“Be there in eight,” I sent.
Instantly, my palms were sweating, and I tried to calm my body. Just because she wanted to meet in the pool house didn’t mean she wanted to continue what we started earlier. She would want to sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened. She’d been so embarrassed after, which was absurd because I’d never seen anything so beautiful in my life. If I told her that, would she even believe me?
Down at the pool house, I found her waiting just inside the door, standing awkwardly, hands shifting from resting in front of her to her pockets and back.
“Hey.” I smiled at her.
She sighed and looked at me with her familiar yet unreadable expression. “Hi.”
“Why here?” I asked.
“You were right. It feels like being here isn’there.” She gestured up to the main house. “There’s nothing but reminders of everything that I need to decide and do and finish.”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, of course.” She gestured to her laptop on the side table. “I finished another scene. I still need your help to move forward.”
“Move forward?” I held her gaze.
“Yes, this is my very subtle way of pretending like earlier never happened.”
“Ah.” I had thought this was the route she would take. “Because it was bad?”
“No, not because it was bad.” She lifted her chin. “Obviously, I enjoyed it immensely.”
“Didn’t think so. I just wanted to hear you say that.”
“Oh my God.”
“Let’s do it again.” I flopped onto the bed, kicking out my feet before patting next to me.
She laughed a growl. “It wasn’t appropriate. Don’t you think it will make things more complicated?”
“Is complicated bad? My favorite movies are the most complicated ones.Lifeis complicated.” I wanted more. I wanted her to know I wanted more. There was no need for awkwardness. “Maybe we should make out about it?”
She rubbed her forehead, her smile large and tugging at my heart. “It was really out of character for me,” she said.
“I’d argue you were very much in character.”
“Harrison.”
“Adam would totally let that happen.”
“I think you lied when you said you didn’t read fan fiction,” she teased.
I chuckled. But she was warring with herself. It was my job to keep her smiling even when she couldn’t. I rolled up off the bed, showing that I was listening. “I won’t push things.” I tucked my hands in my pocket.Look at me, cool as a cucumber. “Just know, I’m always going to want to touch you. I’ve wanted to touch you since the moment I mistook you for a fan and you accused me of stealing. Making you come will fuel my fantasies for the rest of my life. I won’t ever stop wanting you.”
Her mouth fell open before she closed it to swallow.
“But I’m in no rush.” I shrugged.
She wanted someone to play it easy, be at her beck and call. I could do that. No pressure from me. I stepped closer, and she didn’t move. I lowered my head to her ear and said, “When you need me, for anything at all. I’ll be here.”
She shivered. “Okay.” She let out a breath and put her hands on my shoulders. “Okay.” This time, she took control, backing me up until I hit the bed. I fell back, my mouth going dry. My pulse went mad as I sat back on my hands, looking up at her. “Anything?” she asked.
I could only nod. Dear Lord, please let her need to be ravaged, preferably by my mouth.
“Because I really need to finish this scene. So get your listening ears on,” she said.
