My coffee here isn't nearly as good as my sister’s, but I'm sure we can struggle through in the morning."

"I'll just text my aunt quickly so she doesn’t worry." She flashes me a slightly guilty look. "I…may have already mentioned you to her. She said the Turner family are all wonderful people, and she was pleased that we're…hanging out."

Clasping her hand, I bring it to my lips to kiss each knuckle. " Hanging out ? No way, baby. We're dating. You're my girlfriend. At least, that’s how I see it. Sounds good?"

Willa is already nodding. "Sounds great." She jumps up to grab her phone from her purse to send her text, while I have a little chat with myself.

It's much too soon for us to sleep together.

Well, in that way. I can't run the risk of scaring her away, even though I can tell from the way she reacts to me that she wants more as much as I do.

But I feel like sleeping, as in just sleeping , with Willa in my arms might help her realize how special she already is to me.

And how I'm already thinking about forever.