Veronica said, “Well, Kit said you have dinner plans tonight, but next time you’re in town, Gus and I would loveto have you over.” She turned on her heel and marched away toward Gus and Preston.
I looked over at Kit, Rita, and Mr. Dean. Kit waved at me from across the room, and I waved back. The gallery owner called us all to the front of the gallery to say a few words. I stood in the back of the small crowd. As planned, Rita spoke after the gallery owner. She spoke about her sister’s life’s work and how much the exhibit meant to their family.
The next part was unexpected, Rita turned to Kit who stepped forward and said, “We’d like to give a special thanks to William Philips who helped pull this exhibit together. Thank you for honoring my mother and her work as both an artist and teacher.”
I wasn’t used to getting recognized beyond the pat on the back and a paycheck at work. I smiled and shoved my hand in my pocket when everyone turned around to look at me.
After the event, Rita was headed back to Creekstone, and Kit’s dad was headed out for a two-week work trip. Aunt Rita agreed to take him back to the airport after the gallery opening. Kit frowned when she heard her dad wouldn’t be staying longer.
Mr. Dean gave her a hug and said, “Don’t worry, sweetie. I’ll be back in Atlanta in a few weeks. Maybe we can meet here again and spend a few days together.” Kit agreed.
Kit and I headed back to the hotel. We collapsed onto the bed together.
Kit groaned. “I have had such an amazing twenty-four hours, but I’m exhausted.”
I rolled over on my stomach so I could see Kit’s face, “Same,” I paused. “Maybe we should just change into our pajamas, get into bed, watch our shows, and order in?”
“William, you’re a genius, and I love you,” Kit said with a cheesy grin. She covered her face with her hands and gushed, “I can’t believe I can just say that now.”
“Well, Kit, you’re amazing, and I love you, too.”
We ordered take-out and bottles of wine from room service. The rest of the day was spent in bed alternating between streaming shows and taking naps. It felt like the perfect afternoon.
Chapter 21: Kit
The next morning, I woke up before William. I always did. He didn’t realize this, but he snored a little, and sometimes in the morning his snoring would wake me. I don’t know why I found it endearing that someone who looked as good as William also snored. When I teased him a little about it, he said he had no idea he snored. I was surprised no one else had ever mentioned it, and he told me he rarely spent the night with the women he dated. So even though the snoring often woke me in the morning, it felt intimate and special that I got a chance to hear it.
That morning, I watched as William woke himself up from his own sleep by snoring, and I tried not to laugh. When his eyes opened, I watched as his face registered where he was—and then saw the smile that formed when he saw me.
“Good morning,” he said groggily. I put my hand on his bicep and snuggled against him. William stretched and exhaled a deep breath. “What time is it? Wanna try to get brunch?”
“Hey, William,” I said softly. I’d been waiting for him to wake up all morning so we could talk.
He must have noticed my tone because he turned to me and asked, “What’s up?”
“I talked to Aunt Rita yesterday, and we’ve decided we’re ready to sell the land.” My voice was slow and clear. I’d thought about this for weeks, and I finally felt ready to tell William.
His face turned serious. “Really? Are you sure? You were so against it before. Did you decide this yesterday at the gallery?”
I took a deep breath. “No, Aunt Rita and I have been talking about it for a while now. The truth is we can barely afford the property taxes. We have so many bills from when my mom was sick. If we didn’t have renters, we wouldn’t be able to get by. My mom and Aunt Rita probably would have sold the land already if my mom hadn’t gotten sick. They just didn’t have the bandwidth to think it through when my mom was in treatment, but now we do.” I paused. “And the best thing for us to do is sell the land. We’ve known that for a while.”
“Are you sure, Kit?” William said, sitting up so he could see my face. He took my hand and moved his head so that he could see my eyes. I swallowed and thought before I answered.
“Yes, I’m sure, and the truth is, I trust that you’ll do the right thing in Creekstone. I can already see the positive changes you’re making.” I smiled slightly at him. “Veronica’s going to be our agent and list the land. If your company is interested, you can contact her to negotiate the deal.”
William pulled me toward him and said, “Kit, this is a big decision. How do you feel?”
I nuzzled my nose into his chest and sighed. Then I pushed away from him so I could see his face and said, “Honestly, I feel relieved. Aunt Rita and I need this. This will change our lives. We won’t be paycheck to paycheck anymore. Aunt Rita will be able to retire early, and I’ll be able to start a real nest egg.”
Then I licked my lips, pressed them together, and said, “And I realized yesterday that Creekstone doesn’t have to stay exactly the same to remember my mom. The gallery made me realize that there are so many ways to share her memory andeven make new memories around honoring my mom. I can’t thank you enough for helping me see that.”
“That’s really beautiful,” William said as he pressed his lips against my hand. “I love you, Kit.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered.
William moved his hands across my hips and he pulled me closer to him. His hand slid between my thighs, and I adjusted my legs so he could slide his hand all the way to my center. William’s fingers worked against me to create a warm arousal in my lower belly. I pushed into his hand for more, and he rolled me onto my back. I pulled William closer, craving the press of his hard, muscular chest against mine—then the tenderness of his kiss. I guided William into me. A gasp escaped my lips as I felt the pressure of his penetrating erection. William cradled my face with his palm. At first, we moved together slowly, but as my body responded, he pushed deeper into me. I moaned at the pleasurable pressure, and my hips pressed against him for more. William hovered above me so I could look directly into his eyes.
William and I had been having sex for nearly three weeks, and it had been exciting and pleasurable. The newness and the release of all the sexual tension had been unbelievably satisfying, but I felt that we were doing something entirely different now. William’s movements were slow and deliberate. His eyes burned through me as he watched me arch beneath him. William used his hand to stroke me as he slowly moved his hips. His touch was pushing me to the edge, and he knew it. His eyes were full of desire.
