He shifted the truck into Park and then turned toward her. “What do you say about the gallery? You can move back here, open it up, and I’ll run the orchard. Sound like a plan?”
“One thing at a time.” She held up her hand. “Let’s worry about the orchard first, okay?”
He smirked. “Nope. Right now, the only thing I’m worried about is kissing you.”
“If you say so.” She moved closer to him and closed her eyes.
He laughed, dipped his chin, and brushed his lips over hers. He let himself get lost in the gentle swell of her lips and let all his worries dissolve. All that existed was him and Emily, along with this perfect moment.
When they parted, he touched her nose. “I guess we need to get to work.”
“Yup, that would probably be good.” She held up her laptop bag. “The stickers for the cider jugs should be here first thing tomorrow. I need to get working on a sticker for the baskets.” She held up a finger. “Oh! And the banner for the barn. Jake, we have so much to do before Wednesday.” She pushed the truck door open.
He sighed. What would he do without her?
Later, after lots of work and a little more kissing, they held hands and walked up the path to his folks’ house so that Emily could grab the banner and her supplies before returning to his house.
A gray BMW SUV sat behind Mom’s beige Camry in the driveway.
“Who’s that?” Emily asked.
“Looks like Claire’s parents.”
She froze, and worry flashed across her face. “Oh.”
“Hey.” He pulled Emily behind his dad’s pickup. “She has no power over you or me.” He traced his finger over her cheek. “Don’t let her get to you, okay?”
She nodded, but he found uncertainty in her beautiful golden eyes.
He brushed his lips over her forehead, and then, dipping his chin, he kissed her long and slow, allowing his mouth to explore hers. He didn’t mind the lingering taste of coffee from their work session at his house. Not one bit.
A moan escaped from her throat, and he felt his blood heat.
He released her and brushed her soft hair over her shoulder. “Claire can’t come between us. I promise you.”
Her lips were swollen as she moved her fingertips over the stubble on his cheek. “Okay,” she whispered.
He studied her face and tried to swallow back the riot of emotions tugging at his chest—elation, hope, love.
Love!
He’d fallen in love with his best friend. How lucky was he?
“Why didn’t I kiss you years ago?” he asked, his voice sounding husky.
“Jake, I ask myself that question every day.”
He laughed and kissed her again before taking her hand and tugging her toward the house. “Let’s go inside.”
“Uh...” She hesitated. “That’s okay. We can get the banner later.”
He brushed his hands through her soft ponytail. “C’mon. We’ll say hello, grab the banner, and then go back to my place.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Okay.” She allowed him to steer her up the stairs and in the front door.
