Page 66

Jack

There were pros and cons to working from home as habitually as I was.

My clothes were casual, despite Willow’s insistence that my suits were her kryptonite.

I could take the dogs out for a lunchtime walk.

I could watch the sway of my girlfriend’s hips as she strolled through the house and treat us both to a surprise fuck against the wall.

We were insatiable for each other, working hours be damned.

On the other hand, I couldn’t leave my job at the office.

The home office was right below my bedroom.

On nights where I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to disturb Willow, I’d find myself flicking through contracts and emails to avoid lying there worrying.

Willow had caught me a handful of times and lured me back to bed.

On other occasions, like now, I’d make myself scarce whilst Elle was visiting Willow, replying to an email trail between one of our agents and a particularly difficult seller.

The prospect of Willow leaving my side had my blood pressure skyrocketing.

It was selfish and even after our open conversation, I couldn’t shift the fear that if I lost sight of her, something would inevitably happen.

I knew I couldn’t lock her away forever, even if it felt like the preferable option.

Elle inviting herself over was the perfect opportunity for Willow to enjoy life, so here I was squireling away at nearly ten o’clock at night.

Or I would have been if the karaoke in my living room wasn’t as loud as it was.

Snapping the laptop shut, I accepted that there was no point, nor chance, in trying to get more work done.

I wandered across the hallway and pushed the door open.

As if thankful for the escape, Darwin snuck out between my legs, and when I looked around for his brother, I found him digging his head through empty pizza boxes and sniffing half-drunk bottles of cider.

Bouncing on their respective sofas, the girls used the television remotes as microphones, singing as loud as possible. I was thankful that the connecting neighbours were either deaf or selling their home .

It was refreshing to witness the communal joy a film, pizza, and cider brought them.

I took the chance to ogle at the uninhibited, candid version of the woman I loved.

Hair in frizzy waves, her cheeks were flushed – probably from both the alcohol and the dancing – and her sweater had slid off one shoulder, leaving a bare neck and shoulder that I yearned to press my lips into.

Willow spun as the crescendo of Miracles Happen hit, righting herself before she slipped to the floor.

She caught me leaning against the doorway out the corner of her eye.

The second she zoned in, her eyes lit up, and her mouth split into the broadest grin I’d ever seen.

She truly was the most beautiful woman in the world.

With confidence that only cider could bring, she stepped up onto the arm of the sofa at the final note and squealed the affectionate nickname she’d created just for me.

“ Laaaaaaaamb! ”

Without warning, she bent her knees like a baby giraffe and launched into the air.

“ Shit, ” I muttered as I jolted forward, catching her just before she hit the hardwood.

The remote clattered to the floor. Her floppy body in my arms, I bounced her in my grip until she resembled a standing position, leaning her against the arm of the sofa.

“Are you okay?” I asked, brushing waves from her face. She smiled drunkenly up at me, eyes hooded.

“Are youuuu okay?”

She tapped my nose. Even with the racket or the heart attack she’d given me, it was impossible not to find her utterly adorable.

“I am now. I just lost years off my life catching you,” I joked.

“ Noooooo , I only just got you, you can’t die early!”

I laughed, looking around the room at the bottles of cider.

“How many have you had to drink, gorgeous girl?”

After thinking for a moment, she held her thumb and forefinger between us, a slither of space between them.

“Only this many.”

I shook my head, smirking down at her as she wobbled in my grip. I lowered my neck, pecking her fruity-tasting lips.

“God, you two are so disgustingly cute. Thanks for the marathon, Willie, but it’s time for me to go home. Home ,” she sighed. “- all on my lonesome.” She rummaged through her bag.

“Alone? Where’s Ant?” Willow asked and Elle ignored her, pulling keys and phone out with a proud grin.

“You’re not driving, Elle.” I frowned .

“And why ever not, Romeo?”

“You’ve had too much to drink. Call a taxi or have someone collect you. Stay here if—”

“And listen to you two all night? While that sounds delightful, I think not.”

“Can’t you drive her home, lamb?” Willow whispered, fiddling with the collar of my shirt.

“I’m not leaving you on your own.”

“ Oh, road trip to Elle’s! ” She squealed.

“ No , not a road trip to Elle’s,” I replied, probably a little too sternly, but I needed to nip that idea in the bud. Willow’s eyes watered and bottom lip popped.

“Oopsie. Romeo, sort your girl out. She’s an emotional drunk. All good, Silas is nearby. I have a shoot tomorrow anyway. See ya lovebirds, don’t have too much fun without me.” Elle smacked a slobbery kiss on Willow’s cheek and left, the front door sounding with a soft click.

“You don’t want to go on a road trip with me?” Her soft voice cracked. I let out a frustrated groan and pushed my fingers through my ever-greying hair.

“I want all the road trips with you sweetheart, but you need some sleep before then.”

“Sleep in bed?” She blinked.

“Sleep in bed,” I agreed.

“Do you know what else happens in bed?”

Her fingertips grazed down my chest, lowering until they reached my belt buckle. Her pink tongue poked between her lips, frowning as she tried to figure out the belt. Taking her wrists, I smirked and shook my head.

“Sleep.”

As much as I loved being buried inside her, being buried inside her when she didn’t have all her faculties was a personal, reasonable hard limit. I stepped back and jerked my chin.

“Come on, baby. Time for bed.”

Despite tugging her with my hand, she remained in her spot, looking down at her feet and up again at me.

“I’m stuck.” She blinked, confused.

Chuckling, I crouched down, placing my hands on her waist and hauled her over my shoulder as she squealed, kicking her legs.

“This is hot , can you do it when I’m sober, please?”

I shook my head, smacked her arse, and clung to her legs to keep her balanced. I locked the front and back doors while she aimlessly hummed songs and told me how good my arse looked from every angle.

“Do you think I look like Anne Hathaway?” she asked.

“The actress?” I replied, taking the stairs .

“Yeah, Elle said I did but she’s crazy. And drunk.”

“You share the dark hair. But she’s nothing on you,” I replied as I gently popped her on the bed. She sighed happily, looking up at me with a goofy smile as I removed her leggings and socks.

“Lamb, I love you. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I really love you.” Despite the slurring, her eyes were full of sincerity. Leaning over, I kissed her softly.

“I really love you too, gorgeous girl. I’d do anything to keep your goofy smiles in my life.” I stood to enter the wardrobe to grab her one of my T-shirts.

“I like it when you call me that,” her hum followed me.

I caught myself in the mirror, holding an old band tee she’d deemed her favourite.

I realised that in the space of a month, my entire focus had shifted.

I’d always been a family man, but since Harrie died, I’d survived with a daughter and business.

My daughter had grown, and my business thrived.

Now, I had the possibility of a future with someone who made dragons take flight in my chest, fiery passion, and protection fleeting between their wings.

I returned to the bedroom. Willow was snoring softly, her long tanned legs flopped over the edge, one arm curved over her head. Letting her rest, I dumped the tee to the floor, peeled back the duvet and settled her underneath.

Shifting in her sleep, she pulled Angus from between the pillows and into her arms. Her lashes fluttered as dreams moved behind her lids, her lips parted as warm puffs of air escaped her.

Eventually, I lay alongside her, fighting sleep as I made sure she was breathing. The need to keep her safe had woven itself between every muscle until the prospect of a life without Willow Thornton didn’t feel like much of a life at all.