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Just like we drank that first night together when I thought he was simply a brooding asshole.
Or beast.
“What’s this?” He grabbed the napkins off the coffee table. Immediately recognizing them, he sucked in a breath, darting his gaze toward mine. “You kept them?”
“Seemed like a good idea at the time. And I’m glad I did. Now I can see how far I’ve come in the past year.”
“Technically, ten months.”
“Close enough.”
I took another sip from the bottle before handing it to him so he could enjoy the amazing wine. It should have been a crime for us to drink it like this when he had perfectly good glasses in the kitchen.
But even if he offered, I wouldn’t drink this wine out of a glass.
I doubted I’d ever drink it from a glass again.
“Okay then…” Standing, he strode over to the wet bar on the opposite side of the patio and grabbed a few napkins and a pen before returning to the couch. “What should be on this year’s list?” He looked at me expectantly, pen poised above the first napkin.
“I think I’m done with lists.”
“Come on, love.” He winked. “Humor me.”
I pinched my lips into a tight line, not immediately agreeing. But it was so hard to tell him no when he peered at me like that. So flirty. So full of life.
So mine.
“What kinds of things do you think I should put on it?” I asked with a sigh, relaxing back into the couch.
He tapped the pen against his lips, deep in thought. Then his expression brightened. “Got one.”
He hovered over the coffee table, jotting something down before sliding the napkin toward me.
I leaned forward, eyes skating over the words at the same time as he read them.
“‘Have crazy sex with an irresistible, younger man.’”
My laughter echoed in the peaceful evening air. “Irresistible? You think quite highly of yourself, don’t you, Mr. Hale?”
“Even you have to admit you found me to be quite charming when we first met.”
“Charming?” I shot him a look of mock disbelief. “No. I found you quite the opposite. But like a rare, inoperable tumor, you grew on me.” Smiling, I took a sip from the bottle. “Regardless of my initial opinion of you, I think we can successfully mark that as complete. Although I’d like the crazy sex with a so-called irresistible younger man to continue, even if I’ve already accomplished it.”
His pupils dilated, mouth forming into a devilish smirk that made my pulse kick up. “I have a feeling that can be arranged.” He curved toward me, capturing my lips in a kiss, warmth spreading through me.
It didn’t matter how many times this man kissed me. Each one still felt like the first.
Still gave me that same sense of wonder. Of excitement.
Of hope for my future.
“What else?” he asked, pulling back. “Perhaps something a bit more…adventurous?”
“I can do adventurous.”
“Good.” He grabbed the pen and scribbled something.
“‘Get to home base on home base,’” I read over his shoulder, heat washing over my face at the memory of doing just that when we went to Hawaii during Imogene’s winter break. We’d gone out to his Little League fields where we got caught in another torrential downpour.
