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Maybe her parents do have pure intentions of keeping her safe. But life always has risks, and if it didn’t, I’m not sure it would be worth living.
“Did you want to keep doing it?” I ask, handing her an orange slice.
“Yeah, of course. It crushed me, to say the least. I was even taking something for my anxiety at the time, but Vivian’s word is final. I still don’t really know why she felt the need to worry so much.” Molly frowns, biting into the citrus.
She shares the personal story with ease. A small piece of her gets passed to me for safekeeping.
“I’ve seen you take something. I didn’t want to pry about it, but my brother, Myles…he also struggles with anxiety.”
She replaces the downturned corners of her lips with a heartfelt smile. “Really?” I nod. “It’s more common than people think. I’ve never been ashamed about it or anything. It’s kind of always been a part of my life. My anxiety and my meds, going in and out of therapy. Some days are harder than others, but I’ve been working to keep the majority of my symptoms at bay.”
Myles always described his anxiety as if it were drowning him, cutting off all his fresh air. It wasn’t long before he started taking medication that helped him find some oxygen. At least, that’s how he described it. “Medical science is a real gem for that.”
“So are therapists,” she laughs.
I continue to pull apart our orange. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it’s a very private thing.” Her courage makes me want to reveal a part of myself too. “A few years ago, I—I was also in therapy. I know the impact it can have on your life. It helped me understand that vulnerability is power.”
“No wonder you’re so levelheaded.” Molly gives me a soft nudge with her knee.
“That’s just my nature.” We sit together on the checkered picnic blanket. Peace and serenity. That’s what I feel with this magnificent woman. “So, I guess we’ll have to include a stable in your business plan.” I hand her another orange slice.
Molly takes it, watching a stream of clouds pass above us. “I think you’re right. I can’t believe we’ll be back in the city in only a few days. It’ll be great to start scouting some locations on, um…Z…Zillow.com?”
I nod, failing to hide my smile.
On Saturday, we’ll be back in New York. Back to our normal lives. Back to waking up without her sleepy amber eyes or messy curls right beside me.The haze of the last two weeks either making or breaking us.
“Just in time for leaf season,” I say.
“The best time of year.” Molly shimmies her shoulders again.
Fucking adorable. As always.
“Maybe we can dress up as Serienna and Damien in the Battle of Loria for Halloween, since it’s only a few weeks away?” I joke, hoping the suggestion doesn’t sound as awkward as it did coming out of my mouth.
I’m a grown man and a tad too excited to cosplay as characters from her favorite book. ButThe Stone Courthas made it onto my top reads of the year. Plus, the image of Molly as an elf… The mere thought has my pulse humming in my veins.
“What?” Her mouth drops open.
Yeah. Definitely awkward. I rise from my forearms, sitting up. “I believe they’re characters from your favorite book series.”
“I know who they are.” Molly feigns rolling her eyes above the playful smile on her face. “I just didn’t know you’ve been reading. The Battle of Loria is book two.”
Caught again.
I nervously stroke the back of my neck. “I bought the e-book after we finished the first one. That cliff-hanger wasn’t letting me sleep.” She studies me, lost for words.Did I cross a line?“I just got to the part where Serienna is on the back of her great griffin,” I say, flashing her a wink that immediately snaps the tension from her face. “And she rides into battle, landing the shot that saves Damien. I thought he was a goner, but then she used her elven mind control and, well, I couldn’t put it down.”
What I can’t quite explain is that there was no way I could lie in the same bed as her after she licked chocolate off of my fingers. Picking up the book seemed like the best distraction to keep my thoughts from morphing into memories of Molly’s lips on me.
“Romantasy is a drug,” she giggles, taking another strawberry from the pail. “It can cause a full-blown addiction.”
I’m starting to feel the same way about that little laugh of yours.
Molly brushes a heap of corkscrew curls over her shoulders, revealing the frills of lace along the neckline of her pink sundress. She’s so painfully lovely. The smooth lines of her cleavage peek into view anytime she bends forward. My throat dries.
She takes a bite, her full lips curving over the red berry again.
Is that how her mouth would look wrapped around me?
