AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ella was standing behind the hostess stand when we walked in, and she looked up at the ring of the bell. “Hey, Silas,” she greeted me with a welcoming smile. Then her eyes shifted to Juniper, and her brows went up. When she spied our linked hands, her jaw literally dropped. But she recovered quickly and pasted a smile on her face. “Well, hello there.” She stuck her hand out toward Juniper, who hesitantly shook it. “I’m Ella. Maggie’s best friend.”
I rolled my eyes and tugged Juniper’s hand back, tucking it into mine. “How about you get us some food before you run over to gossip with my sister?”
Ella made a comically disappointed face and sighed. “Take a seat wherever. I’ll have Dennis out with bread shortly.”
She grinned and disappeared through a door marked “Staff Only” as I took Juniper to a booth in the back where it was quiet and a little secluded.
Dennis soon brought the promised bread and took our orders. When we were alone again, I cradled Juniper’s hand in one of mine and played with her fingers. “Tell me more about you,” I requested with an encouraging smile.
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
Juniper giggled. “I’m not very interesting.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.” As far as I was concerned, she was the most fascinating person in the world. “How about your favorite—”
“No freaking way!”
I sighed at the sound of my sister’s flabbergasted voice. “That took even less time than I expected.” Juniper looked confused, so I muttered, “Ella tattled to Maggie.”
“I should have heard it from you, big brother,” Maggie sniffed as she slid into the booth next to me—making me wish I’d sat on the same side as my girl. “You can really touch her?”
Ignoring her question, I introduced the girls. “Juniper, this is my nosy—but pretty awesome when she isn’t a pain in the ass—sister. Mags, this is my girl, Juniper.”
Juniper’s eyes lit up when I called her my girl, and it made me want to skip dinner and take her straight to bed. I reminded myself that I needed to be patient.
Juniper and Maggie chatted for a minute, and I was pleased to see them clicking. They talked as if they were already old friends.
Eventually, Mags turned to me with an impatient expression. “So? How come you can touch her? And just so you know, I want to keep her.”
I laughed. “Me, too.”
I explained my theory as to why, leaving out the part where I was sure it had at least a little to do with the fact that Juniper was made for me. She was so fucking perfect, and I had fallen hard for her.
“That’s seriously amazing,” Maggie responded, giving me a side hug. “I’m so happy for you, Silas. For you both.”
Our food was delivered, and Maggie reluctantly said goodbye, letting Juniper and me dine alone. Well, relatively speaking since I saw both Ella and Maggie peeking at us from time to time.
The conversation between Juniper and I flowed easily, and we spent the next hour learning more about each other. She mentioned that her college classes were all online. Which would make it easy for her to move here immediately.
She fell in love with the mac and cheese, so I asked Ella to make us another plate to go. I intended to keep Juniper locked in my cabin for at least the next few days, so it would be good to have food on hand anyway.
Finally, we cleaned our plates, and I reached for Juniper’s hand. “How about we get out of here? I’m pretty sure I have the stuff to make s’mores at my place.”
“Yes!” Her response was immediate, and she bounced a little in her seat. I would have thought her excitement was all about dessert if I hadn’t seen the simmering desire in her whiskey-colored orbs.
I stood and helped her onto her feet, then we made our way back to the car. When we were both settled in our seats, I turned to face her. “Are you ready for this, my beauty? Because if you come home with me right now, there will be no turning back. I’m going to make you mine.”
“More than ready,” she breathed as she leaned in closer. I took her mouth in a long thorough kiss, drawing away only when I was inches from losing control.
Wordlessly, I started the car and headed to my cabin—ourcabin.Our future.
8
Juniper
Going back to a guy’s place after the first date wasn’t something I ever thought I would do, but that was before I met Silas. It wasn’t just that I had already become addicted to his kisses. I wanted more time with him, however it came. And having him all to myself at his cabin was the best. Especially when there was a bed involved.
